Joseph Davies

Sir Joseph Davies (11 December 1866 – 3 December 1954) was a Welsh businessman, commercial statistician and Liberal Party politician. He was one of a talented group of men and women who worked closely with David Lloyd George during his premiership as a key member of Lloyd George's wartime secretariat, known as the Garden Suburb. Early life Born in Newport, Monmouthshire, Davies was the youngest of the three sons of Thomas Seth Davies, master mariner, and his wife Julia. His father was originally from St Issells, near Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire, his mother from Devonport, Plymouth. In 1871, the family was living in Fremantle Square, Cotham, and Davies and his brother William were at school. He was later educated at Bristol Grammar School. In June 1885, when Davies was eighteen, his father died at sea. Career Davies began working life as a clerk in Cardiff Docks. He had a flair for statistics and organisation, and in partnership with C. P. Hailey he built up a considerable business, including the formation of investment trusts. He also became Secretary of the Coal and Shipping Exchange in Cardiff. Over many years, Davies successfully built up his business interests based around the traditional industries of South Wales, coal and railways. He was sometime Director of the Cambrian Railways and Chairman of the Totton and Fawley Light Railway Company. He later became Chairman of the Agwi Petroleum Corporation, which was later absorbed into Esso. He diversified into property and was a Director of the Anglo-Scottish Amalgamated Trust, Chairman of the Status Investment Trust Ltd and a director of other companies. Davies also carried out charitable work, and Lloyd George was impressed by his success as chairman of the committee set up to distribute the money sent by Welshmen in the United States for the relief of suffering in Wales. Lloyd George invited Davies to join his secretariat in Downing Street, known as the Garden Suburb. The group around the prime minister at this time included Frances Stevenson, Waldorf Astor, Philip Kerr, Cecil Harmsworth, and Edward Grigg. Davies acted as Secretary to the prime minister's secretariat from 1917 to 1920.