Ellis William Davies
Encyclopedia
Ellis William Davies was a Welsh Liberal Party
and later, briefly, Labour Party
and Liberal National
politician and lawyer.
, the son of David Davies a quarry official. He was educated in Bethesda and at Liverpool College. He worked as a clerk in insurance offices in Wrexham
and Sheffield
until he qualified as a solicitor
in 1899. He passed his final Law Society
examination with first-class honours, winning the Law Society prize in 1899, after which he established a law practice in Caernarfon
where he lived for the rest of his life. He was also director of several companies and solicitor for the North Wales Quarrymen's Union
. He died at Caernarfon in 1939.
in 1904, later becoming an alderman
. He entered Parliament
in June 1906 when he was returned unopposed in a by-election
for the Eifion
division of Caernarfonshire, when the former Member of Parliament
John Bryn Roberts
was appointed a county court judge
. Eifion had been held by Roberts, a Liberal in the Gladstonian
tradition, since its creation for the 1885 general election
and at the 1906 general election
Roberts had also been returned unopposed. Davies retained the Eifion constituency until 1918
.
During his years in Parliament, Davies sat on committees investigating land reform, the jury system, reform of the electoral system, compulsory purchases by local authorities, and reform of the House of Lords
. He returned to Parliament as MP for Denbigh
in 1923
, but resigned in 1929 on grounds of ill health. In 1932, he was prominent in the discussions of the Presbyterian Church of Wales on formulating a parliamentary bill relating to the church.
over his conduct of the war. Davies regarded Lloyd George’s ministry as bellicose and illiberal, conflicting with his own strongly held pacifist and pro-labour views. Although Ellis Davies was never really close to Lloyd George he knew him quite well being a Caernarfonshire
MP and his journal records a number of occasions when they discussed political questions or worked together on specific projects. At the 1918 general election
Davies, as a supporter of the Asquithian Liberals, did not receive the coalition coupon and was heavily defeated, coming bottom of the poll.
’s policy of appeasement
was more likely to keep the peace than Labour’s support for intervention abroad. As a supporter of social reform, he felt that there was plenty of work to be done to improve social conditions at home and this could not be done if the country was at war. He then chose to associate himself with the Liberal Nationals, the allies of Chamberlain's Conservative government, although at the age of 68 years it was probably not in the hope of finding another seat.
.
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...
and later, briefly, Labour Party
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...
and Liberal National
National Liberal Party (UK, 1931)
The National Liberal Party, known until 1948 as the Liberal National Party, was a liberal political party in the United Kingdom from 1931 to 1968...
politician and lawyer.
Early life and work
Davies was born at Gerlan, Bethesda, CaernarfonshireCaernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire , historically spelled as Caernarvonshire or Carnarvonshire in English during its existence, was one of the thirteen historic counties, a vice-county and a former administrative county of Wales....
, the son of David Davies a quarry official. He was educated in Bethesda and at Liverpool College. He worked as a clerk in insurance offices in Wrexham
Wrexham
Wrexham is a town in Wales. It is the administrative centre of the wider Wrexham County Borough, and the largest town in North Wales, located in the east of the region. It is situated between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley close to the border with Cheshire, England...
and Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
until he qualified as a solicitor
Solicitor
Solicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter including conducting proceedings in courts. In the United Kingdom, a few Australian states and the Republic of Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers , and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
in 1899. He passed his final Law Society
Law society
A Law Society in current and former Commonwealth jurisdictions was historically an association of solicitors with a regulatory role that included the right to supervise the training, qualifications and conduct of lawyers/solicitors...
examination with first-class honours, winning the Law Society prize in 1899, after which he established a law practice in Caernarfon
Caernarfon
Caernarfon is a Royal town, community and port in Gwynedd, Wales, with a population of 9,611. It lies along the A487 road, on the east banks of the Menai Straits, opposite the Isle of Anglesey. The city of Bangor is to the northeast, while Snowdonia fringes Caernarfon to the east and southeast...
where he lived for the rest of his life. He was also director of several companies and solicitor for the North Wales Quarrymen's Union
North Wales Quarrymen's Union
The North Wales Quarrymen's Union was a trade union in the United Kingdom.It was founded on 27 April 1864 at the Queen's Hotel, Caenarfon after a month of discussions between quarrymen from Dinorwic and other supporters...
. He died at Caernarfon in 1939.
Politics
A political radical, Davies was elected to Caernarfonshire County CouncilCounty council
A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries.-United Kingdom:...
in 1904, later becoming 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...
. He entered Parliament
Parliament
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...
in June 1906 when he was returned unopposed in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
for the Eifion
Eifion (UK Parliament constituency)
Eifion was a parliamentary constituency in Caernarfonshire, Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.-History:...
division of Caernarfonshire, when the former Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
John Bryn Roberts
John Bryn Roberts
John Bryn Roberts was a Welsh lawyer, later a judge and Liberal politician.-Family and education:Roberts was born the eldest son of Daniel Roberts from Llanddeilionen, near Bangor, a Caernarfonshire tenant farmer on the Vaynol estate and Anne Jones of Plas Gwanas, Merionethshire. The family were...
was appointed a county court judge
Judiciary of England and Wales
There are various levels of judiciary in England and Wales — different types of courts have different styles of judges. They also form a strict hierarchy of importance, in line with the order of the courts in which they sit, so that judges of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales are generally...
. Eifion had been held by Roberts, a Liberal in the Gladstonian
Gladstonian Liberalism
Gladstonian Liberalism is a political doctrine named after the British Victorian Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Party, William Ewart Gladstone. Gladstonian Liberalism consisted of limited government expenditure and low taxation whilst making sure government had balanced budgets...
tradition, since its creation for the 1885 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1885
-Seats summary:-See also:*List of MPs elected in the United Kingdom general election, 1885*Parliamentary Franchise in the United Kingdom 1885–1918*Representation of the People Act 1884*Redistribution of Seats Act 1885-References:...
and at 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**...
Roberts had also been returned unopposed. Davies retained the Eifion constituency until 1918
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...
.
During his years in Parliament, Davies sat on committees investigating land reform, the jury system, reform of the electoral system, compulsory purchases by local authorities, and reform of the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. He returned to Parliament as MP for Denbigh
Denbigh (UK Parliament constituency)
Denbigh was a county constituency centred on the town of Denbigh in North Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first-past-the-post voting system....
in 1923
United Kingdom general election, 1923
-Seats summary:-References:*F. W. S. Craig, British Electoral Facts: 1832-1987*-External links:***...
, but resigned in 1929 on grounds of ill health. In 1932, he was prominent in the discussions of the Presbyterian Church of Wales on formulating a parliamentary bill relating to the church.
Davies and Lloyd George
During the First World War, Davies was one of a number of Welsh MPs who broke with Prime Minister David Lloyd GeorgeDavid Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
over his conduct of the war. Davies regarded Lloyd George’s ministry as bellicose and illiberal, conflicting with his own strongly held pacifist and pro-labour views. Although Ellis Davies was never really close to Lloyd George he knew him quite well being a Caernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire
Caernarfonshire , historically spelled as Caernarvonshire or Carnarvonshire in English during its existence, was one of the thirteen historic counties, a vice-county and a former administrative county of Wales....
MP and his journal records a number of occasions when they discussed political questions or worked together on specific projects. 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, as a supporter of the Asquithian Liberals, did not receive the coalition coupon and was heavily defeated, coming bottom of the poll.
Labour and Liberal Nationals
Davies joined the Labour Party in 1936, only to leave early in 1939 because of its foreign policy. He believed that Neville ChamberlainNeville Chamberlain
Arthur Neville Chamberlain FRS was a British Conservative politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. Chamberlain is best known for his appeasement foreign policy, and in particular for his signing of the Munich Agreement in 1938, conceding the...
’s policy of appeasement
Appeasement
The term appeasement is commonly understood to refer to a diplomatic policy aimed at avoiding war by making concessions to another power. Historian Paul Kennedy defines it as "the policy of settling international quarrels by admitting and satisfying grievances through rational negotiation and...
was more likely to keep the peace than Labour’s support for intervention abroad. As a supporter of social reform, he felt that there was plenty of work to be done to improve social conditions at home and this could not be done if the country was at war. He then chose to associate himself with the Liberal Nationals, the allies of Chamberlain's Conservative government, although at the age of 68 years it was probably not in the hope of finding another seat.
Papers
The papers of Ellis Davies, 1889-1939, comprising his diaries, journals, correspondence, press cuttings, addresses, articles and memoirs, together with printed and typescript memoranda, reports, policy documents and official publications are deposited at the National Library of WalesNational Library of Wales
The National Library of Wales , Aberystwyth, is the national legal deposit library of Wales; one of the Welsh Government sponsored bodies.Welsh is its main medium of communication...
.