HAROLD DAVIDSON
Name: Harold Francis Davidson
Born: 14 July 1875
Died: 30 July 1937
Harold Francis Davidson (July 14, 1875 - July 30, 1937), sometimes known as "the
Prostitute's Padre", was a Church of England priest, who was famous as "the
Rector of Stiffkey" defrocked in 1932 for his licentious lifestyle.
Davidson had 27 relatives in the clergy (including his father and uncles),
reaching as high as the Archbishop of Canterbury, under whose auspices he worked.
Davidson ministered to the homeless in London in the split ministry he had when
he was appointed as the Rector of Stiffkey in Norfolk.
His father, the Revd Francis Davidson came from a wealthy Birmingham family but
poured his money into building the new parish of St Mary's in Sholing,
Southampton to which he had been appointed in 1866, and on his wife, who was
severely ill all her life. When the time came to educate his son, there was
little money to finance his studies.
Davidson was educated at the Banister Court School in Southampton and the
Whitgift School in Croydon, moving there to live with his maternal aunts and
grandmother (who had moved to Croydon after his grandfather's death). During his
years at Whitgift he formed a small group of amateur actors with other boys;
they would organise fund raising charity events for his father's parish, and,
later, for the other churches in and around the Southampton area.
When Davidson left Whitgift in 1894, he and his friends decided to spend their
pre-university gap year becoming professional entertainers. They toured the
provinces where they became quite successful in the first six months and they
were invited to appear at the Steinway Hall in London in 1895.
Davidson then became a professional actor, touring the world with some of the
great acting companies of the day such as the Trees'. On several occasions, he
appeared with Sarah Bernhardt (who would be a close friend the rest of her life)
inviting his whole family to France for her opening night performances and
asking that he be put on the bill when she appeared in London at the Palladium.
His forte was comedy mime though he also did the classics and comedies such as
Charley's Aunt.
Name: Harold Francis Davidson
Born: 14 July 1875
Died: 30 July 1937
Harold Francis Davidson (July 14, 1875 - July 30, 1937), sometimes known as "the
Prostitute's Padre", was a Church of England priest, who was famous as "the
Rector of Stiffkey" defrocked in 1932 for his licentious lifestyle.
Davidson had 27 relatives in the clergy (including his father and uncles),
reaching as high as the Archbishop of Canterbury, under whose auspices he worked.
Davidson ministered to the homeless in London in the split ministry he had when
he was appointed as the Rector of Stiffkey in Norfolk.
His father, the Revd Francis Davidson came from a wealthy Birmingham family but
poured his money into building the new parish of St Mary's in Sholing,
Southampton to which he had been appointed in 1866, and on his wife, who was
severely ill all her life. When the time came to educate his son, there was
little money to finance his studies.
Davidson was educated at the Banister Court School in Southampton and the
Whitgift School in Croydon, moving there to live with his maternal aunts and
grandmother (who had moved to Croydon after his grandfather's death). During his
years at Whitgift he formed a small group of amateur actors with other boys;
they would organise fund raising charity events for his father's parish, and,
later, for the other churches in and around the Southampton area.
When Davidson left Whitgift in 1894, he and his friends decided to spend their
pre-university gap year becoming professional entertainers. They toured the
provinces where they became quite successful in the first six months and they
were invited to appear at the Steinway Hall in London in 1895.
Davidson then became a professional actor, touring the world with some of the
great acting companies of the day such as the Trees'. On several occasions, he
appeared with Sarah Bernhardt (who would be a close friend the rest of her life)
inviting his whole family to France for her opening night performances and
asking that he be put on the bill when she appeared in London at the Palladium.
His forte was comedy mime though he also did the classics and comedies such as
Charley's Aunt.