William 'Bill' Davison (6 Aug 1926 - 20 Dec 2019)

In loving memory of William 'Bill' Davison who sadly passed away on 20th December 2019

William Davison born 6th August 1026 – “Who Dares Wins”

Mary came first weighing 2 and half pounds and Bill at 2lbs, they were put in a zinc bath with a blanket and put in front of the fire. They were christened in a rush and Bill was christened Mary and Mary Bill! He was so annoying that the story is his “mam” whacked him over the head with the broom and cracked his head open.
He describes himself as a bit of a bully
He was educated at Rugby Arts School where he studied Art, Trigonometry, Algebra Maths English Pure Economics. He was in the top 85% of a school of 1000 boys.

Employment
Cliff college to train to be a minister but couldn’t accept the trinitarian arithmetic; of 3 is one and 1 is 3.
Chartered Accounts for Powers Sams punch card accounting machines, the fore runners of the computer – Accountant
Johnson and Johnson as their brand manager
McCann Erikson brand officer one of the largest advertising companies at the time, launched the “Pink Lady to rival Babycham
Mapleton Foods CEO living in Sefton Park in Liverpool, but Mum was in Slough.
Viyella in Nottingham and reorganized the sales force
British Textiles Marketing Director working in Northern Ireland
Did prison visiting when living in Liverpool to try and rehabilitate a man who committed murder, he had to pretend to be the “reverend” to get access to him.

Sport
At 10 years old he was running 6 miles a week
He was school champion in the half mile and quarter mile and ran for the midland counties. He ran the National road relay with Uncle Trevor who ran the first leg and dad ran the 2nd and between them they beat all the international champions.

Boxing
He was sparring partner to Jonnie Williams the British heavy weight champion even though he was middle weight. His first fight was in a boxing booth at the circus and he won £5 which he framed.
His boxing career ended with an eye injury.

Football – was scouted for Leicester City but his mum wouldn’t let hm go. He also played football and running for the Army and remembers going to Windsor to do this.
Cross country running and road running he continued, and I remember him jogging bare foot in the snow and karate chopping lampposts.
At 63 he decided to take up table tennis and became an accomplished player and English coach.
He was generally no 2 or 3 in the league and won many trophies. he was very pleased that he played an ex international player and beat him!

Religion
He read scripture on Sunday night to his sister Mary as a child and sat in the gallery at church teasing the girls. After the war he met the Christadelphians on 1st Dec 1949 but admits that through his commercial life he became too worldly and did have periods where he drifted. However, he felt he was converted by the holy spirit.

He had a great friendship with Sheila Harris who he describes as a saintly Greek scholar and they spent many years and many hours discussing theology at great depth both with their individual opinions.

When he lived in Slough, he went to the London Theological College to learn Greek and went to Loughborough University to learn Hebrew. He carried on with his study of Hebrew with Arthur Gibson who he wanted to tell me had an IQ of 252 and he learnt more Hebrew in 3 weeks than he had learnt in 3 months.
He also spoke some Arabic, and Nepalese.

Israel
We have 23 volumes of his trips to Israel. His spiritual home and the food for his soul. He visited over 20 times
In order of preference he loved Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Masada (the last battle of the Jews. The most significant experience in Israel for him was the 8-day walk sponsored by the daily telegraph. (See newest leaflet)
In his last trip he went for the 70th Anniversary Celebrations and had a wonderful time.

Family
He was a twin to a very talented sister, and they were often in competition. She often came first! Mary used to sing around the house, and this used to drive Dad mad, “Mam tell our Mary to stop singing” Mary went onto be given an MBE for services to Architecture.
He married my marvelous Mother Joyce at St Matthews church April 15th 1949
He met her through Uncle Trevor a family friend at the cycling club. Her eldest sister Eva said she “had gone around the orchard and picked the crab!” However, they were married for over 50 years.

They had their first child Ruth and then Mark who unfortunately died at birth. Many years later I appeared, the surprise addition to the Davison’s.
He has 2 grandsons Zerem 22 and Heath 10 and a grand-daughter Jamie-Leigh 25 and a great grandson Oliver 1.

As young people Dad, Uncle Ian, Mary, Mum and handfuls of friends used to cycle from Rugby to Derbyshire Thorpe cloud for holidays and this has become a place the whole family are connected with. Aunty Mary’s ashes were scattered atop Thorpe Cloud.

He loved spending time with his nieces Rona and Fiona and Helen and his nephews Derek and Alan Morgan, and many happy holidays were spent together.

His father (Grandad Davison) won a scholarship to attend Durham university but was not allowed and had to go down the pit to support the family for 20 years. He did however become trade union secretary and an Executive of the Labour Party. Dad was extremely proud of him and always said what a lovely man he was.

Dad wanted to mention his many friends and if anyone is missed it is only because his recall was dimming in the last couple of days.
He wanted me to mention Michael Foster a friend for 60 years, and Robin Foster
Stan and Mavis Bayliss, lifelong friends
Roy Boyd
John Kelly whom he met whilst a BTM (worked for the security services in Iraq)
Paul Nevett friend and editor for Dads latter writings.
Barry Perkins
Cliff and Renee Shepherd
Elizabeth whom he spent some great times in Israel
Ruth and Michael Moore
Janet and David Noakes
Phil, Kate and Sam Lawrence

Zerem his eldest grandson has had a candle lit for him
at the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem