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, latin_name = , image = , caption =
Coat of Arms A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central ele ...
, motto = cy, Goreu Awen Gwirionedd , mottoeng = The Best Inspiration is Truth , established = , , type = Confederal, non-membership university , endowment = , staff = , faculty = , chancellor = King Charles III , vice_chancellor =
Medwin Hughes Medwin Hughes DL DPhil DPS FRSA FLSW is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and of the University of Wales. He was previously principal of Trinity University College, Carmarthen and Vice-Chancellor of the Univ ...
, students = , undergrad = , postgrad = , doctoral = , city =
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Ki ...
, country =
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
, campus = , colours = , mascot = , nickname = , affiliations = Association of Commonwealth Universities , website = , logo = The University of Wales ( Welsh: ''Prifysgol Cymru'') is a confederal
university A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, ...
based in
Cardiff Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Ki ...
,
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
. Founded by royal charter in 1893 as a federal university with three constituent colleges – Aberystwyth, Bangor and Cardiff – the university was the first university established in
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
, one of the four countries in the United Kingdom. The university was, prior to the break up of the federation, the second largest university in the UK. A federal university similar to the
University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree- ...
, the University of Wales was in charge of examining students, while its colleges were in charge of teaching. Historically, the University of Wales was the only university in Wales until the establishment of the
University of Glamorgan , image_name = University of Glamorgan arms.png , image_size = 220px , caption = University of Glamorgan coat of arms , motto = Success Through Endeavour , established = , closed = , administrative_staff = , chancellor = John Morris ...
in 1992. Former colleges under the University of Wales included most of the now independent universities in
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
:
Aberystwyth University , mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all , established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'') , former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth , type = Public , endowment = ...
(formerly University of Wales, Aberystwyth),
Bangor University , former_names = University College of North Wales (1884–1996) University of Wales, Bangor (1996–2007) , image = File:Arms_of_Bangor_University.svg , image_size = 250px , caption = Arms ...
(formerly University of Wales, Bangor),
St David's University College University of Wales, Lampeter ( cy, Prifysgol Cymru, Llanbedr Pont Steffan) was a university in Lampeter, Wales. Founded in 1822, and incorporated by royal charter in 1828, it was the oldest degree awarding institution in Wales, with limited ...
(later University of Wales, Lampeter, and now merged with
University of Wales Trinity Saint David , image = Crest of TSD.png , image_size = 200px , caption = Coat of armsUniversity of Wales Trinity Saint David , established = 2010 ( Saint David's College, Lampeter founded 1822 and opened 1827; royal charter 1828) ...
),
Cardiff University , latin_name = , image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University , motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord , mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord , established = 1 ...
(formerly University of Wales, Cardiff),
Swansea University , former_names=University College of Swansea, University of Wales Swansea , motto= cy, Gweddw crefft heb ei dawn , mottoeng="Technical skill is bereft without culture" , established=1920 – University College of Swansea 1996 – University of Wa ...
(formerly University of Wales, Swansea),
Cardiff Metropolitan University , image_name = Shield of Cardiff Metropolitan University.svg , image_size = 150px , motto = cy, Gorau Meddiant Gwybodaeth , mottoeng = The most valuable possession is knowledge , established = 2011 – Car ...
(formerly University of Wales Institute, Cardiff) and
University of Wales, Newport The University of Wales, Newport ( cy, Prifysgol Cymru, Casnewydd), was a university based in Newport, South Wales, before the merger that formed the University of South Wales in April 2013. The university had two campuses in Newport, Caerleo ...
(which merged with Glamorgan University in April 2013 to form the
University of South Wales The University of South Wales ( cy, Prifysgol De Cymru) is a public university in Wales, with campuses in Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd. It was formed on 11 April 2013 from the merger of the University of Glamorgan and the University of ...
). In 2007, the University of Wales changed from a federal structure to a confederal one, and many of the constituent colleges became independent universities. Following a number of controversies in the late 2000s involving overseas affiliates, cheating and student visas, a decision was made to abolish the university as it then existed. From August 2017 it has been functionally integrated with the
University of Wales Trinity Saint David , image = Crest of TSD.png , image_size = 200px , caption = Coat of armsUniversity of Wales Trinity Saint David , established = 2010 ( Saint David's College, Lampeter founded 1822 and opened 1827; royal charter 1828) ...
. The
Higher Education Statistics Agency The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) was the official agency for the collection, analysis and dissemination of quantitative information about higher education in the United Kingdom. HESA became a directorate of Jisc after a merger in 20 ...
recorded zero students registered with the University of Wales in the UK in 2018/19, but 3,345 students registered on transnational education courses outside the UK.


History


Origins

The University of Wales was founded in
Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in ...
in 1893 as a federal university with three foundation colleges: University College Wales (now
Aberystwyth University , mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all , established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'') , former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth , type = Public , endowment = ...
), which had been founded in 1872; University College North Wales (now
Bangor University , former_names = University College of North Wales (1884–1996) University of Wales, Bangor (1996–2007) , image = File:Arms_of_Bangor_University.svg , image_size = 250px , caption = Arms ...
); University College South Wales and Monmouthshire (now
Cardiff University , latin_name = , image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University , motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord , mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord , established = 1 ...
). The last two had been founded following the Aberdare Report in 1881. Prior to the foundation of the federal university, these three colleges had prepared students for the examinations of the
University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree- ...
. A fourth college, Swansea (now
Swansea University , former_names=University College of Swansea, University of Wales Swansea , motto= cy, Gweddw crefft heb ei dawn , mottoeng="Technical skill is bereft without culture" , established=1920 – University College of Swansea 1996 – University of Wa ...
), was added in 1920 and in 1931 the Welsh National School of Medicine was incorporated. In 1967 the Welsh College of Advanced Technology entered the federal university as the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology (UWIST), also in Cardiff. In 1971 St David's College (now part of the University of Wales: Trinity Saint David), Wales' oldest degree-awarding institution, suspended its own degree-awarding powers and entered the University of Wales. A financial crisis in the late eighties caused UWIST and University College Cardiff to merge in 1988, forming the University of Wales College Cardiff (UWCC). In 1992 the university lost its position as the only university in Wales when the Polytechnic of Wales became the
University of Glamorgan , image_name = University of Glamorgan arms.png , image_size = 220px , caption = University of Glamorgan coat of arms , motto = Success Through Endeavour , established = , closed = , administrative_staff = , chancellor = John Morris ...
(now part of the new
University of South Wales The University of South Wales ( cy, Prifysgol De Cymru) is a public university in Wales, with campuses in Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd. It was formed on 11 April 2013 from the merger of the University of Glamorgan and the University of ...
).


Re-organisation

The university was composed of colleges until 1996, when the university was reorganised with a two-tier structure of member institutions in order to absorb the Cardiff Institute of Higher Education (which became the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC), now known as
Cardiff Metropolitan University , image_name = Shield of Cardiff Metropolitan University.svg , image_size = 150px , motto = cy, Gorau Meddiant Gwybodaeth , mottoeng = The most valuable possession is knowledge , established = 2011 – Car ...
) and the Gwent College of Higher Education (which became University of Wales College, Newport (UWCN)). The existing colleges became constituent institutions and the two new member institutions became university colleges. In 2003, both of these colleges became full constituent institutions and in 2004 UWCN received permission from the
Privy Council A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a state, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the m ...
to change its name to the
University of Wales, Newport The University of Wales, Newport ( cy, Prifysgol Cymru, Casnewydd), was a university based in Newport, South Wales, before the merger that formed the University of South Wales in April 2013. The university had two campuses in Newport, Caerleo ...
. Cardiff University (which had been known briefly as the University of Wales, Cardiff, between 1996 and 1999) and the University of Wales College of Medicine (UWCM) merged on 1 August 2004. The merged institution, known as
Cardiff University , latin_name = , image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University , motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord , mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord , established = 1 ...
, ceased to be a constituent institution and joined a new category of 'Affiliated/Linked Institutions'. While the new institution continued to award University of Wales degrees in medicine and related subjects, students joining Cardiff from 2005 to study other subjects were awarded Cardiff University degrees. At the same time, the university admitted four new institutions. Thus, North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI), Swansea Institute of Higher Education and Trinity College, Carmarthen (who were all previously Associated Institutions) along with the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (which was previously a Validated Institution) were admitted as full members of the university on 27 July 2004. The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama subsequently left the university in January 2007. More changes followed in September 2007 when the university changed from a federal structure to a confederation of independent institutions, allowing those individual institutions which had gained the status of universities in their own right to use the title of university – these institutions are Aberystwyth University, Bangor University, Glyndŵr University (formerly the North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI)), Swansea Metropolitan University and
Swansea University , former_names=University College of Swansea, University of Wales Swansea , motto= cy, Gweddw crefft heb ei dawn , mottoeng="Technical skill is bereft without culture" , established=1920 – University College of Swansea 1996 – University of Wa ...
. In November 2008, Aberystwyth, Bangor and Swansea Universities decided to exercise their right to register students to study for their own awarded degrees.


Scandal and merger

In 2010 the university broke its links with a
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Malay ...
n college after it was discovered its director had bogus qualifications, while a Thai institution linked to the university was found to be operating illegally. In June 2011, a report from the
Quality Assurance Agency The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) is the independent body that checks on standards and quality in UK higher education. It conducts quality assessment reviews, develops reference points and guidance for providers, and condu ...
found that the university had not run the necessary checks on institutes delivering courses it validated, and instructed it to review all of its validation arrangements. In October, the university announced that it would cease validating courses, just before news broke that one of its affiliated colleges in London was involved in a visa fraud. This led to calls from the vice chancellors of the universities of Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff, Glamorgan and Swansea for the University of Wales to be wound up. It was announced later in October that the University of Wales would be "effectively abolished", and merged into the
University of Wales Trinity Saint David , image = Crest of TSD.png , image_size = 200px , caption = Coat of armsUniversity of Wales Trinity Saint David , established = 2010 ( Saint David's College, Lampeter founded 1822 and opened 1827; royal charter 1828) ...
(UWTSD),University of Wales effectively abolished in merger
- BBC News, 21 October 2011
which itself merged with Swansea Metropolitan University on 1 August 2013. In August 2017 a ''deed of union'' was approved by the University of Wales and UWTSD, which integrated the two universities into a single functional body prior to a full legal constitutional merger; as of February 2020 this full merger has not been finalised. As part of the work towards merger, custody of the university's Gregynog Hall and its estate was transferred to the newly created Gregynog Trust in July 2019.


Central services

The administrative office of the University of Wales is located in Cardiff's Civic Centre. In addition to its work with the accredited institutions in Wales, the university also validates schemes of study at some 130 centres in the UK and across the world, though it is currently in the process of bringing this current validation model to a close. It runs a highly rated research centre, the Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies (incorporating the Welsh Dictionary Unit), which is adjacent to the
National Library of Wales The National Library of Wales ( cy, Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru), Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales and is one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies. It is the biggest library in Wales, holding over 6.5 million bo ...
in Aberystwyth. The first edition of ''
Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru ''Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru (GPC)'' (''The University of Wales Dictionary'') is the only standard historical dictionary of the Welsh language, aspiring to be "comparable in method and scope to the ''Oxford English Dictionary''". Vocabulary is defi ...
'' (''The University of Wales Dictionary''), which has the same status for Welsh as the OED does for English, was completed in 2002, eighty-two years after it had been started. The
University of Wales Press The University of Wales Press ( cy, Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru) was founded in 1922 as a central service of the University of Wales. The press publishes academic journals and around seventy books a year in the English and Welsh languages on six genera ...
was founded in 1922 and publishes around seventy books a year in both English and Welsh. The university also has a study and conference centre at Gregynog, near Newtown.


Former colleges and member institutions

Former colleges and member institutions: In September 2007, three universities applied for a change to their royal charters to give them the power to award their own degrees, instead of University of Wales degrees.
Aberystwyth University , mottoeng = A world without knowledge is no world at all , established = 1872 (as ''The University College of Wales'') , former_names = University of Wales, Aberystwyth , type = Public , endowment = ...
,
Bangor University , former_names = University College of North Wales (1884–1996) University of Wales, Bangor (1996–2007) , image = File:Arms_of_Bangor_University.svg , image_size = 250px , caption = Arms ...
, and
Swansea University , former_names=University College of Swansea, University of Wales Swansea , motto= cy, Gweddw crefft heb ei dawn , mottoeng="Technical skill is bereft without culture" , established=1920 – University College of Swansea 1996 – University of Wa ...
now all award their own degrees. The
University of Wales Trinity Saint David , image = Crest of TSD.png , image_size = 200px , caption = Coat of armsUniversity of Wales Trinity Saint David , established = 2010 ( Saint David's College, Lampeter founded 1822 and opened 1827; royal charter 1828) ...
(UWTSD) already had its own degree awarding powers, inherited from Saint David's College, Lampeter, which were put into abeyance when Lampeter joined the University of Wales in 1971. From then on, Lampeter awarded Wales degrees but its own licences and diplomas. When the merger between UWTSD and the University of Wales is complete, the new unified institution will award degrees under the historic 1828 royal charter of Saint David's College.
Cardiff University , latin_name = , image_name = Shield of the University of Cardiff.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms of Cardiff University , motto = cy, Gwirionedd, Undod a Chytgord , mottoeng = Truth, Unity and Concord , established = 1 ...
and the
University of Wales College of Medicine The Cardiff University School of Medicine ( cy, Ysgol Feddygaeth Prifysgol Caerdydd) is the medical school of Cardiff University and is located in Cardiff, Wales, UK. Founded in 1893 as part of the University College of South Wales and Monmouth ...
were full members of the University of Wales but left following their merger in 2004. The merged institute awarded its own degrees to students admitted since 2005, except in medicine and related subjects which continued to be awarded University of Wales degrees until 2011. Cardiff University had previously merged with the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology, another college of the University of Wales, in 1988. The Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama became a member of the University of Wales in 2004 but left in 2007, when it merged with the
University of Glamorgan , image_name = University of Glamorgan arms.png , image_size = 220px , caption = University of Glamorgan coat of arms , motto = Success Through Endeavour , established = , closed = , administrative_staff = , chancellor = John Morris ...
, although retaining its separate identity. The
University of Glamorgan , image_name = University of Glamorgan arms.png , image_size = 220px , caption = University of Glamorgan coat of arms , motto = Success Through Endeavour , established = , closed = , administrative_staff = , chancellor = John Morris ...
subsequently merged with the
University of Wales, Newport The University of Wales, Newport ( cy, Prifysgol Cymru, Casnewydd), was a university based in Newport, South Wales, before the merger that formed the University of South Wales in April 2013. The university had two campuses in Newport, Caerleo ...
, another former member of the University of Wales, in 2013 to form the
University of South Wales The University of South Wales ( cy, Prifysgol De Cymru) is a public university in Wales, with campuses in Cardiff, Newport and Pontypridd. It was formed on 11 April 2013 from the merger of the University of Glamorgan and the University of ...


Former validated institutions

A number of institutions were not accredited by the university, but had some of their courses validated by it. There was some publicity and questioning of the quality of these external courses, and in October 2011, in response to changes in higher education in Wales, including the university's merger, the university announced that it would launch a new academic strategy which would see the institution only award degrees to students on courses designed and fully controlled by the university. All existing students at validated institutions are able to continue the remainder of their studies for a University of Wales award and will have continuous support.


List of vice-chancellors of the University of Wales

The appointment of Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales is held by a head of one of its constituent colleges/universities. * 1895 to 1896: John Viriamu Jones, first Principal of the University College of South Wales and Monmouthshire; first incumbent; first term * 1896 to 1897: Henry Reichel, first Principal of the University College of North Wales; first term * 1897 to 1898: Thomas Francis Roberts, Principal of the University College of Wales; first term * 1898 to 1900: John Viriamu Jones; second term * 1900 to 1901: Henry Reichel; second term * 1901 to 1903: Thomas Francis Roberts; second term * 1903 to 1905: Ernest Howard Griffiths, Principal of University College, Cardiff; first term * 1905 to 1907: Henry Reichel; third term * 1907 to 1909: Thomas Francis Roberts; third term * 1909 to 1911: Ernest Howard Griffiths; second term * 1911 to 1913: Henry Reichel; fourth term * 1913 to 1915: Thomas Francis Roberts; fourth term * 1915 to 1917: Ernest Howard Griffiths; third term * 1917 to 1921: Henry Reichel; fifth term * 1925 to 1926: Franklin Sibly, Principal of University College, Swansea * 1926 to 1927: Henry Reichel; sixth term * 1929 to 1931:
Henry Stuart Jones Sir Henry Stuart Jones, FBA (15 May 1867 – 29 June 1939) was a British academic. He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford; he obtained a First in Classical Moderations in 1888 and a First in Literae Humaniores ('Greats', a combination of p ...
, Principal of the University College of Wales * 1933 to 1935:
Emrys Evans Sir David Emrys Evans (29 March 1891 – 20 February 1966) was a Welsh classicist and university principal. Life Evans, from Clydach, Glamorgan, was educated at Ystalyfera County School, before going on to University College, Bangor, an ...
, Principal of the University College of North Wales; first term * 1935 to 1937: Frederick Rees, Principal of University College Cardiff; first term * 1937 to 1939:
Ifor Leslie Evans Ifor Leslie Evans (17 January 1897 – 31 May 1952) was a Welsh academic and Principal of the University College of Wales Aberystwyth from 1934 until 1952. Background The son of Welsh musician William John Evans, Ivor Leslie Evans received his ...
, Principal of the University College of Wales; first term * 1941 to 1944: Emrys Evans; second term * 1944 to 1946: Frederick Rees; second term * 1946 to 1948: Ifor Leslie Evans; second term * 1948 to 1950: Emrys Evans; third term * 1950 to 1952: Ifor Leslie Evans; third term * 1952 to 1954: John Fulton, Principal of University College, Swansea; first term * 1954 to 1956: Emrys Evans; fourth term * 1958 to 1959: John Fulton; second term * 1961 to 1963: Thomas Parry, Principal of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth * 1969 to 1971: Frank Llewellyn Jones, Principal of University College of Swansea * 1973 to 1975: C. W. L. Bevan, Principal of University College, Cardiff; first term * 1975 to 1977: Aubrey Trotman-Dickenson, Principal of the University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology; first term * 1979 to 1981: Robert Walter Steel, Principal of the University College of Swansea * 1981 to 1983: C. W. L. Bevan; second term * 1983 to 1985: Aubrey Trotman-Dickenson; second term * 1985 to 1987: Gareth Owen, Principal of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth * 1989 to 1991: Eric Sunderland, Principal of the University College of North Wales/Vice-Chancellor the University of Wales, Bangor * 1991 to 1993: Aubrey Trotman-Dickenson; third term * 1993 to 1995: Kenneth O. Morgan, Principal/Vice-Chancellor of University College of Wales, Aberystwyth * 2007 to 2011: Marc Clement, Chief Executive of the University of Wales'CLEMENT, Prof. (Robert) Marc',
Who's Who 2017 ''Who's Who'' is a reference work. It is a book, and also a CD-ROM and a website, giving information on influential people from around the world. Published annually as a book since 1849, it lists people who influence British life, according to i ...
, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2017; online edn, Oxford University Press, 2016; online edn, Nov 201
accessed 3 July 2017
/ref> * 2011 to present:
Medwin Hughes Medwin Hughes DL DPhil DPS FRSA FLSW is the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David and of the University of Wales. He was previously principal of Trinity University College, Carmarthen and Vice-Chancellor of the Univ ...
, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David


Notable alumni


See also

* Academic dress of the University of Wales *
List of modern universities in Europe (1801–1945) The list of modern universities in Europe (1801–1940) contains all universities that were founded in Europe after the French Revolution and before the end of World War II. Universities are regarded as comprising all institutions of higher e ...


References


Bibliography


Official histories of the University

* ''The University of Wales: A Historical Sketch'' D. Emrys Evans, University of Wales Press, Cardiff, 1953. Published to mark the sixtieth anniversary of the University of Wales. It is illustrated with black-and-white photographic plates, and contains appendices listing 'Authorities and Officers of the ' and 'Professors and Other Heads of Departments' since 1873. * ''The University of Wales: An Illustrated History'' Geraint H. Jenkins, University of Wales Press, Cardiff. 1993. Published to mark the centenary of the University of Wales.


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Wales, University of Organisations based in Wales with royal patronage Universities in Wales Educational institutions established in 1893 1893 establishments in Wales Universities established in the 19th century