Howell Davies
Encyclopedia
Sir Howell Davies (13 December 1851 – 26 October 1932) was a Welsh born leather
merchant and Liberal
politician.
in Pembrokeshire
, the son of Thomas Davies. He was educated privately. In 1882 he married Ada Mary Hosegood, the daughter of a Bristol
Justice of the Peace
. Lady Davies died in 1948 at the age of 91. They had one son and three daughters. Their son was Lt-Col. Owen Stanley Davies DSO
who died in 1926 of wounds he received in the Great War, having undergone many operations. By religion Davies was a Wesleyan Methodist.
owner and leather merchant employing a large workforce. He also acquired directorships and was a Director of the UK Temperance and General Provident Institution.
and Edwardian businessmen, Davies was eager to serve his community through municipal politics and at the same time provide himself a stepping-stone to further advancement. He first joined Bristol City Council in 1884 and was made an Alderman
in 1889. He was elected Mayor
of Bristol in 1896. He served for a time as Leader of the Liberal Party on Bristol City Council and was sometime President of the Chamber of Commerce
. During his time on the Council Davies acquired extensive Municipal experience being Chairman of Bristol Docks Committee between 1899 and 1908 and was Chairman during the construction of, and at the time of the opening of the Royal Edward Dock which was formally opened by King Edward VII in July 1908. Davies was also Chairman of Bristol Finance Committee, 1902–29. For more than 46 years Davies took a leading role in political life of the city of Bristol and in 1908 he was knighted for municipal services in the King’s birthday honours list.
at the general election of 1900
, the so-called Khaki election
. He had been adopted as the Liberal candidate for Bristol South before the sitting MP (Sir Edward Stock Hill) had decided to retire. His Conservative
opponent was Walter Hume Long.
Long won that election and even though the political tide had turned decisively against them by the time of the 1906 general election
the Conservatives believed they would hold Bristol South, evenly if only narrowly. However Bristol South was one of many unexpected gains for the Liberals in their 1906 general election landslide victory. The Liberals took three of the four Bristol seats at the election and as late as 14 January, Liberal Chief Whip
, Herbert Gladstone had confidently expected Walter Long to hold on in Bristol South. However Davies beat Long with a majority of 2,692 votes. He held the seat at the next election in January 1910 albeit by the narrow margin of 271 votes. As a consequence, Davies expected a hard fought contest at the December 1910 election. Divisions in the Bristol Unionist ranks may have helped divert Tory attentions from the real fight. H Chatterton who had stood for the Conservatives in January 1910 was dropped by the Tories in favour of a different candidate and decided to put himself forward as an Independent Unionist, only withdrawing from the election at the last moment. In the end Davies was able to hold his seat over the new Conservative candidate J T Francombe with a majority of 138.
Davies never held ministerial office but he was appointed to the important Parliamentary Select Committee on National Expenditure in 1920.
At the 1918 general election
Davies was the representative of the Coalition government and was opposed only by Labour
candidate T C Lewis, over whom he had a majority of 7,352 votes. He stood down from Parliament at the 1922 general election
but continued to play a part in Liberal politics, representing the South West on the National Liberal Council.
Leather
Leather is a durable and flexible material created via the tanning of putrescible animal rawhide and skin, primarily cattlehide. It can be produced through different manufacturing processes, ranging from cottage industry to heavy industry.-Forms:...
merchant 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.
Family
Davies was born in NarberthNarberth, Pembrokeshire
Narberth is a town in Pembrokeshire, Wales. . It was founded around a Welsh court, but later became a Norman stronghold on the Landsker Line. It became the headquarters of the hundred of Narberth. It was once a marcher borough...
in Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire is a county in the south west of Wales. It borders Carmarthenshire to the east and Ceredigion to the north east. The county town is Haverfordwest where Pembrokeshire County Council is headquartered....
, the son of Thomas Davies. He was educated privately. In 1882 he married Ada Mary Hosegood, the daughter of a Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
Justice of the Peace
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...
. Lady Davies died in 1948 at the age of 91. They had one son and three daughters. Their son was Lt-Col. Owen Stanley Davies DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
who died in 1926 of wounds he received in the Great War, having undergone many operations. By religion Davies was a Wesleyan Methodist.
Business
Davies moved to Bristol and established himself in the leather trade, eventually becoming a highly successful tanneryTanning
Tanning is the making of leather from the skins of animals which does not easily decompose. Traditionally, tanning used tannin, an acidic chemical compound from which the tanning process draws its name . Coloring may occur during tanning...
owner and leather merchant employing a large workforce. He also acquired directorships and was a Director of the UK Temperance and General Provident Institution.
Local politics
Like many successful VictorianVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
and Edwardian businessmen, Davies was eager to serve his community through municipal politics and at the same time provide himself a stepping-stone to further advancement. He first joined Bristol City Council in 1884 and was made an Alderman
Alderman
An alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
in 1889. He was elected Mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Bristol in 1896. He served for a time as Leader of the Liberal Party on Bristol City Council and was sometime President of the Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
. During his time on the Council Davies acquired extensive Municipal experience being Chairman of Bristol Docks Committee between 1899 and 1908 and was Chairman during the construction of, and at the time of the opening of the Royal Edward Dock which was formally opened by King Edward VII in July 1908. Davies was also Chairman of Bristol Finance Committee, 1902–29. For more than 46 years Davies took a leading role in political life of the city of Bristol and in 1908 he was knighted for municipal services in the King’s birthday honours list.
Parliamentary politics
Davies first stood for ParliamentParliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
at the general election of 1900
United Kingdom general election, 1900
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1900*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
, the so-called Khaki election
Khaki Election
In British political history, a khaki election is any national election which is heavily influenced by wartime or postwar sentiment. In the British general election of 1900, the Conservative Party government of Lord Salisbury was returned to office with an increased majority over the Liberal Party...
. He had been adopted as the Liberal candidate for Bristol South before the sitting MP (Sir Edward Stock Hill) had decided to retire. His Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
opponent was Walter Hume Long.
Long won that election and even though the political tide had turned decisively against them by the time of the 1906 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1906
-Seats summary:-See also:*MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1906*The Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885-1918-External links:***-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987**...
the Conservatives believed they would hold Bristol South, evenly if only narrowly. However Bristol South was one of many unexpected gains for the Liberals in their 1906 general election landslide victory. The Liberals took three of the four Bristol seats at the election and as late as 14 January, Liberal Chief Whip
Chief Whip
The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:...
, Herbert Gladstone had confidently expected Walter Long to hold on in Bristol South. However Davies beat Long with a majority of 2,692 votes. He held the seat at the next election in January 1910 albeit by the narrow margin of 271 votes. As a consequence, Davies expected a hard fought contest at the December 1910 election. Divisions in the Bristol Unionist ranks may have helped divert Tory attentions from the real fight. H Chatterton who had stood for the Conservatives in January 1910 was dropped by the Tories in favour of a different candidate and decided to put himself forward as an Independent Unionist, only withdrawing from the election at the last moment. In the end Davies was able to hold his seat over the new Conservative candidate J T Francombe with a majority of 138.
Davies never held ministerial office but he was appointed to the important Parliamentary Select Committee on National Expenditure in 1920.
At the 1918 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1918
The United Kingdom general election of 1918 was the first to be held after the Representation of the People Act 1918, which meant it was the first United Kingdom general election in which nearly all adult men and some women could vote. Polling was held on 14 December 1918, although the count did...
Davies was the representative of the Coalition government and was opposed only by Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
candidate T C Lewis, over whom he had a majority of 7,352 votes. He stood down from Parliament at the 1922 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1922
The United Kingdom general election of 1922 was held on 15 November 1922. It was the first election held after most of the Irish counties left the United Kingdom to form the Irish Free State, and was won by Andrew Bonar Law's Conservatives, who gained an overall majority over Labour, led by John...
but continued to play a part in Liberal politics, representing the South West on the National Liberal Council.