- Following chosen as deacons in Tabernacle chapel: T. R. Nicholas; O. M. Williams, draper and J. C. Roberts, JP, printer.
- Capel Mair vestry built at a cost of £640.
- January Railway station construction started.
- March Lockup: rubbish was used at Pwll Pensarnau (Victoria Gardens).
- 31/3 Death of R D Jenkins (mayor)
- 16/4 New Mayor was Tom Davies
- 27/7 Pwll Pensarnau monthly marts begun.
- August Wilson & Cooke grocery opens
- Sept Salvation Army established in Old Hope Chapel, Carrier’s Lane
- November Elections: David Davies, Lib 5, 967; Vaughan Davies 3, 633
Burial in the town cemetery:
- NE06 Anne JONES, St Dogmells, Bridge End, near Cardigan, 2 Jan 1885, 73, spinster
- GG20 Martha Maria GOWER, Cardigan, St Mary St, 30 Jan 1885, 82, widow
- SD10 Deborah DAVIES, Cardigan, St Mary St, Belmont, 4 Feb 1885, 38, wife of Capt G Davies
- NEE07 John GRIFFITHS, Cardigan, St Mary’s Lane, 7 Feb 1885, 7m, son of G & Mary
- NEE08 John MULRAIN, Cardigan, St Mary’s, Greenfield Row, 5 Mar 1885, 4, son of Thomas & Margaret
- SD12 David Owen EVANS, Cardigan, St Mary’s, 14 North Gate Terr, 19 Mar 1885, 5, son of John (Master Mariner) & Mary
- NE10 Elizabeth JEREMIAH, Cardigan, St Mary’s, Mwldan, 23 Mar 1885, 6, daughter of James (labourer)
- NE14 Elizabeth EVANS, Cardigan, St Mary’s, Quay St, 8 Apr 1885, 75, widow
- SEE07 Sarah Anne DOWNING, Cardigan, St Mary’s, Greenfield Row, 23 Apr 1885, 4, daughter of James (carpenter)
- NE12 Frances WILLIAMS, Cardigan, St Mary’s, White Hart Inn, 9 Jun 1885, 71, innkeeper
- SAA03 Mary Sophia MATHIAS, Cardigan, St Mary’s, High St, 12 Jun 1885, 24, wife of John Turner, Jnr (shopkeeper)
- EE13 Elizabeth Anne MORRIS, Cardigan, St Mary’s, North Gate Terr, 21 Jul 1885, 2, daughter of John (mason) & Sarah
- SD12 Mary Hannah EVANS, Cardigan, St Mary’s, 14 North Gate Terr, 23 Jul 1885, 4, daughter of John (Master Mariner) & Mary
- E11 Elizabeth DAVIES, Cardigan, St Mary’s, Pwllhai, 27 Jul 1885, 62, widow of Benjamin (ostler)
- NEE10 David JENKINS, Cardigan Workhouse; late St Mary’s Lane, 30 Jul 1885, 84, joiner
- SD14 Sarah Margaretta SMITH, Cardigan, St Mary’s, Upper Mwldan, 15 Aug 1885, 20m, daughter of William Henry (mariner) & Hannah
- NDD06 Margaret JONES, Cardigan, St Mary’s, William St, 24 Sep 1885, 28, spinster
- SB02 John LEWIS, Cardigan, St Mary’s, Royal Arms, 28 Sep 1885, 70, innkeeper
- NDD07 Eleanor OWENS, St Dogmells, Bridge End, Lower Spring Gardens, 19 Oct 1885, 60, wife of David (mariner)
- NE12 JAMES, Cardigan, St Mary’s, White Hart, 27 Oct 1885, <1h, child of David JAMES
- BB11 PEARCE, Cardigan, St Mary’s, Newtown, 3 Nov 1885, <1h, child of Alfred
- F09 Ann DYSON, Cardigan, St Mary St, 14 Dec 1885, 86, spinster
- SCC08 Mary JONES, Cardigan, St Mary’s, Swan Inn, 17 Dec 1885, 63, widow
- SDD05 Mary BOWEN, Cardigan, St Mary’s, 9 Greenfield Sq, 26 Dec 1885, 28, spinster