Starting in business as an ironmonger and general blacksmith, he commenced to take an active part in politics on the Liberal side as soon as he was of age. On 1 December 1874 he was elected an alderman for the City of Sydney, serving as an alderman until 1882. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly as one of four members for East Sydney at the election on 9 December 1874, representing this seat until 1880. He was Postmaster-General in the Robertson Government from August to December 1877. Davies was acting British Commissioner at the Sydney International Exhibition in 1879, and was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in the following year, when he was a Commissioner for New South Wales to the Melbourne International Exhibition; as also for the Amsterdam Exhibition in 1883, and the Colonial and Indian Exhibition in 1886. He was President of the Royal Commission on Friendly Societies.