Theophilus Harris Davies

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Theophilus Harris Davies
Theophilus Harris Davies.jpg
Born4 January 1834
Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England
Died25 May 1898(1898-05-25) (aged 64)
Tunbridge Wells, Kent
NationalityBritish
OccupationBusinessman
Spouse(s)Mary Ellen Cocking

Theophilus Harris Davies (4 January 1834 – 25 May 1898) was an English businessman. He was the founder of Theo H. Davies & Co., one of Hawaii's "Big Five" sugar firms.

Princess Ka'iulani in Boston with Davies

Life[]

Davies was born in Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England, the son of a Welsh minister and his English wife.[1] He was recruited in England to join the firm of Janion, Green & Co. in Hawaii, a successor to Starkey, Janion & Co., formed in 1845. Partners were Robert Cheshire Janion and William Lowthian Green.

Davies arrived in 1857 but returned to England in 1862, where he stayed until 1867. He then returned to Honolulu, to bail out Janion. By January 1868, Davies controlled the business and it was being operated as Theo. H. Davies and Company.[2]

His second son was George Frederick Davies (1875–1950) who served in Parliament.[3] Another son Arthur Whitcliffe Davies (1878–1966), who became the Dean of Worcester, was born later that year in Honolulu.[4]

Hawaii's Big Five
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Under the laws of the Provisional Government, it became Theo H. Davies & Co., Limited, in January 1894. It grew to become one of Hawaii's "Big Five" sugar firms. He acted as a guardian of Princess Kaʻiulani while she travelled to Europe and the United States. Davies died on 25 May 1898.[5]

In the 2009 film Princess Kaiulani, he was portrayed by Julian Glover. His eldest son Theophilus Clive Davies (1871–1952) was played by Shaun Evans, and daughter Alice by Tamzin Merchant.[6]

References[]

  1. ^ Edward Clowes Chorley (1950). Historical magazine of the Protestant Episcopal Church. US Church Historical Society. p. 231.
  2. ^ Erika Engle (October 19, 2003). "Rumored sales of Theo Davies' businesses may signal its end". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved 2009-07-31.
  3. ^ "Sir George Davies, 75, Son Of Company's Founder, Dies". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Honolulu. June 21, 1950. p. 1.
  4. ^ "Very Rev. A. W. Davies". The Times. 17 September 1966. p. 10.
  5. ^ Ralph S. Kuykendall (1967). Hawaiian Kingdom 1874–1893: the Kalakaua Dynasty. University of Hawaii Press. p. 115. ISBN 978-0-87022-433-1.
  6. ^ Princess Kaiulani at IMDb

Further reading[]

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