Name Theophilus Davies | Died May 25, 1898 | |
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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.
Life
Davies was born in Stourbridge, Staffordshire, England, the son of a Welsh minister and his English wife. 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. His son Arthur Whitcliffe Davies, who became the Dean of Worcester, was born later that year in Honolulu.
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.
In the 2009 film Princess Kaiulani, he was portrayed by Julian Glover. His son Theophilus Clive Davies was played by Shaun Evans, and daughter Alice by Tamzin Merchant.