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David Davies (industrialist)
Encyclopedia
David Davies was a Welsh
industrialist and Liberal
politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1874 and 1886. Davies was often known as David Davies Llandinam (from the place of his birth, Llandinam
in Powys
), in order to differentiate him from others of the same name.
Davies was the son of David Davies and his wife Elizabeth. He attended the day school at Llandinam but was primarily self-educated. He began work as a workman and went into agriculture and then became a railway contractor. In due course he became a coal
magnate, and was an important figure in the industrialisation of the Rhondda
Valley. He founded the Parc and Maendy collieries, and constructed the docks at Barry
. He was also responsible for the construction of railways across rural mid Wales including the very difficult crossing of Tregaron Bog
in the construction of the line between Lampeter
and Aberystwyth
in 1866. It is reputed that he bought up the entire year's production of sheep fleeces in Ceredigion
to lay as a foundation for the railway line on the bog. He was a director of Brecon and Merthyr Railway
, J.P.
for Montgomeryshire and chairman of the Llandinam School Board.
Davies was elected as Liberal
Member of Parliament
(MP) for Cardigan Boroughs in 1874 and held the seat until 1885, when the constituency was reorganised under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
. He was then elected MP for Cardiganshire in 1885. In the 1886 general election
he stood as a Liberal Unionist candidate, but was defeated by William Bowen Rowlands
, the Liberal candidate, by 9 votes.
During his lifetime, he was also known by the nicknames, "Top Sawyer" and "Davies the Ocean". His father was a sawyer
and lived on the south side of the Severn valley
in Llandinam
so that in winter the house was shaded from the sun because of the enclosing hills. Once he had started to amass his fortune, he built Broneirion
, a grand country mansion on the north side of the river that would enjoy sunshine all year round, which is maintained in good order to this day in the ownership of Girlguiding Cymru
. In order to gain access to the house, Davies built the first iron bridge in Montgomeryshire
.
Davies married Margaret Jones, daughter of Edward Jones of Llanfair in 1851. His grandson, another David Davies
, continued Llandinam's philanthropic activities and was elevated to the peerage. Llandinam's two granddaughters, Gwendoline Davies
and Margaret Davies
, donated their substantial art collection to the National Museum of Wales.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
industrialist and Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1874 and 1886. Davies was often known as David Davies Llandinam (from the place of his birth, Llandinam
Llandinam
Llandinam is village in Powys, central Wales, between Newtown and Llanidloes, located on the A470.Llandinam was the family home of David Davies who was responsible for much of the development of the South Wales Valleys and the export of coal in the 19th century...
in Powys
Powys
Powys is a local-government county and preserved county in Wales.-Geography:Powys covers the historic counties of Montgomeryshire and Radnorshire, most of Brecknockshire , and a small part of Denbighshire — an area of 5,179 km², making it the largest county in Wales by land area.It is...
), in order to differentiate him from others of the same name.
Coal
Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock usually occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds or coal seams. The harder forms, such as anthracite coal, can be regarded as metamorphic rock because of later exposure to elevated temperature and pressure...
magnate, and was an important figure in the industrialisation of the Rhondda
Rhondda
Rhondda , or the Rhondda Valley , is a former coal mining valley in Wales, formerly a local government district, consisting of 16 communities built around the River Rhondda. The valley is made up of two valleys, the larger Rhondda Fawr valley and the smaller Rhondda Fach valley...
Valley. He founded the Parc and Maendy collieries, and constructed the docks at Barry
Barry, Wales
Barry is a town and community in the Vale of Glamorgan in Wales. Located along the northern coast of the Bristol Channel less than south-southwest of Cardiff, the capital city of Wales, Barry is a seaside resort, with attractions including several beaches and the Barry Island Pleasure Park...
. He was also responsible for the construction of railways across rural mid Wales including the very difficult crossing of Tregaron Bog
Cors Caron
Cors Caron, also known as the Tregaron Bog, is a raised bog in Ceredigion, Wales which covers an area of approximately . Cors Caron represents the most intact surviving example of a raised bog landscape in the United Kingdom...
in the construction of the line between Lampeter
Lampeter
Lampeter is a town in Ceredigion, South West Wales, lying at the confluence of the River Teifi and the Afon Dulas.-Demographics:At the 2001 National Census, the population was 2894. Lampeter is therefore the smallest university town in both Wales and the United Kingdom...
and Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth is a historic market town, administrative centre and holiday resort within Ceredigion, Wales. Often colloquially known as Aber, it is located at the confluence of the rivers Ystwyth and Rheidol....
in 1866. It is reputed that he bought up the entire year's production of sheep fleeces in Ceredigion
Ceredigion
Ceredigion is a county and former kingdom in mid-west Wales. As Cardiganshire , it was created in 1282, and was reconstituted as a county under that name in 1996, reverting to Ceredigion a day later...
to lay as a foundation for the railway line on the bog. He was a director of Brecon and Merthyr Railway
Brecon and Merthyr Railway
The Brecon and Merthyr Junction Railway was one of several railways that served the industrial areas of South Wales and Monmouthshire. It ranked fifth amongst them in size, although hemmed in by the Taff Vale Railway and Great Western Railway...
, J.P.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Montgomeryshire and chairman of the Llandinam School Board.
Davies was elected as Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Cardigan Boroughs in 1874 and held the seat until 1885, when the constituency was reorganised under the Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
Redistribution of Seats Act 1885
The Redistribution of Seats Act 1885 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was a piece of electoral reform legislation that redistributed the seats in the House of Commons, introducing the concept of equally populated constituencies, in an attempt to equalise representation across...
. He was then elected MP for Cardiganshire in 1885. In the 1886 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1886
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the UK general election, 1886*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
he stood as a Liberal Unionist candidate, but was defeated by William Bowen Rowlands
William Bowen Rowlands
William Bowen Rowlands , was a British politician and Member of Parliament.He was educated at Jesus College, Oxford, matriculating on 22 March 1854 at the age of 18...
, the Liberal candidate, by 9 votes.
During his lifetime, he was also known by the nicknames, "Top Sawyer" and "Davies the Ocean". His father was a sawyer
Sawyer
Sawyer is an occupational term referring to someone who saws wood. One such job was the now-archaic occupation of someone who cut lumber to length for the consumer market, a task now done by end users or at lumber and home improvement stores...
and lived on the south side of the Severn valley
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
in Llandinam
Llandinam
Llandinam is village in Powys, central Wales, between Newtown and Llanidloes, located on the A470.Llandinam was the family home of David Davies who was responsible for much of the development of the South Wales Valleys and the export of coal in the 19th century...
so that in winter the house was shaded from the sun because of the enclosing hills. Once he had started to amass his fortune, he built Broneirion
Broneirion
Broneirion is a Victorian house and grounds on the hillside across the River Severn from the village of Llandinam. It was built by Welsh industrialist David Davies. It has been used as a training centre for Girl Guides since 1946 and has been owned by Girlguiding Cymru since 1992.The house is built...
, a grand country mansion on the north side of the river that would enjoy sunshine all year round, which is maintained in good order to this day in the ownership of Girlguiding Cymru
Girlguiding Cymru
Girlguiding Cymru is one of the nine regions of Girlguiding UK. It serves the approximate area of Wales, although the boundaries are not exact. In 2004, there were 6,964 youth participant groups....
. In order to gain access to the house, Davies built the first iron bridge in Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire
Montgomeryshire, also known as Maldwyn is one of thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. Montgomeryshire is still used as a vice-county for wildlife recording...
.
Davies married Margaret Jones, daughter of Edward Jones of Llanfair in 1851. His grandson, another David Davies
David Davies, 1st Baron Davies
David Davies, 1st Baron Davies , was a politician and public benefactor, the grandson of the famous industrialist, David Davies "Llandinam"....
, continued Llandinam's philanthropic activities and was elevated to the peerage. Llandinam's two granddaughters, Gwendoline Davies
Gwendoline Davies
Gwendoline Elizabeth Davies, CH , was a granddaughter of the philanthropist David Davies Llandinam. Together with her sister Margaret, she is remembered as a patron of the arts in Wales and important collector of Impressionist and 20th-century art...
and Margaret Davies
Margaret Davies
Margaret Sidney Davies , was a Welsh art collector and patron of the arts. With her sister Gwendoline, she bequeathed a total of 260 works, particularly strong in Impressionist and 20th-century art, which formed the basis of the present-day National Museum Wales' international collection...
, donated their substantial art collection to the National Museum of Wales.