Fanny Catherine Davie
a short Family History
Tthe
and extract
Fanny Catherine Davie
A Short Family History
An extract from 'The Davie Family 1745-1953'
Fanny was born at Bittadon on 21 May 1852 and died on 8 February 1957, aged 104. She was a truly remarkable lady who deserves to go down in the Davie history as one of the "greats".
Fanny Catherine Davie is sitting in the centre, along with Harry and Gertie Beynon, along with their shildren, George Edward and ‘Winnie’ Winifred (later Jones).
The photo was taken around 1906 at ‘Northlea’ Grove, Mumbles (Up Queens Road, by the Cubs HQ.)
Fanny Davie lived with her daughter Gertrude (Gertie) Beynon for 53 years.
Here, Mrs Davie is 102 and on here way to Oystermouth Church.
The small parish of Goodleigh in North Devon, with a population of not more than 350 in the period under review, has been a stronghold of the Davie family since the middle of the 16th century and their name is one of the two longest surviving names to be found in the district the other being Tucker.
Branches of the Davie family were also to be found in the neighbouring parishes of Landkey, Swimbridge and Bishops Tawton, also in Barnstaple - all wiSwansea Technical College Mining Societythin a radius of four miles from the Goodleigh centre.
For a livelihood the Davies chose various occupations.
Some were innkeepers, beer retailers and butchers; others were saddlers and smiths; but they were mainly engaged in agriculture, e.g., farmers, hay dealers, cattle and horse dealers, market gardeners or workers supporting such occupations.
Fanny Catherine Davie
James and Elizabeth Harris had three children, one of whom was Fanny, born at Bittadon on 21 May 1852. [Fanny subsequently acquired a second Christian name - Catherine]. The understanding within the family is that William Davie first met Fanny Harris when she was riding her horse in the vicinity of Bampfield, and they fell in love. She was only sixteen years of age at the time and clearly, she had no hope of obtaining the consent of her parents to marrying William Davie, so she decided to elope with him. They married in 1868 when Fanny was 16 and William was 23. After the wedding, one of Fanny's aunts offered her a considerable financial reward if she would withdraw from the marriage and return home, but Fanny remained steadfast in turning down this proposition.
Fanny came from a large, aristocratic family. As a young girl she was in the care of French and German governesses from whom she learnt to speak their respective languages fluently; she was musical and sometimes played the organ at the little church of St Peter at Bittadon. She was a spirited girl and loved horse riding and she did not take kindly to the strict parental controls which were customary at that time for young ladies in her position.
The little church of St Peter at Bittadon
The first years of her marriage with William were, to say the least, difficult for Fanny. Not only was her new environment completely foreign to her but they had very little money. However, Fanny was devoted to William, and she was determined to make a success of the life she had chosen. In this she showed great courage and, no doubt, her keen sense of humour helped her to survive. Throughout her life she always maintained that she would not have had it otherwise.
In about 1870 William and Fanny Davie went to South Wales to seek employment. First, they went to Margam and then to Swansea where William took a job as a dairyman. They had two children who survived, both of whom were born at Swansea William Edward in 1872 and Gertrude on 9 October 1875 at 1 Rodney Street, Swansea. [Gertrude later acquired a second Christian name - Pine.]
In 1876 William Davie and his family moved to Norton in the parish of Oystermouth, where T D Griffiths granted him a tenancy of Glen Farm.
Glen Farm, Glen Road, (Also known as Boarspit Farm, Lower Boarspit) towards the end of its days, August 1964.
The view north includes Glen Road, from The Steep, photo Brian Hixson . Glen Farm is hidden behing the bush in the centre of the photo.
The farm flourished, but in 1896 William Edward died at the age of 24 and three years later, on 18 January 1899, his father died, aged 53. Fanny Davie then gave up the farm and moved to the adjoining cottage which she owned. Gertrude Davie (1875-1966) married Henry ("Harry") Beynon (1872-1952) early in 1899. Harry Beynon was a local builder.
Shortly after the marriage they moved to Bournemouth Villa, Langland where Fanny Davie joined them. About 20 years later they moved to "Northlea", The Grove, Mumbles, one of a series of houses built by Harry Beynon. Fanny continued to live with her daughter and son-in-law until Harry Beynon died (6 August 1952). She had lived with them for 53 years.
On the eve of her 100th birthday, Fanny was guest of honour at a family dinner party at the Langland Bay Hotel and, the following day, a larger birthday party was held at the Mumbles Baptist Schoolroom. At 6 o'clock that afternoon she said to her great nephew, Hugh Davie, "Hugh, I am bored with all this, let's go off and have a jolly good game of bridge" which they did. Fanny was very fond - of playing bridge and taught all the younger members of the family how to play.
1st June 1942 at All Saints' Church, Oystermouth. The wedding of Maraget Beynon & Ralph Edmond Blows,
Left to right -Brides sisters, Kathleen Millard, and Winnifred (Winnie) Jones. Mother-in-law Elizabeth Blows, Bridesmaid, niece Dreena Millard, Best Man, Edward (Eddie) Beynon; Bridegroom Lt Comander Ralph Edmond Blows and Bride Margaret Beynon. Brides father, Harry Beynon,; Chief Bridesmaid Olive Blows; Brides mother Gertrude (Gertie) Beynon; Grandmother, 90 year old, Fanny Catherine Davie.
Eddie Beynon gained three caps playing Rugby for Wales; Harry Beynon, local Builder.
THE OLDEST VOTER
On 26 May 1955 a general election was held. At the age of 103, Fanny Davie must have been the oldest voter in the country to go to the polling booth that day. women She said that she had not failed to register her vote in any election since were enfranchised in 1922 and added emphatically, "I have always voted Conservative and always will". Her only complaint was that although she had all. her faculties, her legs were getting weak, and she would have to go by car to vote. She also found it difficult to walk to Oystermouth Church on Sundays and Canon WDG Wilkinson, (who, incidentally, married Paula and Allan Piper there in 1953), used to drive her to evening service each Wednesday.
James Harris never forgave his daughter for running off with William, but her mother finally relented, and Fanny received some family money from her and also from two twin aunts, Septima and Octavia, all of whom lived well into their 90's.
Fanny Davie died on 8 February 1957, aged 104, She was a truly remarkable lady who deserves to go down in the Davie history as one of the "greats".
Fanny lived with her daughter Gertrude (Gertie) Beynon for 53 years and with her granddaughter, Margaret and Ralph Blows during her last few years.
Gertrude and Harry Beynon had five children:
Winifred m. Cynon Hunter Jones
George Edward m. (i) Laura Stonehouse (2) Margaret Wilson.
Philip m. Dorothy David
Kathleen m. Paul Cole Millard
Margaret m. Ralph C Blows