Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1853-1957. (Creation)
Level of description
Fonds
Extent and medium
17 boxes, 1 outsize volume, 1 outsize item.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Jonathan Davies was born at Nantmor, Beddgelert, Gwynedd, in 1857, the son of Pierce and Jane Davies. He was brought up in Blaenau Ffestiniog, Merioneth, before moving to Porthmadog where, in 1877, he began work as a trader in the slate industry. In January 1879, he formed Davies Brothers Slate Merchant Co. with his brother Richard Davies. He held a number of public offices within this locality including deacon of the local Tabernacle chapel and later secretary and treasurer for over 40 years; President of the Calvinistic Methodist Association in North Wales in 1923; President of the National Association of Slate Merchants; member of the Porthmadog Urban District Council; governor of Porthmadog County School; treasurer of the Caernarfonshire Liberal Association; a magistrate for Caernarfonshire for nearly 40 years, serving as vice-chairman of the Porthmadog bench; and chairman of the Anglesey and Caernarfonshire Agricultural Wages Board. In 1885 he married the daughter of John Hughes, a deacon of Tabernacle chapel, Blaenau Ffestiniog. He lived in Bryn Eirian, Porthmadog and had two daughters (names not known) and two sons, Ithel and John Pierce Davies (1886-1908). Jonathan Davies died 18 August 1933, aged 75.
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Ithel Davies of Messrs Davies Brothers; Porthmadog; Donations,; 1950, 1957
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Business papers of Jonathan Davies, 1859-1933; papers of Davies Brothers slate merchants, Porthmadog, 1872-1947; personal papers of Jonathan Davies, 1875-1936; and papers relating to friends and family members, [c.1853]-1957. The archive contains a wealth of statistical information about the slate industry in Caernarfonshire, Merioneth and Pembrokeshire and the development of Porthmadog as a slate port.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Action: All papers donated to NLW have been retained..
Accruals
Accruals are not expected.
System of arrangement
Arranged into two groups; business papers, 1859-1957, and personal and family papers, 1853-1957.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Readers consulting modern papers in the National Library of Wales are required to abide by the conditions noted on the 'Modern papers - data protection' form issued with their Readers' Tickets.
Conditions governing reproduction
Usual copyright laws apply.
Language of material
- English
- Welsh
Script of material
Language and script notes
English, mainly Welsh in the final group (see appropriate level descriptions).
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title supplied from contents of the fonds. Some papers pre-dating the life of Jonathan Davies were inherited in his role as company liquidator, and from the business of Davies Brothers Slate Merchants, Porthmadog. The archive also includes papers of his father and additional papers collected by his son some years after his death.
Alternative identifier(s)
Virtua system control number
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Description follows NLW guidelines based on ISAD(G) 2nd ed.; AACR2; and LCSH
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
December 2010.
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
Sources
Archivist's note
Compiled by Robert Evans with reference to the following sources in the compilation of this description: Davies Brothers Slate Merchants, Porthmadog, Gwynedd Archives, Caernarfon Record Office, XD/60 and XD/86. W.W. Price Biographical Index (unpublished), National Library of Wales;