James Pinson Labulo Davies
| James Pinson Lalubo Davies | |
|---|---|
A portrait of James Pinson Labulo Davies, photographed in London in 1862
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| Born |
James Pinson Lalubo Davies August 14, 1828 Bathurst, Sierra Leone |
| Died | April 29, 1906 (aged 77) Lagos, British Nigeria |
| Resting place | Ajele Cemetery |
| Residence | Lagos, British Nigeria |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Other names | Captain Davies J. P. L. Davies |
| Citizenship | Nigeria |
| Education | Church Missionary Society Grammar School |
| Occupation | British Naval officer, merchant, sailor, businessman, farmer and philanthropist. |
| Years active | 1848-1906 |
| Employer | Royal Navy |
| Known for | Financing CMS Grammar School, Lagos and pioneering cocoa farming in West Africa |
| Home town | Abeokuta |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | Victoria Davies (daughter) Arthur Davies (son) Stella Davies (daughter) |
| Parent(s) | James Davies (father) Charlotte Davies (mother) |
| Relatives | John K. Randle (son-in-law) |
James Pinson Labulo Davies (August 14, 1828 – April 29, 1906) was a 19th-century African merchant-sailor, naval officer, influential businessman, farmer, pioneer industrialist, statesman, and philanthropist who married Sarah Forbes Bonetta in colonial Lagos.
J.P.L Davies was born to James and Charlotte Davies in the village of Bathurst, Sierra Leone. James and Charlotte were repatriated Yoruba people rescued by the British West Africa Squadron from the Atlantic Slave Trade, and whose origins were in Abeokuta and Ogbomoso respectively. J.P.L. Davies entered the Church Missionary Society (CMS) Grammar School, (now known as Sierra Leone Grammar School), in Freetown in 1848, where he studied mathematics, Greek, biblical and English history, geography, music, and Latin. After completing his secondary education, he became a teacher with the CMS in Freetown. After his stint as a teacher J.P.L Davies enlisted as a cadet with the British Navy's West Africa Squadron, and served on the HMS Volcano under Commander Robert Coote where he was trained in navigation and seamanship. Davies progressed from cadet to midshipman and eventually lieutenant.
Davies was a lieutenant aboard the HMS Bloodhound during the Bombardment of Lagos under the command of Commander Wilmot and Commodore Henry William Bruce and in which Oba Kosoko was ousted, resulting in the ascension of Oba Akitoye. During the bombardment the British Navy lost 2 officers and 10 men were wounded. Lieutenant Davies was among the wounded. Davies retired from the navy in 1852 and offered his services as a merchant vessel captain traversing the West African coast. He eventually settled in Lagos in 1856, where he became known as "Captain J.P.L Davies".
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