David Davies (industrialist)
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David Davies (1818-1890) was a highly influential Welsh industrialist.
He is often known as David Davies Llandinam (from the place of his birth in Montgomeryshire), in order to differentiate him from others of the same name. During his lifetime, he was also known by the nicknames, "Top Sawyer" and "Davies the Ocean". His father was a sawyer and lived on the south side of the river valley in Llandinam so that in winter the house was shaded from the sun because of the enclosing hills. Once he had started to amass his furtune, he built a grand country mansion of the North side of the river that it would enjoy sunshine on the face of the house all year round. This mansion is Bron Eirion which is maintained in good order to this day in the ownership of Girl Guides Wales. In order to gain access to the house, Davies built the first iron bridge in Wales.
Davies was a coal magnate, largely responsible for the industrialisation of the Rhondda Valley. He founded the Parc and Maendy collieries, and constructed the docks at Barry. He was also responsible for the construction of railways across rural mid Wales including the very difficult crossing of Tregaron Bog in the construction of the line between Lampeter and Aberystwyth. It is reputed that he bought up the entire year's production of sheep fleeces in Cardiganshire to lay as a foundation for the railway line on the bog.
He served as Liberal MP for Cardigan from 1874 to 1886, and received a peerage. His grandson, another David Davies, continued his philanthropic activities. His two granddaughters, Gwendoline Davies and Margaret Davies, donated their substantial art collection to the National Museum of Wales.cy:David Davies