Article

Sir Louis Henry Davies

Published Online February 18, 2008

Last Edited December 16, 2013

Sir Louis Henry Davies, lawyer, politician, judge, premier of Prince Edward Island (b at Charlottetown 4 May 1845; d at Ottawa 1 May 1924). Member of a family prominent in local business and politics, Davies was educated at Prince of Wales College, Charlottetown, before studying law in London.

Davies, Sir Louis Henry

Sir Louis Henry Davies, lawyer, politician, judge, premier of Prince Edward Island (b at Charlottetown 4 May 1845; d at Ottawa 1 May 1924). Member of a family prominent in local business and politics, Davies was educated at Prince of Wales College, Charlottetown, before studying law in London. Upon returning to PEI he was active in politics and won a by-election to the Assembly in November 1872. An outstanding public speaker, he became PEI's youngest premier in 1876 as leader of a coalition committed to resolving the school question.

In 1877 his government passed the Public Schools Act, making attendance compulsory and the educational system nonsectarian. Despite the Act's success, the coalition disintegrated and in 1879 he left office. Davies was elected in 1882 to the House of Commons, where he was a leading member of the Liberal caucus. He became Wilfrid LAURIER's minister of marine and fisheries in 1896, and was knighted in 1897. He left the Cabinet in 1901 for the Supreme Court of Canada, remaining a member until his death. He was appointed chief justice in 1918.