Edward Davies Memorial Laboratories, Buarth Mawr, Aberystwyth

Commissioned by David Davies of Llandinam and by Misses Davies of Gregynog in memory of their father, Edward. It was among the earliest purpose-built chemical laboratories and the first in Wales.

TO BUILDERS AND CONTRACTORS. THE Council of the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, is prepared to receive Tenders for the construction of the proposed new Davies Memorial Laboratories at Buarth Mawr, Aberystwyth, according to the plans which have been prepared by Mr. A. W. S. Cross, Architect, of 46, New Bond-street. London, W. Copies of the Plans, Conditions, and Form of Contract may be seen at the Office of the Registrar of the said College at Aberystwyth, or at the Office of the Architect as above, any week day after Wednesday, September 13th, 1905, between the hours of 10 a.m. and 5 p.m The Bills of Quantities have been prepared by Mr. William Windsor, of 37, Brown- street, Manchester, and copies of these together with the form of contract for the due execution of the work may be obtained from the Registrar after Monday, September 11th, 1905, on payment of the sum of five pounds which will be' returned on the receipt of a bona fide tender.... Dated the 19th day of August, 1905. ALFRED W. S. CROSS, 46, New Bond Street, London, W. [Welsh Gazette and West Wales Advertiser 21 September 1905 page – contracts]

THE DAVID DAVIES' LABORATORIES. The contract for the erection of the David (sic) Davies' Memorial Laboratories on Buarth Hill has now been finally accepted by Mr. Henry Willcox, of Wolverhampton, and it is expected that building operations will be commenced within a week or so. Mr. Willcox paid a visit to Aberystwyth at the end of last week, and it is understood that he intends to employ only local labour excepting his own foremen, whom he will bring down with him. [Welsh Gazette 4 January 1906 page 8]

OPENING OF THE EDWARD DAVIES LABORATORIES To-morrow (Friday 1 November 1907) the Chemical Laboratories on the Buarth erected in connection with the University College of Wales at Aberystwyth as a memorial to the late Mr Edward Davies, one time treasurer of the College, by members of the Plasdinam family will be formally opened by the Right Hon. H H Asquith, M.P. For years the College had been limited for room on the science side and the necessity for increased accommodation made itself more and more felt as the number of students increased. In 1903, Mrs i ward Davies, the Misses Davies, and Mr David Davies, M.P. for Montgomeryshire, of Llandinam, jointly promised to contribute the sum of £20,000 towards the erection of new chemical laboratories in memory of the late Mr Edward Davies. The Council of the College found some difficulty in securing a site for the building, but eventually was able to purchase an excellent site on an eminence north of the Railway Station known as Buarth Mawr, a plot of ground eleven acres in extent situated at a height of about fifty feet above Plas Crug Avenue and about a mile from the College. Mr Wills, FRISA., of London, was called in to report on the suitability of the site for laboratories and his report being favourable to its selection, the College Council invited Mr A W S Cross. MA., FRIBA, of New Bond-street, London, and Mr Marshall. ARIBA, to send in competitive designs. The designs of Mr Cross were selected in June of 1905, but as the carrying of them out exceeded the amount stipulated, the designs were modified so that the cost of building and fitting of site, would not exceed £23,000, and the Llandinam family generously increased their donation to that amount. The architect is the designer of the Manchester Technical Schools, which is to cost a quarter of a million of money as well as of the new Bristol Merchant Adventurers' School, the former building having been destroyed by fire about two years ago. The building contract was let in the beginning of 1906 to Messrs, Wilcock and Company, of Wolverhampton. Mr. T E Morgan, Aberystwyth, was appointed clerk of the works and Mr. Gordon B. Kaufmann assistant. Mr. Windsor. Manchester, was appointed quantity surveyor. Dr. Sudborough visited chemical laboratories in Great Britain and on the Continent with the view of securing the most up-to-date scientific fittings and appliances in the new laboratories. The style of the facade of the building may be described as heavy classic in connection with Italian Renaissance, which has been worked out in local stone with Grinshill stone dressings. Seen from the Station, the building appears somewhat low owing to the ground in front hiding the lower part. The entrance is made under a porch and through doorways of massive oak into a marble-paved hall, from which a stairway leads to the upper floor and lecture theatres. The ground floor is divided into demonstrators' laboratory, store-room, porter's room, hall lobby, and porch, distillation room, professor's room, private laboratory, chemical physical laboratory, research room, dark room., class and preparation room. and lecture room. On the first floor are laboratories for senior and junior students, with a technical library between, placed over the porch. The lecture theatre is placed in a separate building at the back on a level with the first floor and is reached from the central stairway. are also in connection therewith a preparation room and a museum: the rooms are fitted up with the most modern appliances. In the basement are a metallurgical laboratory, fireproof room, dynamo room, liquid air room, and appliances for heating and lighting the whole building. [Cambrian News and Merionethshire Standard 1 November 1907 page 5]