Davy, Henry Rawle

DAVY,

HENRY RAWLE

BORN 12 MAY 1875

Henry Rawle Davy was born on

12 May 1875 in Chelwood, Somerset, son of William Henry Davy (b 1847 in Crediton, Devon), Solicitor, and his wife Emily, (née Rawle, b 1853 in Taunton, Somerset). William and Emily were married in 1873 in Taunton.

Henry entered the School on 9 January 1890, aged 14, at which time the family were living at Chelwood House, Pensford, near Bristol. In the 1891 census, Henry was a boarder, at Camelot, St John’s Road, Clifton. The School was not a boarding school but it did help to provide accommodation for boys whose family home was too far away for a daily commute. Rev Samuel Robert Browne was a teacher at the School from July 1885 to July 1909. He, and his wife Violet, had a large home and provided accommodation for a number of boys. Initially Samuel taught Classics, but from 1888 onwards he taught Mathematics. Henry left the School in April 1892, aged 16.

Census records from 1881, 1901 and 1911 indicate that William and Emily had 9 children, all born in Chelwood. These were Louisa Mary (b 1874), Henry Rawle, Julia Frances (b 1877), Georgiana Elizabeth (b 1882), Edward William (b 1884), Ethel Caroline (b 1885), Edith May (b 1889), Reginald Thomas (b 1891) and Samuel Charles (b 1892). In 1911, William and Henry were both working as Solicitors while Reginald was a Law Clerk and Samuel was a Solicitor’s Articled Clerk.

Henry served as a Private in the Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment), 11th Battalion. He died on 20th October 1917, aged 42, of wounds received whilst serving in Flanders. He is remembered with honour in the Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Vleteren, Belgium, (grave ref XI G 7).

Henry and other members of the family are commemorated on a grave in the Church of St Leonard, Chelwood. (see below)

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