This article is about the particular significance of the year 1873 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey – William Owen Stanley
Lord Lieutenant of Brecknockshire – Charles Morgan, 1st Baron Tredegar
Lord Lieutenant of Caernarvonshire – Edward Douglas-Pennant, 1st Baron Penrhyn
Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire – Edward Pryse
Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthenshire – John Campbell, 2nd Earl Cawdor
Lord Lieutenant of Denbighshire – William Cornwallis-West
Lord Lieutenant of Flintshire – Sir Stephen Glynne, 9th Baronet
Lord Lieutenant of Glamorgan – Christopher Rice Mansel Talbot
Lord Lieutenant of Merionethshire – Edward Lloyd-Mostyn, 2nd Baron Mostyn
Lord Lieutenant of Monmouthshire – Henry Somerset, 8th Duke of Beaufort
Lord Lieutenant of Montgomeryshire – Sudeley Hanbury-Tracy, 3rd Baron Sudeley
Lord Lieutenant of Pembrokeshire – William Edwardes, 4th Baron Kensington
Lord Lieutenant of Radnorshire – John Walsh, 1st Baron Ormathwaite
Bishop of Bangor – James Colquhoun Campbell
Bishop of Llandaff – Alfred Ollivant
Bishop of St Asaph – Joshua Hughes
Bishop of St Davids – Connop Thirlwall
Events
1 March – The sailing ship Chacabuco sinks off the Great Orme with the loss of 24 lives. 18 March – Work begins on construction of the Severn Tunnel. 30 March – The Glyn Valley Tramway opens as a horse-worked line to carry slate and other minerals from Glyn Ceiriog to Chirk. 19 August – The Holyhead Breakwater (the longest in the world) is officially opened by Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. having taken 28 years to construct. 9 October – The first recorded sheepdog trial in the UK takes place at Bala. 2 December – In a mining accident at Hafod Colliery, Rhiwabon, five men are killed. date unknown – Construction of: Tŵr Mawr Lighthouse on Ynys Llanddwyn. Buckley Arms hotel, Dinas Mawddwy, in reinforced concrete.
Arts and literature
New books
Rhoda Broughton – Nancy
Robert Elis (Cynddelw) – Manion Hynafiaethol
Ebenezer Thomas – Gweithiau Barddonol Eben Fardd (posthumously published)
Music
Henry Brinley Richards – Songs of Wales
Richard Davies (Mynyddog) writes the song "Rheolau yr Aelwyd", the basis of "Sosban Fach".
Sport
December – Major Walter Wingfield of Nantclwyd Hall at Llanelidan designs a game for the amusement of his visitors. Wingfield soon patents nets for the game of lawn tennis, which he calls "sphairistike".
Births
7 January – Christopher Williams, artist (died 1934) 16 January – Ivor Guest, 1st Viscount Wimborne, politician (died 1939) 7 April John Dyfnallt Owen, poet and Archdruid (died 1956) Charles Butt Stanton, politician (died 1946) 23 April – Sir Robert Thomas, 1st Baronet, politician (died 1951) 1 May – Harry Evans, musician (died 1914) 22 May – (Brynach) (died 1923) 5 June – Ben Davies, Wales international rugby player (died 1930) date unknown – Arthur Tysilio Johnson ("The Perfidious Welshman") (died 1956)