Richard Davies

Richard Davies (29 November 1818 – 27 October 1896) was a Welsh businessman and ship-owner and nonconformist Liberal politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1868 to 1886.

Davies was born at Llangefni, Anglesey, 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. 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 in 1858. He was elected unopposed as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Anglesey in the election of 1868. He retained the seat till the 1886 general election, when he retired, being opposed to the proposal for Irish Home Rule. Beatrice Conway Davies, who married in 1902 Richard Hughes.