Born: Benjamin Owen Davies was born in Merthyr Tydfil in 1866. He was the son of William Arthur Davies. During his career and after his death he was usually referred to as B.O.Davies rather than Benjamin.
Educated: He was educated in Swansea.
Married: Benjamin Owen Davies married Maria Barlow, nee Price, in 1901.
Family:
Home: B.O.Davies came to Teesside in 1891 to work for Messrs J.M.Lennard and Son, the Middlesbrough shipowners. He moved to Redcar in 1901 for the sake of his health.
Known for: B.O.Davies became Chairman of Redcar Urban District Council in 1921 and was instrumental in helping Redcar to become a municipal borough in 1922. In the same year he was made an alderman and became Redcar’s first mayor. He was mayor for three years. In 1932 he was made a Freeman of the Borough. In 1928 he became chairman of the Tees-side Chamber of Commerce. In 1937 he retired from Redcar Council and five years later he became Chairman of the North Riding County Council. From 1915 to 1957 he was one of the Tees Conservancy Commissioners and for a time he was Chairman of the Tees Pilotage Board.
Died: Benjamin Owen Davies died in 1958.
Further Information: “A Life of Public Service: The Career of Benjamin Owen Davies” Christopher Stevens in “Cleveland History” vol.104 (2013)