David Bailey "Beili" Davies (3 December 1884 – 24 August 1968) was a

Welsh Welsh may refer to: Related to Wales * Welsh, of or about Wales * Welsh language, spoken in Wales * Welsh people, an ethnic group native to Wales Places * Welsh, Arkansas, U.S. * Welsh, Louisiana, U.S. * Welsh, Ohio, U.S. * Welsh Basin, during t ...

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

fullback who played club rugby for Oxford University,

Llanelli ; ) is a market town and community (Wales), community in Carmarthenshire and the Preserved counties of Wales, preserved county of Dyfed, Wales. It is on the estuary of the River Loughor and is the largest town in the Principal areas of Wales, ...

and

London Welsh London Welsh Rugby Football Club () was a rugby union club formed in 1885. Based in Old Deer Park, Richmond-upon-Thames, London Welsh RFC played in the English Premiership in the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons, after gaining promotion from ...

and international rugby for Wales. In his personal life he was a schoolmaster, clergyman and soldier.

Personal history

Davies was born in

Llanwenog Llanwenog is a village and community in Ceredigion, Wales. In 2011 the population of Llanwenog was 1,364, of whom 57.0% were able to speak Welsh. The community includes the villages of Alltyblacca, Gorsgoch, Cwmsychbant, Cwrtnewydd, Highme ...

Dyfed Dyfed () is a preserved county in southwestern Wales, covering the modern counties Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. It is mostly rural area with a coastline on the Irish Sea and the Bristol Channel. Between 1974 and 1996, Dyfed w ...

Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...

in October 1884. He was educated at St. Davids College School in Lampeter, before he was accepted into St. Davids College. From Lampeter he matriculated into

Jesus College, Oxford Jesus College (in full: Jesus College in the University of Oxford of Queen Elizabeth's Foundation) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is in the centre of the city, on a site between Turl Street, Ship ...

where he took Maths. Mods in 1906 and Finals in 1908. He played full back in the Oxford Rugby Fifteen in 1905, 1906 and 1907 and was capped for Wales against England in 1907. After leaving University in 1908, he was accepted for an assistant mastership at

Llandovery College Llandovery College () is a coeducational independent boarding and day school in Llandovery, Carmarthenshire, Wales. The college consists of Gollop Preparatory, Senior School and Sixth Form. It was previously known as "Welsh College, Llandovery" ...

. The following year he moved to England, becoming assistant master at Merchant Taylors School, Charterhouse Square in the City of London, where he commanded the Officer Training Corps.Jenkins (1991), p. 37. and acted as the School Rugby coach. Before the outbreak of

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, Davies was Gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in 1911 in the School OTC. He was O.C. Merchant Taylors' O.T.C. from 1913 to 1917 and 1919–1926. In 1917 he volunteered for active service and was posted to the 13th London Regiment. He served in

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

and in 1918 was awarded the

Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...

(MC) for valour after rescuing a wounded soldier during a night patrol. With the end of the War he rejoined Merchant Taylors and continued to command the OTC. and in 1926 he was ordained. When the School moved from London to Northwood in 1933

Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood Merchant Taylors' School is an 11–18 boys Public school (United Kingdom), public day school, founded in 1561 in London. The school has occupied various campuses. From 1933 it has been at Sandy Lodge, a site close to Northwood, London, Nort ...

. "DB" (as he had become generally known) took on the new post of Housemaster of The Manor of the Rose, the School's boarding house. During World War II he continued at the Manor and helped to run the School Home Guard unit. In 1946 he left Merchant Taylors and became Rector at Sutton and Eyeworth in Bedfordshire, a duty he fulfilled until 1957. His recreations in retirement included golf and coaching the local rugby team, acting as referee in many matches. He retired to Seer Green in Buckinghamshire and later to Hendon, where he died on 24 August 1968. A memorial tablet was laid at the church he served in Sutton in 1978, remembering Davies and his wife Elsie Mary (née Pullinger).
The National Archives Their ashes are also buried in the Churchyard at Sutton.

Rugby career

Davies first played rugby while at St. David's College, and while at Oxford he represented Oxford University RFC, Oxford University, winning three sporting "Blues" in 1905 through to 1907. He played against the All Blacks during their 1905 tour and was capped for Wales as fullback when they beat

England England is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is located on the island of Great Britain, of which it covers about 62%, and List of islands of England, more than 100 smaller adjacent islands. It ...

on 12 January, in the opening game of the

1907 Home Nations Championship The 1907 Home Nations Championship was the twenty-fifth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 12 January and 16 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. Although not officia ...

. He also played for Oxford, who won the Varsity Match in 1907.

Bibliography

* *

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davies, Bailey 1884 births 1968 deaths Military personnel from Ceredigion Territorial Force officers Alumni of Jesus College, Oxford Alumni of the University of Wales, Lampeter Wales international rugby union players Welsh rugby union players Rugby union fullbacks British Army personnel of World War I Llanelli RFC players London Welsh RFC players London Regiment officers Rugby union players from Ceredigion Welsh schoolteachers Oxford University RFC players