JONES-DAVIES, HENRY (1870 - 1955), farmer and pioneer of agricultural co-operation

Born 2 January 1870, only son of Thomas and Elizabeth Davies, Bremenda, Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire. He was educated at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School, Carmarthen, and in addition to farming he began at an early age to take a keen interest in public life. He was the first chairman of Llanarthne parish council, and at the age of 22 he was elected a member of Carmarthenshire County Council, becoming chairman of the council in 1902 and later chairman of the education committee. In 1908 he became County Land Agent for Carmarthenshire, and in the same year he became a Justice of the Peace for the county, and later chairman of Carmarthen County Petty Sessions.

But, without doubt, Jones-Davies's most significant contribution was as a pioneer of agricultural co-operation in Wales. In 1902, during his period as chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council, he acted as secretary of a deputation representing the three west Wales counties which went to Ireland to study agricultural co-operation organisations which had already been established there. Following that visit a Carmarthen Farmers' Co-operative Society was formed in 1903, of which he became the first secretary, and he soon became a prominent figure in the Agricultural Co-operative Society. He became a governor of that society in 1912, and continued to represent Wales at the society's headquarters until the Welsh Agricultural Organisation Society became an independent body in 1922. He was a life member of the W.A.O.S. and served as a Vice-president for a number of years and later as President from 1946-53. He was a member of the Development Commission for Wales from 1910-36, and it was largely for his services in that capacity that he was made a C.B.E. in 1936. He represented the Commission on the executive committee of the Irish A.O.S. from 1914-21.

In 1903 Jones-Davies married Winifred Anna, youngest daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Ellis, Cynlas, Cefnddwysarn, Bala, and sister of Thomas Edward Ellis, and they settled at Glyneiddan, Nantgaredig, Carmarthenshire. There were two sons and one daughter of the marriage, the elder son being Dr. T.E. Jones-Davies (1906 - 1960). Henry Jones-Davies died 16 June 1955 and was buried at Nantgaredig.

Author

• Megan Ellis, (1906 - 2001)

Sources

• Who was who?, 1951-60
• Elwyn R. Thomas, Farmers Together Golden Jubilee Volume of the Welsh Agricultural Organisation Society (Aberystwyth 1972)(1972), 46-8
• personal knowledge

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20746818

Published date: 2001

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