David Pugh

Who was David Pugh?

David Pugh was a Welsh landowner and Liberal Party politician who sat in the House of Commons in two periods between 1857 and 1890.

Pugh was born at Manoravon, Llandeilo, Carmarthenshire, the eldest son of Colonel D. Pugh, of Manoravon, and his wife Elizabeth Benyon. Pugh was educated at Rugby School and Balliol College, Oxford, graduating with a B.A. in 1828. In 1837 he was called to the Bar at Inner Temple and from 1843 to 1852 was Chairman of Quarter Sessions for the county of Carmarthen. He was a Justice of the Peace for Carmarthenshire and Cardiganshire and also Deputy Lieutenant. He held a commission as a captain in the Carmarthenshire Rifle Volunteers.

Pugh was elected Liberal Member of Parliament for Carmarthenshire in 1857 and held the seat until 1868 when he lost his seat to Edward Sartoris. He was patron and speaker at the Carmarthen Eisteddfod of 1867. In 1874, he was High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire. Pugh owned nearly 10,000 acres of land.and was a well known breeder of shorthorn cattle. He was owner of the Pwll Perkins mine, or Garnant Colliery where a disaster led to the loss of 10 lives in 1884. In 1885 he was elected for the new seat of Carmarthenshire East. He was re-elected unopposed when a further general election was held in 1886. Shortly before his death he announced he would not be seeking re-election, but retained the seat until his death in 1890.