B & J Davies are timber merchants whose presence could be said to have influenced the growth and development of Bucknell and the surrounding area over the years.  William and David Davies run the firm with their father, Peter, whose great grandfather, Charles, founded the original sawmill in 1860.  "We had in those days about thirty men. And I know that twenty men were paid £11. I've got the wage book that tells us so." says Peter Davies

David, Peter and William Davies

The present company took its name in 1924 when brothers Bernard and Jim Davies took over. In those early days the railway was most important for transportation of the timber.  The company were also the main supplier of LMS in this area.  During the war years and because the stations couldn't cope and get the timber in fast enough from Bucknell, twelve articulated lorries went to Derby every day loaded. There was a permanent railway inspector here, timber inspector, who lived here the whole time, stacking timber, and in those days B & J Davies employed three hundred and sixty people.

They provided beech for Mosquitoes, timber to make most of the torpedo boats for the First World War as well as the Second.  Peter Davies's grandfather even patented an ammunition box.  B&J had fifteen thousand acres timber and also planted all over the country for other people.

Bernard's son Peter joined the firm in 1953 after leaving the army and his two sons, William and David, joined him in 1982 and 1989 respectively.

B & J Davies has evolved from a the small 1860 sawmill to a large, round-timber merchanting business supplying other mills with round timber.  It also processes and retails fencing material and sawn timber.

A timber treatment plant was installed in 1982 to preserve stakes and fencing but it was not until 1989 that this side of the business accelerated.

 

Revised: 09 November 2004