David Mortimer Davies (27 August 1839 – 18 June 1894) was a politician in colonial

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

, Australia. David Mortimer Davies Member of the Legislative Assembly for Grenville 1877 - 1894 Davies was born in

Blaina Blaina ( ) is a small town, situated deep within the South Wales Valleys between Brynmawr and Abertillery in the unitary authority of Blaenau Gwent, ancient parish of Aberystruth, preserved county of Gwent and historic county of Monmouthshi ...

Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( ; ) is a Principal areas of Wales, county in the South East Wales, south east of Wales. It borders Powys to the north; the English counties of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire to the north and east; the Severn Estuary to the s ...

, Wales, son of Thomas Davies, a miner, and his wife Annie, ''née'' Lewis. The 1851 Wales Census describes his occupation as 'Miner', he was eleven years old. Ten years later the 1861 Wales Census retains this occupation but adds that he is also a 'Local Independent Preacher', and his address is listed as 'Berea Independent Chapel'. Davies was educated for the ministry at the Brecon Independent College from 1862 until 1866. He emigrated to South Australia on the wool clipper '' Coonatto'', arriving in

Adelaide Adelaide ( , ; ) is the list of Australian capital cities, capital and most populous city of South Australia, as well as the list of cities in Australia by population, fifth-most populous city in Australia. The name "Adelaide" may refer to ei ...

on 14 July 1866. Davies travelled to Wallaroo where he served the English and Welsh Congregational Churches from August 1866 to August 1867 when he took up service at the Congregational Church in Sebastopol,

Ballarat Ballarat ( ) () is a city in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 census, Ballarat had a population of 111,973, making it the third-largest urban inland city in Australia and the third-largest city in Victoria. Within mo ...

, Victoria, also serving the Welsh Congregationalists in the mining communities of Smythesdale and Scarsdale. Sometime after 1875, his views having undergone a change in regard to some important religious doctrines, he resigned his charge, and entered on agricultural pursuits in the

Buninyong Buninyong is a town 11 km from Ballarat in Victoria, Australia. The town is on the Midland Highway, south of Ballarat on the road to Geelong. Buninyong was proclaimed a town on 27 June 1851 on the same day as Winchelsea, Portarlington, ...

district. Davies was elected a member of the

Victorian Legislative Assembly The Victorian Legislative Assembly is the states and territories of Australia, state lower house of the bicameral Parliament of Victoria in Australia; the state upper house being the Victorian Legislative Council. Both houses sit at Parliament H ...

for Grenville in May 1877, and represented the constituency until his death on 18 June 1894. His election was challenged on the grounds that he was a minister of religion but the objection failed. He was a strong Liberal and Protectionist, and was Government whip during the

Graham Berry Sir Graham Berry, (28 August 1822 – 25 January 1904), was an Australian colonial politician and the 11th Premier of Victoria. He was one of the most radical and colourful figures in the politics of colonial Victoria, and made the most de ...

régime. In October 1887 he joined the Gillies- Deakin Cabinet, but held no portfolio till June 1889, when he became

Commissioner of Public Works The Walsh Act is a piece of legislation in the U.S. state of New Jersey that permits local government, municipalities to adopt a non-partisan City commission government, commission form of government. The legislation was signed by Governor of New ...

and

Vice-President of the Board of Land and Works The Board of Land and Works was a government authority in Victoria, Australia. It was established by an act of parliament in 1857, with the aim of consolidating and coordinating the administration of public lands and public works. Consequently, ...

. From June to November 1890 he was Minister of Mines in the same Government, resigning with his colleagues at the latter date. Davies also served the

Shire of Buninyong The Shire of Buninyong was a local government area south and southeast of the regional city of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. The shire covered an area of , and existed from 1858 until 1994. History Buninyong was first incorporated as a road ...

for many years and was elected mayor for three successive terms. At that time the borough did not have permanent quarters, but under his guidance a handsome Italianate town halltown hall
/ref> was built with Davies laying the foundation stone on 30 August 1866. He also served as Justice of the Peace for the Southern Bailiwick. Foundation_Stone_Buninyong_Town_Hall

Davies was an active man with many interests including astronomy, entomology, mineralogy, geographical collection, telephony and phonography. He was highly regarded as an amateur astronomer and delivered the inaugural address at the opening of the Ballarat Observatory at Mount Pleasant on 11 May 1886, as reported in the local newspaper. Davies died in Ballarat, Victoria, Australia on 18 June 1894, survived by his wife (Sarah ''née'' Phillips) and by five sons and one daughter.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davies, David Mortimer 1840s births 1894 deaths Members of the Victorian Legislative Assembly Vice-presidents of the Board of Land and Works Welsh emigrants to colonial Australia People from Blaina 19th-century Australian politicians Ministers for public works (Victoria) Ministers of mines (Victoria)