Lucy Gertrude Howard

Attended the Perse School Cambridge. Was taught mathematics by Miss Patterson. Gained her Higher Certificates and prizes at the Perse School in December 1900. (Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 21 December 1900).

Later on, Lucy Howard trained as a teacher at the recently-founded Froebel College at Roehampton (see https://www.roehampton.ac.uk/colleges/froebel-college/froebel-history/).

As a teenager, Lucy worked in St Philip's vicarage, assisting her father. A visitor, Josephine Moule, changed her life. There was a vehement conversation, in which Josephine insisted that Lucy would be wasted in her present occupation, and that she should go out to India, to "find herself". There was great excitement, and the plans were rapidly made.

In 1901, Lucy Howard was working as a governess to a clerical family (Rev Havergal Shaw) in Tonbridge, Kent (see 1901 Census, Sources). Havergal Shaw held the copyright to hymns written by his aunt Frances Havergal, and the connection may have come about because Lucy's mother Helen (nee Bryan) was herself a hymn writer.

Lucy Howard left Cambridge to work as a schoolteacher in Amritsar, India in 1908. (See Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 16 October 1908).

By 1911 she had met her husband-to-be, George Davis, in India, and they married in Amritsar in September 1911. Her daughter Josephine describes them as courting on horse rides together there.

Lucy Howard was a vice principal at the Alexandra Teacher's Training College, Amritsar, India

From: http://www.archive.org/stream/churchmissionary04stocuoft/churchmiss...

In the Punjab Proper, Amritsar continues to be the most varied centre of work, evangelistic, educational, medical. The Rt. Rev. D J McKenzie has for some years been the missionary in general charge There are the Alexandra Girls High School, the Boys High School, and several other educational agencies, the medical mission, &c., with the care of the Indian congregation and the evangelistic preaching. The medical missionary Dr Browne, died in 1913. He was much valued and beloved the most selfless missionary the Punjab has known in this generation " wrote Mr. Wigram* The Rev. G. Brocklesby Davis, M.D both clergyman and doctor, has shared in the work. Sir G K Scott-Moncrieff wrote of Amritsar in 1902, The C.M.S. work here is splendid. . . . Nothing in the Report or periodicals gives one any adequate idea of the reality."

The Davis family left Amritsar in 1919, after the appalling massacre committed by British troops at Jallianwalla Bagh. Although George Davis was deeply loved by his patients and others in Amritsar, the life of any European in Amritsar was in danger at that time. The family sailed for Marseille in the hold of a British troop ship. Lucy used a spirit lamp that she had brought with her to heat water for tea. One incident recalled by Lucy Davis occurred at Marseille train station as the family were preparing to leave for Calais. George found that he needed urgently to make some errand just as the train was about to leave, and Lucy lost sight of him. In a state of great anxiety, she used what French was available to her to shout as loudly as possible: 'Ou est mon mari?'. The reaction of the surrounding French crowds was predictably one of amusement--where indeed? At the very last minutes George rushed up and jumped onto the train as it was already in motion. (Story contributed by Edie Turner).

From: Cambridge Independent Press - Friday 23 July 1920

CHERRYHINTON GIRL'S LAPSE. Pleads Guilty to Serious Charges at Ely.

LADY’S FINE TESTIMONIAL

A Cherryhinton servant girl, aged 20, pleaded guilty to three serious charges of stealing at the Ely Police Court on Thursday, --and was eventually bound over, upon consenting to go to a Church of England Home for a year.....

The accused was Florence Margaret Murrell, of Fisher's Lane, Cherryhinton, described as a nursemaid, and she was charged with stealing the following properties between October 1st of last year and May 15th 1920: 1 lady’s silver watch, 3 pieces of Indian shot silk, 3 pieces of Indian embroidery, 1 Tenerife shawl, 1 dark blanket, and 2 nightdresses valued at 9 pounds each, the property of Mrs Lucy Gertrude Davis, wife of Dr George Brocklesby Davis; also a Swan fountain pen, value 10s., the property of Miss Evelyn Douglas Jones, dispenser to Dr. Davis; and a lady's gold, diamond and opal ring and two night dresses, value 5 pounds belonging to Miss Charlotte Yarrow, a fellow-servant in Dr Davis’s house.

P.S. Green, giving evidence, said he saw the accused in Fisher’s-lane, Cherryhinton on July 9th. She admitfed having the police to see her at the Woodlands, Sturmer, the day previous regarding the ring belonging to Miss Yarrow. Alter cautioning her, witness asked if she had the silver watch belonging to Mrs. Davis, and some Indian shot silk, which she (the defendant) should have made into a pram cover. She replied. ’‘Yes, they are in the house.” Witness accompanied accused to the house, and was handed the watch and silk. On July 13th witness made further inquiries, and recovered one Tenerife shawl from her mother at Ely, also three pieces of Indian embroidery and one dark blanket. On July 16th witness visited Cherryhinton again, and recovered from the mother of the accused the two nightdresses. Accused was shown the articles by the witness, and after cautioning her, he asked her how she wished to account for possession of them. She replied. "I took them all from Dr. Davis' house." Witness produced all the articles.

Cross-examined by Supt. Roythorne, the witness said he had previously received a report from Mrs. Davis as to various articles that she had lost. Accused had no questions to ask the witness. She pleaded guilty to the charge, and elected to be dealt with summarily. She also pleaded guilty to stealing the property named in the other two charges. Supt. Roythorne said the girl's parents were respectable people. Nothing was known against the accused. The father, who said he had worked at the Cement Works for 20 years, could not account for his daughter’s lapse. She had always been a good girl, and had been in service with Mrs. Davis about twelve months. Accused, replying to the Chairman, said she was quite willing to a Church of England Home if the Bench dealt with her lightly. She would try and retrieve her character.

Mrs. Davis said she had not called police in respect of her own property which was missing, but at the end of February Miss Yarrow lost her ring, and gave information to the police. Witness then told them all about her own property. She added that she did not suspect any of her own maids at all. Murrell was extremely kind to witness’s children, and she was an exceedingly good maid. Witness had no cause to suspect her until just before she left. She had a great deal of ability, was kind, willing, intelligent and lovable, and witness was sure she had a useful life before her after she got over this deceitful tendency. The Chairman thanked Mrs. Davis for the information she had given. The accused was bound over to be of good behaviour, upon consenting to go to a Church of England Home for 12 months, until she was 21.

1891 Census:

name: Lucy Gertrude Howard

event: Census

event date: 1891

gender: Female

age: 9

relationship to head of household: Daughter

birthplace: Combe Down, Somersetshire

record type: Household

registration district: Bath

sub-district: Bathwick

ecclesiastical parish: Holy Trinity

civil parish: Monckton Combe

county: Somersetshire

In the 1950's, Lucy Davis (nee Howard) lived at 371 Cherryhinton Road, Cambridge. This house was sold at auction in 1959 for 2400 pounds.

Lucy Davis died in Chesterton Hospital, Cambridge on 9th December 1959. She left effects valued at £11,193. 3s 11d.