David Pugh was born in 1806 at Manoravon, Llandeilo, in Carmarthenshire. He was the eldest son of Colonel D. Pugh, of Manoravon, who was a JP and Deputy Lieutenant (High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire in 1820). His Mother was named Elizabeth. She was the daughter of William Beynon, of Trewern, Pembrokeshire.
David Pugh was educated at Rugby and at Balliol College, Oxford from where he graduated with a B.A. in 1828. He never proceeded to M.A.
In 1837 he was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple and from 1843 to 1852 he was Chairman of Quarter Sessions for the county of Carmarthen. He was a magistrate for Carmarthenshire and was High Sheriff for the county in 1874. He was also a magistrate and deputy-lieutenant for Cardiganshire.
"The Cambrian" newspaper reported on January 18th 1884, that David Pugh was M.P. for Cardiganshire and was mainly instrumental in passing the Employers Liability Act. I have not been able to confirm that he was ever M.P. for Cardiganshire, but he was in fact elected as Conservative M.P. for Carmarthenshire on 12th June 1857.
David Pugh represented the undivided county of Carmarthenshire from 1857, as a result of a by-election, caused by the death of one of the sitting members, David Davies. He held this seat until he was defeated in 1868. The constituency was split into East and West divisions in 1885 and he was elected as M.P. for Carmarthenshire East on 5th December 1885, representing the Liberal Party. He gained 4,487 votes, a majority of 2,365 over his Conservative opponent, Sir M. Lloyd, who only polled 2,122. In 1886 he was returned unopposed as a Gladstonian Liberal , but intended to retire at the next dissolution due to his age.
As a Liberal, his politics included: favour of Home Rule, reforms in local taxation, reform of the Land Laws, reform of the House of Lords and House of Commons procedures and he was in favour of the disestablishment and disendowment of the Church.
The Carmarthenshire East constituency was abolished in 1918.
David Pugh was apparently a well known breeder of shorthorns and owned nearly 10,000 acres of land. When in London, he resided at the Hotel Metropole. David Pugh never married. He died at his London residence on Saturday morning, 12th July 1890, aged 84.
The above information was taken from various editions of the "Dod's Parliamentary Companion" and from David Pugh's obituary in "The Times" which was printed on 14 July 1890.
A book written in 1868; "Llandeilo Past and Present" (by W. Samuel), contains the Llandeilo Almanac for that year. D. Pugh M.P. is listed as the president of the Literary Institution and also as Captain of the Volunteers.
Hearsay tells, that when a collection was made for the widows and orphans of
the Garnant Colliery Disaster, David Pugh donated £5 to the fund. According
to a document provided by the Bank of England, £1 in 1884 equates to just
over £50 today; his donation to the widows fund therefore being the equivalent
of just over £250 in todays money.
When Queen Victoria celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 1887, David Pugh commemorated
the event by providing a clock for Llandeilo Church. The cost of this was said
to be in the region of £500; this being the equivalent of over £25,000
in today's money.