Timothy Davies (politician)

For other people named Timothy Davies, see Timothy Davies (disambiguation).
Timothy Davies, circa 1905.

Timothy Davies (1857 – 22 August 1951)[1] was a British Liberal Party politician who was twice elected as a Member of Parliament (MP).

Timothy Davies was born in Llanpumsaint, Carmarthenshire where he spent his childhood years until later moving to Liverpool to become an apprentice in the textile industry.[2] In 1885, he founded his own company in Fulham, London but maintained strong links with Wales as evidenced when he commissioned a stone fountain for Carmarthen Park in 1899.[2]

Political career

In 1896 he was elected a member of Fulham Vestry as a Progressive. He continued as a Councillor of the new Fulham Borough Council in 1900. In 1901 he was elected Mayor of the borough council, serving from 1901-02. In 1903 he was appointed a borough Alderman. In 1901 he was elected to the London County Council as a Progressive Party candidate, gaining Fulham from the Conservative backed Moderate party. He was re-elected in 1904 and served until 1907.[3]

He was a supporter of the Temperance movement.[4] For many years he had a close friendship with David Lloyd George.[5] In 1906 he completed his hat-trick of Fulham representation when he gained the parliamentary seat at the General Election;

Fulham in the Metropolitan area, showing boundaries used from 1885 to 1918.
1906 General Election: Fulham
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Timothy Davies 8,037 52.0 12.6
Conservative William Hayes Fisher 7,407 48.0 -12.6
Majority 630
Turnout 20,620 74.9
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing

In 1910, rather than seek re-election at Fulham, he switched constituencies to contest Louth in Lincolnshire;

General Election January 1910 Louth: Electorate 10,315
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Conservative Henry Langton Brackenbury 4,433
Liberal Timothy Davies 4,275
Majority
Turnout
Conservative hold Swing

Despite failure, he fought the seat again 11 months later;

General Election December 1910 Louth: Electorate 10,124
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Liberal Timothy Davies 4,260
Conservative Henry Langton Brackenbury 4,188
Majority
Turnout
Liberal gain from Conservative Swing

In 1912 he voted against and in 1917 he voted in favour of giving votes to women. In 1916 he supported the introduction of Conscription. In 1918, he was absent during the key Maurice debate.[6] He sought re-election at the 1918 election but found that the Coalition 'coupon' had been issued to his Unionist opponent; |}

General Election 1918: Louth
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Coalition Conservative Henry Langton Brackenbury 9,055 54.5
Liberal Timothy Davies 7,559 45.5
Majority 1,496 9.0
Turnout 16,614 60.3
Coalition Conservative gain from Liberal Swing

Davies did not stand for Parliament again.

As well as serving as a MP Timothy Davies also became a Justice of the Peace and an Income Tax Commissioner. He died in 1951, aged 94.

References

  1. ↑ "Deaths". The Times (London). 24 August 1951. p. 1.
  2. 1 2 http://vads.ahds.ac.uk/large.php?pic=ahcarmarth01515&page=48&mode=boolean&words=stone&idSearch=boolean&vadscoll=Public+Monuments+and+Sculpture+Association Public Monuments and Sculpture Association: Fountain donated by Timothy Davies to Carmarthen
  3. ↑ Liberal Year Book 1907
  4. ↑ General Election 1906, Wales and Monmouthshire
  5. ↑ Tempestuous ~Journey by Frank Owen
  6. ↑ Hansard
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by
William Hayes Fisher		 Member of Parliament for Fulham
1906–1910 		Succeeded by
William Hayes Fisher
Preceded by
Henry Langton Brackenbury		 Member of Parliament for Louth
December 1910–1918 		Succeeded by
Henry Langton Brackenbury
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