DAVIS, ROWLAND (1809-79) was working at his trade in London in 1829 and took a keen interest in social politics. He was president of the engineers, smiths and machinists of the western district of London and a member of the national union formed to promote the reform bill, anti-slavery and Catholic emancipation. As a member of the Bridge Ward inquest, he defeated an attempt to hand over certain poor families to the court of aldermen for prosecution on charges of unlawfully selling milk. Davis came to Port Nicholson in the Aurora (1840) and erected the Aurora tavern with the theatre attached and the Britannia saloon. With John Wade he collected evidence of the ill-treatment of emigrants. He was a member of the Constitutional Association, a founder of the first lodge of Oddfellows and was on the committee of the Working Men's Association. Davis afterwards settled in Canterbury. He contested the Lyttelton seat in the Canterbury Provincial Council, in which he represented Akaroa (1856-57) and Lyttelton (1857-64). He died on 27 Feb 1879.

Ward; Evening Press, 26 Aug 1886; N.Z. Mail, 3 Sep 1886; N.Z. Times, 28 Mar 1879; Lyttelton Times, 4 Jun 1853.

Reference: Volume 1, page 115

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