"Will" / "Bill" / "Pop" William DAVISON
Born 31 January 1882 at Eslwick in Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England [P1]
Son of coal miner Joseph DAVISON and Agnes MAINS [P1]
He was one of seven children with elder brothers Joseph and John and younger siblings Benjamin, Elizabeth, Sydney and Alice [20]
In 1891 he was living with his parents and siblings at 319 Askew Road West in Gateshead, County Durham, England [20]
He was working a a Railway Guard in 1901 and living with his parents at 21 Diamond Street in Wallsend, Northumberland [20]
Private 28493 in the 14th Northumberland Company of the 5th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry in South Africa during the Boer War [569]
Married "Carrie" Caroline JOHNSON on 25 February 1905 in Wallsend, Northumberland, England [P1]
In 1911 he was working as a Colliery Traffic Manager and was living with his wife and daughter Alice at 1 Diamond Street in Wallsend [20]
He and his brother-in-law James E. JOHNSON departed from London, England on the steamship Armadale on 27 May 1911 [203]
After a voyage of just over five weeks, they arrived on the steamship Armadale in Fremantle, Western Australia on 10 July 1911 [338]
In Western Australia he worked as a Farmhand in Merredin but shifted to Perth after his wife and daughter arrived in mid 1912 [P1]
He worked as a Grocer, living on Murray Street in the Perth suburb of Bayswater and then at 228 Lord Street in Perth [50]
They later lived at 13 Marlborough Street in East Perth and he worked in East Perth as a Bread Carter and later Baker [P1]
Baker and Pastry Cook of the Pioneer Bakery at 21 Macpherson Street in Carnamah from 1933 to 1945 [P1] [13] [59]
Around May 1933 shifted to Carnamah with his wife and their daughter Nan [5: 28-Jun-1935]
He likely purchased the bakery business from Mrs Amy MELDRUM and her son Roy [59] [60]
Leased 21 Macpherson Street, which included the bakery and a house, from A. Leslie TROTTER, who'd had them built in 1928 [3]
His bakery was telephone number Carnamah-30 [60] and he had P.O. Box 83 at the Carnamah Post Office [19]
He baked bread five to six days a week and kept stores and supplies cool in a cellar below the bakery [P50]
In addition to supplying bread to all of the shops and tearooms in Carnamah, he also delivered bread to Winchester [P50]
Obtained water from rainwater tanks and purchased wood for the bakery's oven, often from the PERRY family [P50]
During the first week of December 1933 bread was increased to 6d. a loaf owing to the introduction of Flour Tax [5: 8-Dec-1933]
In later years he also sold petrol from a petrol bowser location out the front of the bakery [P50]
In November 1940 he also did the baking for Three Springs while repairs were being made to the bakery there [5: 29-Nov-1940]
Advertised his business in the schedule of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society's Annual Show in 1933 [13]
"The Pioneer Bakery, Carnamah - This Modern and Up-To-Date Bakery is now Under the Control of [13]
W. Davison, Baker and Pastrycook - The Best Bread and all Kinds of Small Goods" [13]
Vice President of the Carnamah Cricket Club in 1933-34 and 1936-37 [4: 2-Dec-1933] [5: 2-Oct-1936]
Judge of the Confectionary section at the Carnamah Agricultural Shows in 1933, 1934 and 1936 [5: 22-Sep-1933, 14-Sep-1934, 4-Sep-1936]
Vice President of the Carnamah Rifle Club in 1934, 1935 and 1936 [5: 24-Aug-1934, 12-Jul-1935, 17-Jul-1936]
Member of Carnamah's Parkinson Tennis Club - was Vice President 1934-35 to 1935-36, and Patron in 1936-37 [5: 18-Sep-1936] [56]
Donated a trophy to the Club in 1935-36, which was won by Mrs B. Maud FERGUSON and Thomas H. PERRY [5: 22-May-1936]
Donated trophies to the Club in 1936-37, which were competed for in a Handicap Mixed Doubles Tournament [5: 4-Dec-1936]
Attended the R.S.L. Annual General Meeting and Smoke Social at the Carnamah Hall on Saturday 6 April 1935 [5: 12-Apr-1935]
Vice President of the Carnamah Football Club in 1935, and both Vice President and Chairman in 1936 [5: 19-Apr-1935, 17-Apr-1936]
In 1936 he and George A. BRADSHAW were judges to submit names of the Fairest & Best player of matches [5: 8-May-1936]
Opened proceedings at the Carnamah Football Club's Premiership Dinner at the Carnamah Hotel on 6 September 1936 [5: 11-Sep-1936]
Attended the funeral of Carnamah agent William B. SHERIDAN at the Winchester Cemetery on 27 January 1936 [5: 31-Jan-1936]
Broke the middle toe on his right foot in March 1936, and as a result was indisposed for a week or two [5: 27-Mar-1936]
He had been helping his neighbour Michael J. CLUNE load a barrel of fat up wooden runners onto the back of a truck [5]
In the process one of the wooden runners slipped, fell onto his foot and broke his toe [5]
A storm on Monday afternoon 23 March 1936 resulted in a lightning strike in his backyards and another struck his petrol bowser [5]
The lightning burnt the electric wires and cracked the light on top of the petrol bowser, located in front of his bakery [5: 27-Mar-1936]
During April 1936 he spent a week long vacation in Koorda staying with his daughter and son-in-law [5: 24-Apr-1936]
Adopted as a member of the Carnamah Sub-Branch of the Returned Soldiers League on 21 April 1936 [52]
The fact he was adopted as an honorary member suggests he didn't disclose that he had in fact served in a war (the Boer War) [P1]
Attended the R.S.L. Social to farewell "Chitter" George F. BROWN at the Carnamah Hostel on Friday 24 April 1936 [5: 1-May-1936]
Member of the Carnamah Ratepayers & Citizens Association - was Vice President in 1936 [5: 12-Jun-1936]
Sent his apologies for not being able to be present at the Farewell to the BREWER family in Carnamah on 5 June 1936 [5: 12-Jun-1936]
Attended the Carnamah Repertory Club's Social Evening & Play Presentation at the Carnamah Hall on 17 June 1936 [5: 19-Jun-1936]
In June 1936 donated the timber to the Carnamah Girls Club, which was made into a table by Maurice B. CLARK [5: 26-Jun-1936]
He, Michael CLUNE Snr and Mrs Marion L. CLUNE donated a "Bachelor's Supper" to the Carnamah Football Club [5]
Their donation was raffled by the Club at their Dance in Carnamah on 27 June 1936, and won by Louis JOHANSEN [5: 3-Jul-1936]
Attended the funeral of Mrs Florence PRICE of Carnamah at the Winchester Cemetery on Tuesday 1 September 1936 [5: 4-Sep-1936]
Gave evidence at a meeting of the North Midlands Football Association's Disputes Board on Monday 21 September 1936 [5: 25-Sep-1936]
The Board ruled Arrino forfeited the Grand Final to Carnamah by playing a disqualified player and refusing to finish the match [5]
Sent apologies for being unable to attend the Farewell Social for R. Arthur LINDSAY in Carnamah on 23 October 1936 [5: 30-Oct-1936]
Member of the Carnamah Athletic Club in 1936, Committee Member in 1937 and President in 1938 [5: 7-Aug-1936, 19-Mar-1937] [120: 13-Oct-1938]
In November 1936 he was appointed as a Judge for the weekly bike races conducted by the Carnamah Athletic Club [5: 20-Nov-1936]
Committee Member of the Carnamah Cricket Club in 1936-37 [5: 2-Oct-1936]
He was among those from Carnamah who holidayed at the beach in Dongara over Easter in March 1937 [5: 2-Apr-1937]
At the beach together were himself, his daughters Nan and Al, his son-in-law L. William GRIERSON, and Maurice B. CLARK [5]
Donated a trophy for the Carnamah Tennis Club's Easter Tennis Tournament in Carnamah in 1937 [5: 23-Apr-1937]
Member of the Carnamah Cycle Club - was Inaugural Vice President and Judge in 1937 [5: 21-May-1937]
Donated special prizes for the juvenile competitors at the Community Concert at the Carnamah Hall on 11 August 1937 [5: 13-Aug-1937]
The hugely Community Concert was held to support his daughter Nan in the North Midlands Popular Girl Competition [5]
Member of the Carnamah Boxing Tournament Committee in 1937 [5: 6-Aug-1937]
Ringside Usher at the Boxing Tournament held in Carnamah on Saturday evening 28 August 1937 [5: 6-Aug-1937, 3-Sep-1937]
Won a box of chocolates in a raffle at the Anglican Church's Grand Ball in Three Springs on Tuesday evening 31 August 1937 [5]
At the Grand Ball his daughter Nan was declared the winner of the North Midlands Popular Girl Competition [5: 3-Sep-1937]
Vice President of the Five Gums Tennis Club in 1936-37 and 1937-38, and a Member in 1938-39 [89]
Vice Patron of the Carnamah Tennis Club in 1937-38 [5: 13-Aug-1937]
Financial Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society 1937-1971 [13]
In the 1930s spent most of his holidays in Koorda with his daughter Al, son-in-law Bill and grandson Billy GRIERSON [0]
He was made a Justice of the Peace for the Victoria Magisterial District of Western Australia on 15 January 1940 [0: image 03041]
As a Justice of the Peace served as Magistrate on criminal and traffic cases that went before the Carnamah Police Court [22]
The Carnamah Police Court dealt with cases for Carnamah, Winchester, Waddy Forest, Coorow, Marchagee and Gunyidi [22]
The first case of the Carnamah Police Court he presided over was on 18 July 1940 [22]
Between 1940 and 1955 he served as Magistrate at 43 cases that went before the Police Court in Carnamah [22]
He had an uncaged pet Major Mitchell cockatoo who liked to let down bike tyres around the Carnamah townsite [P50]
He would unscrew the valve in the bicycle tyres and sit back and watch the tyre deflate [P283]
Both Bill and his cockatoo go to the Carnamah Hotel on New Year's Eve and would both become merry! [P283]
Vice President in 1941 and later a Life Member of the Carnamah Football Club[0: images 03586, 04007] [7: page 199]
Donated a trophy to the Carnamah Football Club for their "fairest and best" player for many years [0: image 04005]
On 13 July 1942 his daughter Nan hoped on his son-in-law Bill GRIERSON's usually docile horse to have her photo taken [0: image 04111-2]
The flapping of Nan's skirt scared the horse, causing it to rear up and fall back on her [0: image 04111]
He immediately rushed to his daughter's aid and in trying to get the horse off her, it kicked him in the shoulder [0: image 04111]
Both he and Nan were taken to the North Midlands District Hospital in Three Springs for medical attention [0: image 04111]
It was discovered at the hospital that he had a dislocated shoulder and Nan severe bruising [0: image 04111-2]
President of the Carnamah Police Boys' Club in 1944 [0: image 04579]
Sold his bakery business in Carnamah to Norman J. HAYNES in 1945 [11]
After selling the bakery resided with his daughter Al and her family at La Colline Farm near Prowaka Siding in Carnamah [P50]
He also spent some of his time with his daughter Nan and her family at nearby Lockington on The Home Farm in Carnamah [P50]
After his daughter Nan's home Lockington burnt to the ground in 1953 he spent almost all of his time at La Colline Farm [P50]
Committee Member of the Carnamah District Agricultural Society in 1945 and 1949 [58]
President in 1946 and 1947 and Vice Patron in 1951 of the Carnamah Football Club [0: image 04466] [4: 7-Apr-1951]
Carnamah's delegate at meetings of the North Midlands Football Association in 1947 [0: image 04466]
Vice Patron of the Carnamah Miniature Rifle Club 1950-1952 [0: images 04532 & 04654] [4: 21-Apr-1951]
Pallbearer at the funeral of John BOWMAN, his son-in-law's father, on 28 July 1952 at the local Winchester Cemetery [5: 7-Aug-1952]
Resided on La Colline Farm in Carnamah until 1973 when he moved the Lady Brand Lodge in Three Springs [P97]
He was known to many people around Carnamah as "Pop Davison" [P97]
Father of "Al" Alice Jane and "Nan" Hannah Spence [P97]
Died 13 August 1973 in Three Springs; buried at Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth, Western Australia (Anglican ZB, 447) [P1]
From The North Midland Times newspaper, Friday 13 June 1941:
An Invitation
"Mr. W. Davison cordially invites all friends of the Bride and Bridegroom to the Reception to be held in the Carnamah Hall at 8.30 p.m. on June 21st, following the marriage of his daughter Nan, to Lieut. David, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Bowman in St. George's Hall at 6.00 p.m."
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'William Davison' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 12 August 2026 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/william-davison [reference list] |
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