Commemorated: | |||
Awards & Titles: | |||
Early Life :
The majority of this legend is courtesy of Geoff Cuthill of the Province of West Lancashire, to whom the project is grateful.Edwin was born at Newport, Monmouthshire in 1867 to Sylvanus William Davies and Martha (nee Silcox) who had married at Newport in 1864. The family are found in the 1871 census return at Merchant Street, Newport, Sylvanus who preferred to use his second name of William is a grocer’s porter age 32, and wife Martha is 28 and she is shown as born in Abergavenny. The eldest child is William age 5, followed by Edwin 4, Emma 2 and Martha a few months old. In 1881 they are found at 34 West Street, St Woollos, Newport, and the family has extended. Edwin is a 14 year old employed as an office boy, and his has gained further siblings since the last census return. These are sister Dainarria age 8, Clara B age 2 and Edgar a five month.
He married Ada Amelia Barnard on 6th August, 1890 at Holy Trinity Church, Walton on the Hill, Liverpool. Ada was age 20 daughter of Benjamin James Barnard an Examining Officer with H.M. Customs. Edwin is 23 and an agent for a steam ship company and the son of Sylvanus William Davies. Both give their address as 24 Alroy road, Anfield, which is the Barnard household. The wedding is witnessed by Benjamin James Barnard and Mary Ann Emma Barnard. Ada’s brother Charles Henry Barnard (Anfield 2215 and Princes 2316 Lodges) would lose his life in 1917, while aboard the Pilot Vessel Alfred H Read, along with many others including Robert Taggart of Royal Victoria Lodge.
The census of 1901 shows Edwin 32, Ada 31 and their son Edwin B B age 9 at 14 Alroy Road, and that Edwin had been born at Newport Monmouthshire. Edwin is described as being an Employer as a Steamship Agent, and they have a general domestic servant, Elizabeth Dorr age 21 who was born in Liverpool. Edwin B B is Edwin Barnard Burton Davies born 31 July 1891 in Liverpool.
The Provincial return sheet for 1910 has his address as 9 Canning Place, but he and his wife are found on the 1911 census at the home of their niece, Emily Barnard, at 24 Alroy Road, Walton. It has the couple married for 20 years, having two children, but one of these has died. Edwin is described as an employer with a stevedore business.
Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 1/8 The King's (Liverpool Regiment) |
1/8th (Irish) Battalion August 1914 : in Shaw St, Liverpool. Part of Liverpool Brigade, West Lancashire Division. February 1915 : transferred to North Lancashire Brigade. 18 April 1915 : transferred with Brigade to Highland Division; brigade retitled as 3rd Highland Brigade. 3 May 1915 : landed at Boulogne. 12 May 1915 : new titles adopted: 154th Brigade, 51st (Highland) Division. 17 January 1916 : transferred to 165th Brigade, 55th (West Lancashire) Division. 31 January 1918 : transferred to 171st Brigade, 57th (2nd West Lancashire) Division |
| Action : Natural Causes |
Natural causes is attributed those deaths due to causes that were not directly associated with the war. Included in this are wartime deaths resulting from, for example, theSpanish Influenza pandemic and its associated pneumonia problems and other attributions such as age and exhaustion. It also groups those who through Post Traumatic Stress committed suicide as a result of their experiences.
Detail :
The Liverpool Daily Post and Mercury gave a full report of his death in its edition for 28th January, 1915 in which it says; ‘The circumstances of the sudden death of Captain A E Davies of the 8th (Irish) Battalion, The King’s (Liverpool Regiment) were inquired into by the Canterbury coroner yesterday at Canterbury. The evidence showed that Captain Davies, who was chairman of the battalion Sports Club, was seized with illness while calling upon a charwoman who had been doing some cleaning at the recreation room. After sitting down for a few moments he entirely collapsed and died before medical aid could arrive.’
The article continues below his photograph as; The news received in Liverpool yesterday afternoon of the sudden death in Canterbury of Captain A E Davies of the Liverpool Irish will have come as a shock to his many friends alike in military, Masonic and business circles. Captain Davies was a person grata with everybody with whom he came into contact.
In the Liverpool Irish, in which he had served for about twenty years he was held in the highest regard by all ranks and it is not much to say that by the men of his own company he was simply idolised. His energy knew no limit. He came to Liverpool from Canterbury shortly before Christmas at the special request of his commanding officer to organise a recruiting campaign. A better man for the purpose it would have been impossible to find and the result of his visit, which extended over several weeks, was a great influx of recruits of just the right stamp. He had of course himself volunteered for active service, and was looking forward eagerly to the day when his unit would be sent abroad.
Captain Davies began his military career as a bugler in a Welsh battalion and in coming to Liverpool about a quarter of a century ago he joined the 4th VB The King’s (now 7th King’s) and rose rapidly to the rank of Sergeant. Eventually he took up a commission in the Irish and from the day he was gazetted until the day he died he took an active part in every movement which had for its object the enhancing of the efficiency and reputation of the battalion. His death will cause a gap not easily filled. He was a Past Master of Royal Victoria Lodge No 1013. His body is being brought to Liverpool and the funeral is being arranged to take place at Anfield tomorrow.
Local newspaper the Liverpool Daily Post and Mercury of Saturday, 30th January had on page 3, column 9, under the banner of “THE LAST POST”, ‘The Funeral of Captain Edwin Alfred Davies, of the 8th (Irish) King’s (Liverpool) Regiment, who died suddenly on Monday evening took place at Anfield Cemetery yesterday. The coffin was brought to Liverpool on Thursday. It was conveyed to Canterbury Station on a gun carriage, and the whole battalion turned out in procession.
On arrival at Liverpool, in charge of a bodyguard of men from the battalion, the coffin was taken to a private mortuary in Low-hill, where it remained overnight. The interment took place in the presence of a very large gathering, including many Masonic brethren and a detachment of the 8th Irish. On its way to the cemetery the cortege was headed by the band of the 8th Irish, under Bandmaster Leadbetter, which played the “Dead March” in “Saul” and Chopin’s “March Funebre” The route to the grave was lined by a number of men in charge of Lieutenant Brown, and at the conclusion of the service the Last Post was sounded by the buglers.’
The article then lists an extremely large number of mourners present which covers a number of paragraphs.
The Index to Wills for 1915 says, Davies, Edwin Alfred of Seacombe Hotel, Seacombe, Wallasey died 25 January 1915 at 9 Gouldens-buildings, Canterbury, Kent. Administration London 17 August to Edwin Barnard Burton-Davies variety artist Effects £532. 17s. 15d. Added information comes from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission which states Edwin was buried in Plot C2. 1082 at Liverpool Anfield Cemetery and he was age 45 (b.1870) the father of Mr E B B Davies of 2 Philbeach Gardens, Earls Court, London.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Royal Victoria No. 1013 E.C. | West Lancashire |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
1st February 1888 | 4th April 1888 | 2nd May 1888 |
Edwin Alfred Davies was initiated into Royal Victoria Lodge No 1013 on 1 February 1888, described as a Steam Ship Agent age 21 of 45 Tennyson Street. He was passed to the second or fellow craft degree on 4 April and raised as a master mason on 2 May, with his Grand Lodge certificate issued 26 August 1888. He became the Worshipful Master of the Lodge in 1897.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley