(22 April 1947 – 22 November 2020)

Words from “The Sounder”

John Davison, chorister at MCS, died of cancer on November 22 in the palliative care ward at Nanaimo Hospital, near Vancouver, Canada, where he had emigrated to after leaving England.

At MCS he studied under Bernard Rose and his assistant organist, Dudley Moore for a short time. In his formative years (1952 – 1957) he was a student of Miss Jennifer Rice, a renowned musician and recording artist who coincidently, died, just a month earlier than John, aged 92.

Having become a proficient musician on the piano and flute, as well as being an accomplished singer during his time at MCS, he latterly turned his attentions to his local music scene on Gabriola Island, British Columbia. He was a talented and enthusiastic member of the Gabriola Island Singers for many years and also sang with the Gabriola Chamber Ensemble. John had great rhythm, wonderful enunciation, almost perfect pitch and was an all-round excellent musician.

John had a quiet sense of humour and was very kind and dependable. He was always ready to help set up and tear down the stage for local concerts, never leaving until he saw that the last person had safely left the parking lot. Then he would slowly turn his bike around and head for home.

He is survived by his partner of over 50 years- Bea Holmes- and his brother Peter Davison (OW 1967) in Australia.

John’s brother Peter writes

“We both received a significantly prestigious education at Magdalen for which we are proud of and eternally grateful for and also for the unerring contact from the school that has kept us in the loop all these years later.  It is a privilege to have been part of the school community all these years and bear witness to the wonderful spirit of Magdalen as it progresses in leaps and bounds, especially during such recent times of adversity.

Thank you for all that you do to ensure that Magdalen College School remains and strives to be one of the best educational institutions in the heart of England.”