Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Davies, Robert (1793-1875)
DAVIES, ROBERT (1793–1875), antiquary of York, eldest son of Peter Davies, by his wife Ann, daughter of Robert Rhodes, was born at York on 19 Aug. 1793, and educated at St. Peter's royal grammar school in that city. Having been admitted a solicitor in 1814, he practised for many years in York, and was town clerk there from 1827 until 1848. He was in partnership with John Bayldon from 1829 to 1834. After his retirement from business he was elected a magistrate. He was, however, better known as an antiquary than as a lawyer. He was particularly well acquainted with the modern history of York, and read papers before the Yorkshire Philosophical Society upon the streets, churches, public buildings, houses, privileges, and other antiquities of the city. During his later years his whole time was given up to literature, and he left behind him a number of valuable and interesting works. He was elected a member of the Society of Antiquaries on 22 Dec. 1842. He died at his residence, The Mount, in the city of York, on 23 Aug. 1875, and was buried in the cemetery on 29 Aug. He married in 1826 Elizabeth, youngest daughter of George Cattle of York. He was the author or editor of: 1. ‘The Freeman's Roll of the City of York,’ 1835. 2. ‘Extracts from the Municipal Records of the City of York,’ 1843. 3. ‘The Fawkes's of York in the Sixteenth Century,’ 1850. 4. ‘Notices of the Royal and Archiepiscopal Mints and Coinages at York,’ 1854. 5. ‘Pope: additional facts concerning his maternal ancestry,’ 1858. 6. ‘The Visitation of the County of York,’ Surtees Soc. 1859. 7. ‘The Life of M. Rawdon,’ Camden Soc. 1863. 8. ‘A Memoir of the York Press,’ 1868. 9. ‘Walks through the City of York. By R. Davies, edited by his widow, Elizabeth Davies,’ 1880.
[Law Times, 4 Sept. 1875, p. 333; Solicitor's Journal, 11 Sept. 1875, p. 858.]