On 8th February 1870, the following entry was recorded in the Llansantffraid board school log book; 

"Endeavoured to compel the children to converse in English by means of a piece of wood. Offenders to be shut in after school" 

This refers to the 'Welsh Not' which was used in some schools during the nineteenth century in a bid to prevent pupils from speaking Welsh. The 'Welsh Not', which usually consisted of a small piece of wood or slate inscribed with the letters 'W.N' was hung around the neck of a child who was caught speaking Welsh. At the end of the school day, the child wearing the 'Welsh Not' would be punished by the schoolteacher.

During the mid-19th century there was a feeling among some MP's in Westminster, that the continued existence of the Welsh language was one of the reasons for perceived lawlessness in Wales, which  resulted in a parliamentary report being commissioned with regard to the role of the Welsh language in education.  The report, which became known as the Treachery of the Blue Books was published in 1847 and caused a considerable anger in Wales, as its commissioners, three monoglot Anglican barristers from England, refered to the Welsh language as a drawback and that the moral condition of Welsh people would only improve with the introduction of English.  Therefore the "Welsh Not", although not official policy became commonly used in some schools.

On 8th February 1915 D.W.Griffith's controversial film "The Birth of a Nation" premiered in Los Angeles.

David Llewelyn Wark Griffith, of Welsh descent, was a pioneering American film director and this film although commercially a success, drew widespread criticism for its portrayal of the Ku Klux Klan as a heroic force, whilst African-American men, were portrayed as unintelligent and sexually aggressive.

The outcry of racism was so great that Griffith was inspired to produce "Intolerance" the following year, showing the history of prejudiced thought and behaviour.

    
Sydenham Teast Edwards (1768 – 8 February 1819) -, who was born in Usk, was an extremely popular natural history illustrator for magazines and encyclopaedias, at a time when there was great demand for illustrations of the new plants being found on discovery voyages to previously unexplored regions of the world.  

On 8th February 1889 sixteen people perished in the Pembroke river ferry tragedy.

The ferry between Bentlass and Lower Pennar was regularly used by workmen at the Royal Naval Dockyard at Pembroke Dock as well as people shopping and doing business in Pembroke Dock. On this particular day, 14 women were on board returning from the weekly market, when an unusually strong tide rushed in, driven by strong winds, causing the boat to rock severely.  It is thought then that some of the passengers moved to avoid the spray of a wave and unbalanced the boat.  Almost immediately the boat started to take in water and sink.