This article is about the particular significance of the year 1897 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Hwfa Môn
Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – Sir Richard Henry Williams-Bulkeley, 12th Baronet
Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – Joseph Bailey, 1st Baron Glanusk
Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – John Ernest Greaves
Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Herbert Davies-Evans
Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – John Campbell, 2nd Earl Cawdor
Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – William Cornwallis-West
Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Hugh Robert Hughes
Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – Robert Windsor-Clive, 1st Earl of Plymouth
Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – W. R. M. Wynne
Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort
Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Sir Herbert Williams-Wynn, 7th Baronet
Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – Frederick Campbell, 3rd Earl Cawdor
Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – Powlett Milbank
Bishop of Bangor – Daniel Lewis Lloyd
Bishop of Llandaff – Richard Lewis
Bishop of St Asaph – A. G. Edwards (later Archbishop of Wales) Bishop of St Davids – Basil Jones (until 14 January); John Owen (from 1 May)
Events
January – Sir Owen Morgan Edwards founds the periodical Heddyw, published in Wrexham. 9 April – The Snowdon Mountain Railway resumes operation, a year after a fatal accident on its maiden run. c. May – The Plynlimon and Hafan Tramway opens. 13 May – Guglielmo Marconi sends the first ever wireless communication over water, from Lavernock Point to Flat Holm. 2 June – The first Jubilee Bridge (Queensferry) across the River Dee is opened by William Gladstone. 20 June – Celebration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee is muted in Nonconformist parts of Wales, as the date falls on a Sunday. July – The Grand Theatre, Swansea, is opened by Adelina Patti. 30 September – Inauguration of Beacons Reservoir water supply to Cardiff. 9 October – Opening of the Tal-y-cafn Bridge across the River Conwy. November – Four Customs officers are rescued from the River Usk, near Newport's Alexandra Dock pier-head after their boat capsizes. 12 November – Llanfyllin County School is opened by Mrs. John Marshall Dugdale and becomes the sixth Intermediate School in Montgomeryshire. Politician Clement Davies is one of the first pupils. unknown dates A roller coaster erected on Barry Island, origin of Barry Island Pleasure Park. Construction work is completed on the Pierhead Building as offices for Cardiff Docks. Weaver's Mill, Swansea, a flour mill and corn storage depot, becomes the first building in the UK to be constructed from reinforced concrete, by L. G. Mouchel of Briton Ferry. Merthyr Tydfil is refused a town charter; it is eventually granted one in 1905. Opening of the Canterbury Building at St David's College, Lampeter (demolished in 1971). Edgeworth David leads the Royal Society's expedition to the coral atoll of Funafuti.
Arts and literature
Awards
National Eisteddfod of Wales – held at Newport
Chair – John Thomas Job, "Brawdgarwch" Crown – Thomas Mafonwy Davies, "Arthur y Ford Gron"
New books
English language
Owen Rhoscomyl – The White Rose of Arno
John William Willis-Bund – The Celtic Church of Wales
Alfred Neobard Palmer – Owen Tanat
Welsh language
Caniadau Cymru (anthology) John Cadvan Davies – Caneuon Cadvan Ellis Pierce – Teulu'r Gilfach
Music
Walford Davies – Overture in D minor
Llyfr Hymnau a Thonau y Methodistiaid Calfinaidd (collection of hymns)
Film
Arthur Cheetham begins making films in Wales.
Sport
Rugby Union – Due to an argument with the International Football Rugby Board the Welsh Rugby Union withdraws from the organisation and Wales do not play international rugby for 12 months. Swimming – The Welsh Amateur Swimming Association is founded. The first Welsh championships take place, with events for men only.
Births
3 April – Frank Evans, dual-code international rugby player (died 1972) 5 April – Ness Edwards, politician (died 1968) 21 April – Albert Stock, Wales international rugby player (died 1969) 22 June – Kathleen Freeman, classical scholar (died 1959) 21 August – Victor Nash-Williams, archaeologist (died 1955) 28 September – Harry Beadles, Wales international footballer (died 1958) 15 November – Aneurin Bevan, politician (died 1960) 31 December – Rhys Williams, politician (died 1969)