Richard Davies (29 November 1818 – 27 October 1896) was a Welsh businessman and ship-owner and nonconformist

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of parliament. ...

from 1868 to 1886. Davies was born at

Llangefni Llangefni (meaning "church on the River Cefni", ) is the county town of Anglesey in Wales and contains the principal offices of the Isle of Anglesey County Council. United Kingdom Census 2011 recorded Llangefni's population as 5,116 people, maki ...

Anglesey Anglesey (; cy, (Ynys) Môn ) is an island off the north-west coast of Wales. It forms a principal area known as the Isle of Anglesey, that includes Holy Island across the narrow Cymyran Strait and some islets and skerries. Anglesey island ...

, the son of Richard Davies, a merchant of Llangefni, and his wife Anne Jones of Coed Hywel. He was educated at Llangefni national school. When his father set up subsidiary businesses under the management of his three sons, Richard Davies was assigned to the old ferry-terminal of Porthaethwy, which was reconstituted as

Menai Bridge Menai Bridge ( cy, Porthaethwy; usually referred to colloquially as Y Borth) is a town and community on the Isle of Anglesey in north-west Wales. It overlooks the Menai Strait and lies by the Menai Suspension Bridge, built in 1826 by Thomas T ...

. This timber importing business developed so successfully that all the family became involved and the business developed into large-scale ship-owning which generated considerable wealth, based to a large extent on guano. His brother, Robert, was renowned as a philanthropist. Davies became a notable figure in politics as a Welsh radical nonconformist. He stood as Liberal candidate for Caernarvon at the 1852 general election but lost by 93 votes. Davies was Anglesey's first Nonconformist J.P. and was

High Sheriff of Anglesey This is a list of Sheriffs of Anglesey. Following the conquest of Wales by Edward I, Anglesey was created a county of Wales under the Statute of Rhuddlan, 1284.Prior to 1974 the office now known as "High Sheriff" were styled "Sheriff" () On 1 A ...

in 1858. He was elected unopposed as the

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(MP) for

in the election of 1868.Craig, op. cit, page 517 He retained the seat till the 1886 general election, when he retired, being opposed to the proposal for Irish Home Rule. At one time Davies lived at Bwlch-y-fen, but afterwards at Treborth, opposite Menai Bridge and was a benefactor to Bangor Normal College and to the ‘British’ schools. He was appointed

Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey This is a list of people who served as Lord Lieutenant of Anglesey. Since 1761, all Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Anglesey. The office was abolished on 31 March 1974. Lord Lieutenants of Anglesey to 1974 *''see Lord Lieute ...

in 1884. Davies died at Treborth at the age of 77 and was buried in Llandysilio churchyard. Famously his final words are reputed to be "cannot be fathomed". A memorial to him is in the Menai Bridge English Presbyterian Church alongside memorials to other members of the family. ..(The Davies' family was closely associated with this church, it having been built at Robert's expense.) Davies married Anne Rees, daughter of Rev. Henry Rees of Liverpool and niece of William Rees in 1855 and had several children, among whom were * Henry Rees Davies. * Beatrice Conway Davies, who married in 1902 Richard Hughes.

References

External

* 1818 births 1896 deaths High Sheriffs of Anglesey Liberal Party (UK) MPs for Welsh constituencies Lord-Lieutenants of Anglesey UK MPs 1868–1874 UK MPs 1874–1880 UK MPs 1880–1885 UK MPs 1885–1886 {{Wales-UK-MP-stub