Richard Davey (MP)

Richard Davey (12 April 1799 – 24 June 1884) was one of the two MPs for the West Cornwall constituency for eleven years.[1] He was a Justice of the peace (JP) and a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Cornwall.[2][3]

Richard Davey
Born12 April 1799
Died24 June 1884(1884-06-24) (aged 85)
NationalityBritish
Alma materUniversity of Edinburgh
OccupationPolitician
SpouseUnmarried
ChildrenNone
Parent(s)William Davey
Elizabeth née Martyn

His family

He was a son of William Davey (d. 1827), a solicitor of Redruth and Elizabeth Martyn (born 1756), his wife. His older brother, Stephen (1785–1864) was also a JP and a Deputy Lieutenant of Cornwall. There was another brother, William (died 1849), who was a solicitor. Stephen, William and Richard were "adventurers" in the development of Cornish mines, during the boom period and invested their gains in land. Mines included Wheal Buller and East Wheal Rose. In 1880 Richard Davey, Esq was described as the "Lord of the Mine" of Penhalls.[4]

The family acquired the ancient manor house and estate at Bochym in the parish of Cury.[5]

Education

He was educated at Blundell's School and at the University of Edinburgh.

Parliamentary service

He was elected to the House of Commons for one of the two seats of West Cornwall at the General Election of 1857, as a Whig, following the retirement of Sir Charles Lemon.

Along with Michael Williams, also a Whig, they were elected without opposition on 2 April 1857; John Tremayne, the Conservative candidate, having stood down.[1] In 1859, the Whigs joined the new Liberal Party. He was re-elected for this seat until 1868.

Death

He died 1884,[6] aged 85, unmarried. Despite living at Bochym for many years, he did not own it. It formerly belonged to his brother, Stephen who bequeathed it to his eldest son, Horton Davey who in turn left it to his brother Joshua Sidney Davey (1842–1909), who resided there with his uncle. Richard Davey owned land at St Agnes, Philleigh and other land in the neighbourhood of Truro.[7][8][9]

He was buried in the new family vault at St Corentine's Church, Cury; the old one being unsuitable for use. The new vault adjoinined the old one, in an angle formed by the chancel and the Bochym aisle.[10]

References
  1. The Times, Saturday, 21 March 1857; pg. 12; Issue 22634; col A and The Times, Wednesday, 1 April 1857; pg. 5; Issue 22643; col E "The Elections".
  2. The Times, Friday, 27 Jun 1884; pg. 10; Issue 31171; col E "Obituary"
  3. Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain 1862, p345, "Davey of Redruth".
  4. "Editorial". The Cornishman. No. 115. 23 September 1880. p. 4.
  5. Deacon, Bernard (2001). "Chapter 5, Institutionalising Cornwall: The Role of a Social Elite". The reformulation of territorial identity: Cornwall in the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (PhD). Open University. open access and Country Life, June 2008: "Gentleman's manor house in Cornwall for sale": "Bochym Manor (rebuilt 1699) has a wealth of architectural details with a stunning drawing room in French Empire style with ornate wall panels and ceiling cornices and stained glass windows, a library with exposed beams and hand-carved Italian walnut linenfold panelling and Jacobean drawing room with very early plaster relief ceiling and English walnut panelling. In all, the Grade II* listed house has ten bedrooms, seven reception rooms, a staff flat, Gothic farmhouse, thirteen cottages, outbuildings, historic landscaped walled and water gardens, bluebell wood and trout river."
  6. The Times, Thursday, Jun 26, 1884; pg. 1; Issue 31170; col A 24 June: "Deaths"
  7. "Death of Mr Richard Davey, of Bochym". The Cornishman. No. 310. 26 June 1884. p. 8.
  8. Bochym Manor House and Clock tower, illustrated at this site.
  9. Cornwall Record Office holds archives and papers of the Davey Family for the period 1795 to 1908: Cornwall (Bochym in Cury, etc) estate and mining business accounts and papers and misc Davey family diaries.
  10. "Funeral of Mr Richard Davey, of Bochym". The Cornishman. No. 311. 3 July 1884. p. 4.
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