John Humphreys Davies

Davies in 1926

John Humphreys Davies (15 April 1871 – 10 August 1926) was a Welsh lawyer, bibliographer and educator. He joined the movement to start a National Library of Wales.

Family and schooling

Born at Llangeitho, Ceredigion, he was one of the children of Robert J. Davies, Cwrtmawr. He was educated at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth and Lincoln College, Oxford, before being called to the bar at Lincoln's Inn.

Welsh literature

Davies's interest in Welsh literature is associated with O. M. Edwards at Oxford and to his brother-in-law, T. E. Ellis.

Along with Sir John Williams, who became his President while Principal at Aberystwyth, Davies was involved in the movement to establish a National Library for Wales. He was President of Aberystwyth Old Students' Association in 1907–1908.

Public life

From an early age Davies became involved in public life, being elected an alderman of Cardiganshire County Council in 1895 at the age of 24, while not yet an elected councillor. He gained some support in that year as the new Liberal candidate for Cardiganshire in succession to Bowen Rowlands. The nomination, however, went to Matthew Vaughan-Davies.

Davies served as Chairman of Cardiganshire County Council in 1916–1917.

In 1905 he became Registrar of his alma mater and principal in 1919, a position which he held until his death at the age of 55.

Bibliography

• Morgan, Kenneth O. (1967). "Cardiganshire Politics: The Liberal Ascendancy 1885-1923". Ceredigion. 5 (4): 311–346.