Clan Davidson

John Davidson (1857-1909)
Among John Davidson’s varied occupations were periods as a lab worker in a sugar factory, a teacher and a journalist, all while he was writing, creating four plays between 1885 and 1890. With his move to London in 1888 he became a member of the Rhymer’s Club, writing for the Yellow Book.

He released three collections of poems between 1891 and 1894 which brought him great success. With a wife and two children to support however, the income from his writing, a Civil List pension and a grant from the Royal Literary Fund was not enough. By 1909 he was extremely bitter and depressed.

When he thought, incorrectly, he had cancer he vanished. His body was found at sea with a bullet hole in the head; six months after he was last seen.

“Thirty Bob a Week”, “In Romney Marsh” and his epitaph “The Testament of John Davidson” have become his most regarded works.

Randall Thomas Davidson (1848-1930)
Although born in Edinburgh, Davidson entered the Church of England via his studies at Oxford and Harrow. After a time as chaplain he became Dean of Windsor, then Bishop of firstly Rochester then Winchester, eventually becoming the Archbishop of Canterbury in 1903. Known as Lord Davidson of Lambeth at the time he retired in 1928.