David Davies (1818-1890)

David Davies (1818-1890)

 

David Davies was born in Draintewion Llandinam on the 18th December 1818 to Margaret & David Davies the eldest of 9 children. He went to school until the age of eleven but was also self educated. David, went on to take charge of the family farm when his father died when he was just twenty years old. He was locally known as ‘top sawyer’, which was a person who sawed trees using a long pit saw. He became a very shrewd businessman, first by cutting an oak tree from Llandinam Hall which he had bought for £5 and the cut wood raised over £80 which he invested in another farm.

But his pioneering career began when his attentions were turned to laying rail track which involved wooden sleepers, and went on to employing navies to build over 145 miles for Mid Wales railways. By far the longest phase of Davies career was being a railway contractor establishing the first railway connection in Mid Wales between Newtown to Llanidloes in 1859, which included goods and passenger stations at Dolwen, Llandinam  What was unusual was that neither Newtown or Llanidloes connected to any other railway station at that time and the railway engines and carriages which was specially constructed in Oswestry 36 miles away had to be hauled by special wagons to Newtown for the opening ceremony. Newtown was eventually connected to Oswestry in 1861 and Newtown to Machynlleth in 1862. These are just a few railway stations Davies was commissioned to build during the 1860s.

 

David Davies greatest challenge and achievement s was the Talerddig cutting. By choosing to blast his way through this mountainous terrain served two purposes providing a quarry of stone to build railway stations further west and of course the railway line. The muscle power was provided by 200 hand picked navies – the cream of his work-force many of whom were Llandinam lads. It was from here his attentions were drawn from building railways for steam trains to black gold which fueled homes, factories and transport around the world. Davies became Managing Director of Cambrian Railways, Llanidloes Station building became their headquarters for a while from 1864. Cambrian Railways merges in 1922 with the Great Western Railways.

 

David Davies became interested in the steam coal seams of the upper Rhondda Valley, he ran out of money when his workers were digging his first pit but they were determined to carry on without pay. Davies had a social conscience and the concern for the welfare of his Ocean Coal Collieries work-force and their families was in advance of his time. But this paid dividends in the end as this prevented major disasters in his mines. He insisted in safety over profit and was a friend to health and safety improvement in Ocean Coal Collieries.

 

Davies went on to another great venture and certainly with his panache and determination he was the pioneer behind Barry Docks of South Wales which opened in 1889 a year before he died. By 1913 Barry Docks became the largest coal export port in the world. During this time he created great wealth and Davies became known as the first tycoon of Wales. His wealth and family philanthropy gave higher education in Wales a firm foundation investing in the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth. His grandchildren went on to invest in the arts, music, culture and health and wellbeing for Newtown’s County Hospital.

 

As a Calvinistic Minister David Davies Senior supported and funded local chapels in Newtown Bethel and Crescent Chapels and Llandinam Presbyterian Church.

 

The Davies grandchildren set up the Montgomeryshire Recreational Society and campaigned and supported the first County Music Festival and encouraging Newtown Council to invest and build the County Pavilion in 1921 and this Festival recently celebrated  its centenary. David Davies grandson also named David Davies (Major) became the first Baronet of Llandinam and just after the first world war he invested in the rehabilitation of returning local Comrades by buying the Unicorn Hotel / Monty Club which became home to Newtown British Legion.

 

The Davies Family legacy lives on today supporting the local arts, music and our cultural heritage though Gregynog Hall & Festival. The annual County Music Festival and (MCRA) Montgomeryshire County Recreational Society.

 

(MCRA) now stand for Montgomeryshire Community Regeneration Association and acts as umbrella to the Oriel Davies Gallery and Newtown Textile Museum and their offices are situated at Plas Dolerw off the Milford Road once home to Sir Pryce Pryce-Jones family.

 

David Davies of Llandinam has a bronze statue that stands by Llandinam Bridge, not many Pioneers have two identical statues the first statue stands in front of Barry Docks offices. Davies is shown holding the plans for Barry Docks. The sculptor was Sir Alfred Gilbert which was subscribed by public funds at a cost of 2,000 Guineas and the Barry Docks statue was unveiled by Lord Windsor on 10 March 1893.