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Obituary - Andrew Page Davidson
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Andrew (Andy) Page Davidson
| House: |
Scott |
| Year: |
1953-1959 |
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Keith Aikin (Clive 1954-1958) spoke to Webmaster on 1st February 2006 and informed him that Andy had passed away
recently, and that his funeral had taken place in York Minster on Tuesday 31st January 2006.
Chris Clarke (Nicholson 1954-1959) e-mailed Webmaster on 3rd Feb 2006:
The news of Andy's death came as a great shock to me and I know to his family and close friends. He was outwardly fit &
well to the end and died peacefully in his sleep on the 21st January. I was at his funeral and was privileged enough to
be asked to do one of the readings, typically from one of Andy's favourite series of books - 'The No.1 Ladies' Detective
Agency' by Alexander McCall Smith. Sadly he was but 9 days away from his 65th Birthday, which in today's world would be
deemed very young indeed! He was my Best Man at my wedding and from when we first met on the 'Empress of Scotland' bound
for Mombasa in 1947 we have been very close friends - right through 'Princo' and then back in England where we lived
only one hour's drive away from each other.
Below is the announcement which was published in 'The Times' of Thursday 26th January 2006.
Regards,
Chris Clarke
(Nicholson House, 1954-1959)
Lynn (Tim) Turner (Scott 1956-1960) e-mailed Webmaster on 3rd Feb 2006:
Very Sad. I remember Andy well. He was Head of Scott the year before me. A Demon medium pace bowler who delivered the ball
from his full 6’7” and skittled the wicket of many a fine batsman. In Rugby he rarely had to jump for the ball and would
always protect his very much smaller scrum half – me!
My condolences to his family.
Salaams
Lynn (Tim) Turner
(Scott House, 1956-1960)
Andy Davidson with fellow School Prefects - 1959
Photo from the 1959 Impala Magazine
Left to Right -
Standing: John Keaton, John Wyber, Ian Beaty, Peter Sprosson, and Neville Watson
Seated: Christopher Clark, Brian McIntosh, Philip F Fletcher (Headmaster), Andrew Davidson, and Barry Rowe (also deceased)
Neville Watson (Scott 1953-1959) e-mailed Webmaster on 8th Feb 2006:
Although I had not seen him since we both left school in 1959 to go our own separate ways, I was saddened to hear of
Andy’s passing away in January, 2006, apparently very suddenly. We both attended the Prince of Wales over the same period
of time – 1953 to 1959 – and we were both in the same house – Scott.
I particularly remember Andy during our last two years at school. After School Certificate I moved in 1958 up to VArts,
whilst Andy went up to V Biology. Unusually I decided to straddle two streams by studying Biology as a main subject in
place of French, with English and History as my other two subjects. Andy of course concentrated on the sciences. This
meant that he and I spent several hours each week together in the bio lab working at the dissection of frogs and rabbits
under the tutelage of the Missing Link. Andy’s practical (and theoretical) work was far superior to mine, which probably
explains why he went on to be a vet while I became a mere banker!
In 1959, Andy was made Head of Scott, while I became a School Prefect “without portfolio”. Barry Rowe, who was Head of
Junior House that year, was also a member of Scott, which meant that we had three School Prefects simultaneously. Sadly,
Barry too is no longer with us.
Andy and I shared the same house study during our last year. Other than occasionally having to read the lesson at School
Chapel, and being able to sport the School Prefect’s crown, the only other extra duty I can recall by virtue of my exalted
rank of School Prefect was having to stand in for him from time to time to beat offending Scott rabble for the usual
list of minor offences!!
Sportswise, Andy was a tower of strength in the house and school rugby packs. He was also a very capable cricket player.
Off the field, I recall his quiet council and his genuine kindness and concern for everyone.
I am sure he will be greatly missed by his family and his friends.
RIP.
Neville D.Watson
(Scott House, 1953-1959)
Tony Barnes (Clive 1952-1958) e-mailed Webmaster on 21st March 2006:
I feel guilty not having written before about Andy Davidson. My excuse could be that Andy and I were university colleagues
rather than school friends. Admittedly we had played cricket together in the various School teams, but he was in Scott
and I was in Clive; also he had on several occasions in House matches taken my wicket. Not exactly a formula to create much
of a bond!
Together Andy and I went to Liverpool University Veterinary School in September 1960.There he met Angela, a fellow
veterinary student, who was to become his wife. Andy’s sense of fun was apparent even on that first day. Angela ,
on realising I was from the colonies, insisted on introducing me to another colonial. Andy pretended to be amazed that
there should be two people from Kenya in the same year, and kept up the pretence long enough to make Angela blush when she
realised we had been at school together, but not so that she felt embarrassed.
Five years at Vet School had its highs and lows but if asked to recount one memory of Andy, it would be his love and concern
for animals. In final year he and I were assigned to care for a sick cow. We took it in turns to spend the night treating
her but as time passed and she got worse, it became obvious that the kindest thing was to put her down. He woke me to tell
me the bad news, saying “I know I can’t save every animal, and there must be a certain dignity at the end, but……” He never
finished the sentence, he was too upset.
When there are only thirty six of you in a year at Vet School, a tight bond develops during five years. He was my best man
when Ann and I were married and we are proud to be the godparents to one of his boys. However two things never cease to
surprise me; Andy never went to work in Africa, and he gave up practice to work in the very competitive world of industry.
There he made his mark quickly; perhaps being intelligent, shrewd, tall, good looking and charming gave him a head start!
We were supposed to meet last October at a Year reunion [forty five years since starting at Vet. School]. Unfortunately
business commitments prevented him attending. I enclose a photo of Andy taken the last time we met, in the Lake District.
We talked about our careers and our thoughts concerning retirement, and agreed it wasn’t for us. We’d work till we dropped.
Neither would have believed how prophetic that would be.
A tribute to Andy was the obituary in the Veterinary Record and the number of his fellow vets who attended his funeral.
Angela has lost a loving husband, his children a devoted father. I have lost a true friend and the Prince of Wales School
one of its finest, Andrew Page Davidson.
Tony Barnes
(Clive 1952-1958)
Tim Saben (Scott 1956-1960) e-mailed Webmaster on 23rd March 2006:
Sorry to read about Andy Davidson. Although he was two years ahead of me, I recall him warmly. His presence was
commanding rather than domineering, and his leadership was illustrated by example. A good man.
My condolences to his family.
Tim Saben
(Scott 1956-1960)
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