The Fleet of Davies, Menai Bridge (R.Hughes & Co)

Between 1843 and 1905 this family firm owned outright 69 large sailing ships. The early ones were built of wood in the maritime provinces and Quebec in Canada. Later, British built, iron and steel full rigged ships, barques and four masted barques were owned. (see list below).

The founder of this company was Richard Davies, born in Llangristiolus on Anglesey, in 1778. At the beginning of the 19th C he opened a store in Llangefni. He had goods brought in by sea from Liverpool and soon built his business up.  In 1828 he leased a timber yard at Menai Bridge and expanded it with a store and warehouse. He also bought a foundary in Caernarfon. His three sons John, Richard and Robert worked in the business as they became old enough. Shipbuilding was expanding at Amlwch and Caernarfon and more and more timber was required. The family decided to buy a North American ship which were readily available. In 1843 the father and three sons each took a quarter share in the "Chieftain", 795 tons built at St John's New Brunswick.

The 1840s was a period of major emigration to the New World and many people from North Wales sailed across the Atlantic. The practice was to load slate, a heavy cargo, then build a platform and partitions around and on top for the passengers. The return cargo would be timber. This trade flourished and the Davies's bought more ships. John Davies, who had been the main force, died young. His brothers and a cousin Charles Pierce, then ran the business

In the fifties and sixties, their trade expanded worldwide - The Far East, San Francisco and the West Coast of South America guano trade. As with the other Anglesey shipowners, William Thomas and others, local men were hired when posible to crew the vessels.

The two brothers became more involved with politics, the chapel and public affairs and the business was run by Charles Pierce and a relative, Richard Hughes.  They moved into bigger iron and steel ships and in the seventies had the "Welsh shire" ships built. They also bought second hand vessels.  At the end it was Richard's son, Henry who was managing the vessels. Low freights at the turn of the century were the cause of the company's demise. The last ship, the Merioneth was sold in 1905.

Much of the above summary is derived from the works of the late Aled Eames. The story of the Davies Family can be found in depth with details of all the ships in his books "Ships and Seamen of Anglesey" and "Ventures in Sail" . Several are well documented in other works (see my bibliography) such as the "Maritime Wales/Cymru a'r Mor" publications.