Joseph Davies

Joseph James Davies

1856-1920

One of the early books on the development of this town was Historic Bourne written by J J Davies almost a century ago. He was also a schoolmaster of some distinction, serving as head of the Board School for 33 years.

Joseph James Davies was born in London in 1856 but his family moved to Lincolnshire and he spent his early years in Boston and later Grantham where he started his scholastic career as a pupil teacher. He attended a teacher training course at Carmarthen and after qualifying, was appointed headmaster of the York Road School in London, a position he held for only a short period before returning to Lincolnshire and the headship of the village school at Great Ponton. He served there until 1887 when he moved to Bourne where he remained for the rest of his life and which became his accepted home town.

His appointment was as headmaster of the Boys' Council or Board School, now the Abbey Road Primary School, and during the next three decades, 2,000 boys came under his influence and training and he soon became highly regarded in the town. "He was unrivalled as an educationalist", reported the Stamford Mercury when he died. "By his demise, the town has lost one of the most valuable assets from the standpoint of a teacher and a Christian character that it has ever possessed. There are many traits by which his name will live in the memory of those who were privileged to work either under him or with him but the outstanding feature which overshadowed everything else was the man of high intellectual attainments, who taught not merely as a schoolmaster in elementary education, but also by the high standard of his everyday life.

"His profession was to him not merely a vocation, but behind the stereotyped teaching of the schoolboy was not only that the boy should become a good scholar, but that in his schooldays should be laid the foundation upon which man's life and character should be built. With such aims and ideals, there is little wonder that between teacher and scholar should exist so profound a regard the one for the other which has found its expression in numerous ways, none perhaps so prominent as the letters from old boys during the First World War (1914-18). No adequate calculation can be made of the value of such a teacher."

Mr Davies was a devoutly religious man, strongly attached to the established church and a keen supporter of Low Church principles and with characteristic broadmindedness, was a ready and willing helper of the free churches in the town. When the PSA (Pleasant Sunday Afternoon) gatherings were held at the Baptist Church, he was a prominent worker and frequent speaker at their meetings and was often found in the pulpit of other free churches in the town and neighbourhood and he invariably attended most of their evening and weekend functions.

He was also an active campaigner for further education and in 1888, he began evening classes during the winter months in conjunction with the school's Science and Art Department which attracted a large attendance from the town and surrounding area. Among the subjects on the curriculum were animal physiology, geology, acoustics, light and heat and mathematics, and, due to popular demand, classes for shorthand were later included.

J J Davies was always ready to help in church activities, no matter what the denomination, and here he is busy driving one of the coloured floats in the fancy dress parade held by the Congregational Chapel during their Sunday School treat at the Park Field in 1914. Mr Davies can be seen standing on the cart holding the reins and wearing a straw boater.

His work as a local historian is also on record through his authorship of Historic Bourne, an illustrated work printed and published in 1909 by William Pearce of North Street, Bourne, a book no longer in print but a modest forerunner of J D Birkbeck's more studious publication. This was a concentration of his research and knowledge of the town and was a natural adjunct to his freelance journalism. He became such a prolific writer that a successful career as journalist could have been his but he satisfied himself by filling the post of local representative for most of the newspapers that circulated in Bourne, notably the Stamford Mercury, and as a frequent contributor to several of the London magazines and newspapers. A close friend once remarked: "If his mind had a purely mercenary trend, he might have made a much greater financial success of life in literature than was to be obtained in the teaching profession but fascinating as the literary work was to him, Mr Davies held to his first choice and sacrificed finance for the influence he could bring to bear on the young life."

His love of education as a necessary advancement for young people was reflected in his unstinting work for the establishment of a secondary school in Bourne when public opinion was largely against it. Ten years before his death, at a public meeting called to discuss its merits, he prophesied: "It will come" and during his lifetime, he was able to witness the establishment of a secondary school which opened in North Street, Bourne, in September 1920, two months before he died.

Mr Davies also took a keen interest in public affairs and became one of the first members of Bourne Parish Council on its formation as a result of the Local Government Act of 1894. He discovered however that the meetings of the council clashed with those of his evening classes and after his first year in office, he retired and did not seek another seat on any public authority again in case such work came into conflict with his teaching.

During the First World War (1914-18), when the Bourne Volunteer Training Corps was formed, he was one of the first members to be enrolled, believing that it was right to serve on the home front as well as on active service but his contribution far exceeded his attendance on drill nights and he spent many hours writing cheery letters to his ex-boys who had become serving soldiers at home and abroad, and to the parents of those who were lost in action. His own two sons served in the war and the eldest was severely wounded and he felt it his duty to help alleviate the sorrow and trouble of others in similar circumstances.

Mr Davies was an active member of the Hereward Lodge of Freemasons and served twice as Grand Master. He was also the first chairman of the Bourne branch of the National Union of Teachers and for many years its honorary secretary. He regarded himself as an advanced Liberal in politics and during the various Parliamentary contests was frequently to be found on the platform as a speaker at the hustings but otherwise he took no prominent part. He was also a popular and frequent speaker for many local organisations, his favourite topic being Notable Men of Lincolnshire, much of the material used on these occasions being based on the research he had carried out for his book.

He enjoyed a reputation as a popular speaker and was in great demand at readings and concerts in the town, appearing regularly at the Bourne Mutual Improvement Society which met during the winter months for debates and discussions, and he frequently took the stage telling stories and reading poems during theatrical presentations by schools and churches as well as giving passionate testimonies against the evils of drink and how to give up alcohol at meetings of the Church of England Temperance Society.

Mr Davies, who lived at 77 North Road, suffered declining health during the final years of his life and retired in the summer of 1920 but died from heart failure the following November 19th at the age of 64. His wife Elizabeth Ann survived him for almost ten years and died on 18th March 1930, aged 72. They are buried in the same grave in the town cemetery.

The two sons from the marriage were Victor, who held a responsible position in Ireland, and Oliver, who was the village schoolmaster at Edenham. Their daughter, Dorothea (Dora) Josephine Davies, had died shortly before him, on 24th September 1920, at the age of 38. His funeral was held at the Abbey Church on Wednesday 24th November 1920 but Mrs Davies was unable to attend because of poor health.

Teachers and boys from the school were among the mourners and they formed a cordon on either side of the cortege as it moved slowly down South Street on its way to the cemetery and again at the graveside. The service was conducted by the vicar, Canon John Grinter who also officiated at a memorial service in the church the following Sunday. There was a pause in the service at the graveside while freemasons from the Hereward Lodge dropped a sprig of acacia on the coffin.

The memorial service was an impressive occasion when the vicar paid a high tribute to the life of Mr Davies in which he said:

He was a man of sanctified common sense who earnestly endeavoured to leave the world better than he found it and, what was more, endeavoured to get others to do likewise. The life of Joseph Davies on earth was one of love and purity, nobleness and self-sacrifice. All in the town bear witness to his goodness and all respected him. He walked upright and worked with righteousness. He was a man of power as well as of goodness. He had a strong will but it was never ever governed by wrong reason and whilst he had the courage of his own conviction he would listen to others, but he would also listen to the voice of his own conscience. Year in and year out, he impressed on the lads committed to his care the necessity of striving after goodness to live for unselfish ends and to do their duty at all costs. It was no wonder that so many Bourne lads went forth willingly to give their best at the call of King and country, for their master had ever taught them that the mark upon every good deed had the sign of the Cross, unselfish love and devotion to duty. Richly endowed with personal charm and unbounded influence, his memory will long be cherished by those whom he delighted to call "his dear boys". To his dear wife and sons, we extend our Christian sympathy.