Rev G M Davidson
Rector of this parish 1911-1933
Gerard Markby Davidson was born on 4 February 1874 to
Lieutenant Colonel (Later Major General) Edward Royal Engineers
and Margaret Noel Davidson in Naini Tal (Nynee Tal), Bengal,
India. He was baptised in India on 7 March 1874.
In 1881 the young Gerard was lodging in Wandsworth with the Lombard family and attending the local school. His father died in London on 1 November 1889 at the age of 62 years, at which time Gerard was attending Repton School in Derbyshire, which following a stint working for the East India office in London (1901), was followed by Clare College Cambridge graduating with a BA in 1897 and MA in 1901. He was also awarded a lawn tennis “Blue” in 1897.
In 1899 he married Florence Mabel Tayler in Sproughton Suffolk and following a reception they honeymooned in Switzerland.
He was ordained in Peterborough Cathedral on (Trinity Sunday) 10 June 1900 and a year later he lived with his wife and young son Gerard Noel (Noel being a family name from his mother’s side) aged 7 months at the time of the 1901 census, in Lincoln Road, where he gave his profession as a clergyman in the established church.
His first appointment was at Higham Ferrers, a position he
held until 1911, and the census reveals that Rev Davidson lived
with his wife, Florence Mabel, and daughters Mary Agatha Noel
aged 7, Jean aged 4, Donald Montague Edgar Noel aged 3, and Duncan
Ian Noel aged 4 in Higham Ferrers. Two other children lived elsewhere. In the
August of 1911 he announced that he would be leaving Higham, and moving
to Woodford where he was inducted in October 1911.
Prior to
moving to Woodford, he wrote to every household advising of his
plans for the Church and congregation.
With the onset of the First World War the Reverend joined his Majesty’s Forces and served as a chaplain until the end of the war, and it was just after the end of the war in late 1919 that Florence Davidson died at the relatively young age of age of 49 years.
He was seemingly involved in many committees across the village including the cricket and football clubs, cubs, swimming club and the day and weekend adult schools. He also served the committees which erected the war memorials and was involved in the unveiling of the memorial on the village green.
He died at the age of 59 years on Wedensday 22 March 1933..
The remains of the late Rev Gerard Davidson were moved to the church from the Rectory on the following Friday evening, when a short well attended service was held, led by the vicar of Finedon, Rev A Bagshaw, a service which concluded with the singing of “Abide with me”. Various villagers held vigil over the night until Saturday morning when a communion service was led by the Rev G H Meggy of Great Addington.
The funeral of the Reverend was a significant affair in Woodford with most of the inhabitants being present on the Monday afternoon to pay their final respects to their friend and rector. Schools, factories and shops were closed and numerous village organisations with which the rector had been connected were all represented.
Headed by the choir the procession from the rectory to the church included many clergy, and the Woodford scouts, cubs and brownies wearing black armlets and with their colours draped. Many individual and family mourners were present and organisations including the Baptist Church, Working Men’s Club, Ideal Clothing Factory, Wallis and Linnell’s Clothing factory, British Legion, League of Nations union, the Parish Council, the swimming club, and both schools
Following the service as the coffin was moved to its last resting place in the churchyard the organist played Chopin’s “Marche Funebre”. The silent company stood with heads bowed at the graveside as the casket containing ashes was lowered into the grave, which was lined with narcissi. The hymn “Peace Perfect Peace” was sung at the graveside.
There were sixty floral tributes.
Memorials
In July 1934 a large congregation attended St Mary’s Church to show their respect and affection for the late rector Rev G M Davidson to whom a memorial in the form of a pair of massive altar silver candlesticks six feet high and suitably inscribed was dedicated. The rector, the Rev B Eversley Owen officiated, and after the Third Collect the assistant Bishop of Peterborough (Dr Norman Lang) offered prayer and dedicated the memorial to “Gerard Markby Davidson”.
The Bishop preached 
a sermon during the course of which he paid tribute to the memory
of the late rector. The hymn “O love that will not let me go”, a
favourite of the late Rector was sung. Members of the late
rector’s family present were: Miss Jean Davidson, Mr Donald
Davidson and Mr Ian Davidson. The cost of the candlesticks (£60)
was defrayed by donations and subscriptions among the
villagers.
In the summer of 1936 a new stained-glass window, representing Christ blessing little children was erected in the south west corner of the Church by the Davidson family. The window, was dedicated by the Rev D H Meggy, rector of Great Addington, and bears the inscription: “To the glory of God and in loving memory of Gerard Markby Davison and of his wife, Florence Mabel Davidson. Erected by their children”. MCMXXXVI