John Davies (New South Wales politician)

John Davies CMG (2 March 1839 – 23 May 1896), was a member of the Parliament of New South Wales.[1]

Davies was born in Sydney, the son of John Davies, of New South Wales.[2] In 1861 he married Miss Elisabeth Eaton.[2]

Alderman John Davies, C.M.G., M.L.A., J.P. (1874-82)

Starting in business as an ironmonger and general blacksmith, he commenced to take an active part in politics on the Liberal side as soon as he was of age. On 1 December 1874 he was elected an alderman for the City of Sydney,[3] serving as an alderman until 1882.[4] He was elected to the Legislative Assembly as one of four members for East Sydney at the election on 9 December 1874,[5] representing this seat until 1880.[1] He was Postmaster-General in the Robertson Government from August to December 1877.[1] Davies was acting British Commissioner at the Sydney International Exhibition in 1879, and was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the following year,[6] when he was a Commissioner for New South Wales to the Melbourne International Exhibition; as also for the Amsterdam Exhibition in 1883, and the Colonial and Indian Exhibition in 1886. He was President of the Royal Commission on Friendly Societies.[7]

In 1880 Davies switched to the new district of South Sydney,[8] In 1882 he was defeated for South Sydney,[9] and then a week later was unsuccessful at Kiama.[10] He was returned as a member for South Sydney in 1885,[11] but was defeated again in 1887.[12] He was not well educated and acquired the nickname "Jannery",[13] on account of his inability to correctly spell January, under cross examination by Frederick Darley QC, during his slander case against John Harris.[14]

Davies was appointed to the Legislative Council in December 1887,[15] taking his seat in February 1888 and serving until his death on 23 May 1896(1896-05-23) (aged 57).[1]

References
  1. "Mr John Davies CMG (1839-1896)". Former members of the Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  2. Mennell, Philip (1892). "Davies, Hon. John" . The Dictionary of Australasian Biography. London: Hutchinson & Co – via Wikisource.
  3. "The city elections". The Sydney Morning Herald. 3 December 1874. p. 4. Retrieved 21 February 2021 – via Trove.
  4. "John Davies". Sydney's aldermen. City of Sydney. Retrieved 21 February 2021.
  5. Green, Antony. "1874-5 East Sydney". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  6. "No. 24898". The London Gazette. 5 November 1880. p. 5571.
  7. Nairn, Bede. "Davies, John (1839–1896)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 21 August 2012.
  8. Green, Antony. "1880 South Sydney". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
  9. Green, Antony. "1882 South Sydney". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  10. Green, Antony. "1882 Kiama". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
  11. Green, Antony. "1885 South Sydney". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 21 April 2020.
  12. Green, Antony. "1887 South Sydney". New South Wales Election Results 1856-2007. Parliament of New South Wales. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
  13. "Death of John Davies CMG". Barrier Miner. 25 May 1896. p. 2. Retrieved 20 February 2021 – via Trove.
  14. "The slander case: Davies v Harris". The Sydney Morning Herald. 28 June 1883. p. 4. Retrieved 21 February 2021 – via Trove.
  15. "Summonsed to the Legislative Council". New South Wales Government Gazette. No. 760. 30 December 1887. p. 8609. Retrieved 29 June 2020 – via Trove.

 

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