Near the bottom of Barn Street, Haverfordwest, stands an elegant group of houses with iron balustrades, known as 'Spring Gardens'.

In the middle of the nineteenth centurySir William Davies, a solicitor,lived in one of these houses.

Born into a humble family in Prendergast, Haverfordwest, William's father died while he was still young, leaving him andhis motherin extreme poverty.

William was educated in Parson Brown's School in Haverfordwest, leaving when he was fourteen to become articled to his uncle, William Rees, a local solicitor.

When William Davies qualified as a solicitor hemoved to Bristol, where a wealthy relative had left him a legacy.

In 1849, he married his cousin, Miss Martha Morganand they settled in Haverfordwest.They had seven children but, in 1872, Mrs Davies died. Two years later, when he was fifty three, William marriedher sister.

The laws of this country forbade a brother-in-law and sister-in-law from marrying, sothe wedding took placeabroad.

Eventually,a son, Hillard, was born. William Davies'slaw firm prospered and he was said to draw an annual salary of 4,000 a year. Thirty legal clerks were employed by the business and its activities expanded to money-lending and banking.

Master Mariners, farmers, ministers of religion, even servant girls deposited money with the 'Lawyer Banker' of Spring gardens, who was reputed to be fabulously wealthy. Apart from his Barn Street home he owned property in Scoveston and Broad Haven,wielding considerableinfluence and power in the area.

Twice William Davies was Mayor of Haverfordwest, three times he defeated Sir Charles Phillips of Picton Castle, becoming Liberal Member of Parliament for Pembrokeshire, a tremendous victory at a time when birth and privilege held sway.

A Deputy Lieutenant of the county and a trustee of the Sir John Perrot Charity, William Davies never forgot the plight of the poor, giving generously from his own coffers to the poor of the town each New Year's Day.

In 1893, William Davies, the son of a poor thatcher, was knighted. Endearingly he erected a cottage on the site of his childhood home.

Disaster appeared in 1895, in the form of bankruptcy, just at the moment when Sir William should have been enjoying his achievements. Within a few months he was dead, a broken man, though the cause of death was given as an abscess on the kidneys.

Sir Williamwas buried in Machpelah Cemetery, Haverfordwest.

The local paper voiced the sentiments of many when it saidSir Williamhad been an honourable man: the greatest charge that could be laid against him was misfortune.

Time mellowed the feelings of those who had lost their moneyand Sir William was remembered in the town as a good man.