The Right Honourable Sir Louis Henry Davies, P.C., K.C.M.G.

Chief Justice of Canada from October 23, 1918 until May 1, 1924. Judge of the Supreme Court of Canada from September 25, 1901 until October 23, 1918.

Louis Henry Davies was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, on May 4, 1845. He was the son of Benjamin Davies and Kezia Attwood Watts. He was educated at Prince of Wales College in Charlottetown and studied law at the Inner Temple in London, England. He was called to the English bar in 1866 and to the bar of Prince Edward Island in 1867, practising law in Charlottetown with Davies & Haszard. Elected to the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island in 1872, he became premier and Attorney General of the province in 1876. That year, he represented the landowners of Prince Edward Island before the P.E.I. Land Commission, whose task was to resolve disputes arising from the purchase by the provincial government of land held by absentee owners. He left provincial politics in 1879 and was elected to the House of Commons three years later, serving as Minister of Marine and Fisheries from 1896 to 1901. On September 25, 1901, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Canada, and on October 23, 1918 was named its chief justice. He served on the Court for 23 years. Chief Justice Davies died on May 1, 1924, at the age of 78.