1740s in Wales

This article is about the particular significance of the decade 1740 - 1749 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

*Prince of Wales - Frederick, Prince of Wales
*Princess of Wales - Augusta of Saxe-Gotha

Events

1740
*November 6 - Charles Wesley records in his diary a visit to the Glascott family home at Cardiff.
*William Williams Pantycelyn is appointed curate to Theophilus Evans at Llanfaes.1741
*June - In the general election, the seat of Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 3rd Baronet at Denbighshire is targeted by the government. Sir Watkin wins by 1352 to 933, but the sheriff, a member of the Salusbury family, disallows 594 of his votes and returns a cousin of Salusbury, John Myddelton of Chirk.1742
*July - The result of the previous year's election for Denbighshire is overturned in favour of Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 3rd Baronet.
*Howell Harris, Daniel Rowland and their converts form the Methodist Association in Wales.1744
*May 18 - Howell Harris marries Anne Williams.
*Richard Morris is selected by the S.P.C.K. to supervise the production of its edition of the Welsh Bible.1745
*Following the failure of the Jacobite Rebellion, Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 3rd Baronet, is suspected of involvement and seeks protection from his father-in-law, Charles Noel Somerset, 4th Duke of Beaufort.1746
*William Edwards begins his first attempt at building a bridge over the River Taff at Pontypridd.
*Sidney Griffith joins the Methodist movement.1747
*William Morgan of Tredegar Park becomes MP for Monmouthshire.1748
*Richard Wilson paints the two eldest sons of Frederick, Prince of Wales.
*Joseph Harris becomes Assay-Master at the Royal Mint.
*A major eisteddfod is held at Selattyn.
*William Williams Pantycelyn marries Mary Francis of Llansawel.
*The Salusbury family leave Lleweni Hall.1749
*April 8 - Charles Wesley marries Sarah Gwynne of Garth.
*July 19 - "Madam" Sidney Griffith accompanies Howell Harris to the Llangeitho association - the beginning of a relationship that would cause considerable controversy.
*September 23 - Harris finds "Madam Griffith" awaiting him at Trevecka, with the news that her husband, now bankrupt, had beaten her and thrown her out of the house for refusing to give him any more money.

Arts and literature

New books

1740
*John Dyer - "The Ruins of Rome"
*Griffith Jones (Llanddowror) - "Welsh Piety"
*Zachariah Williams - "The Mariners Compass Completed"1742

1744
*Jane Brereton - "Poems on several occasions" (posthumously published)1746
*Anna Williams - "Life of the Emperor Julian" (translation from the French)1749
*Zachariah Williams - "A True Narrative of certain Circumstances relating to Zachariah Williams in the Charterhouse"

Music

1740
*Howell Harris - "Llyfr o Hymneu o Waith Amryw Awdwyr" (collection of hymns)1742
*Howell Harris & Daniel Rowland - "Sail, Dibenion, a Rheolau'r Societies" (collection of hymns)1747
*William Williams Pantycelyn - "Aleluia" (hymns)

Births

1740
*"date unknown" - Sir Watkin Lewes, politician (d. 1821)1741
*January 16 - Hester Thrale, diarist and friend of Dr Johnson (d. 1821)
*August 20 - Henry Herbert, 1st Earl of Carnarvon (d. 1811)
*September 3 - Owen Jones, antiquary (d. 1814)1742
*September 26 - Thomas Jones, landscape painter (d. 1803)
*December 3 - Sir Erasmus Gower, naval commander (d. 1814)1745
*February 14 - David Davis (Castellhywel), poet (d. 1827)1746
*September 28 - William Jones, philologist (d. 1794)1747
*January - Richard Fenton, poet and author (d. 1821)1748
*August 20 - Thomas Johnes, landowner (d. 1816)1749
*September 23 - Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 4th Baronet, politician (d. 1789)

Deaths

1740
*August 7 - Jane Brereton, poet, 55
*October 20 - Sir William Williams, 2nd Baronet, of Gray's Inn, politician, 75?1741
*August - David Owen, 29 ("David of the White Rock"), harpist,
*"date unknown" - Wil Hopcyn, poet, 41?1743
*July 15 - John Wynne, bishop, 83?1744
*March 2 - William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale, Jacobite, husband of Winifred Herbert1745
*May 7 - Sir Thomas Hanmer, politician and literary editor, 681748
*August 27 - Sir Robert Salusbury Cotton, 3rd Baronet, 531749
*May - Winifred Herbert, Countess of Nithsdale, 58?
*September 26 - Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 3rd Baronet, 57