{{Short description|British colonial administrator and diplomat}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Sir Walter Davidson |honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|KCMG|KStJ}} |image = WEDavidson.jpg | order = 24th | office = Governor of New South Wales | term_start = {{start date|df=yes|1918|02|17}} | term_end = {{end date|df=yes|1923|09|16}} | monarch = George V | premier = {{List collapsed|title=''See list''|1=William Holman<br/>John Storey<br/>James Dooley<br/>George Fuller<br/>James Dooley<br/>George Fuller}} | lieutenant = Sir William Cullen | predecessor = Gerald Strickland | successor = Dudley de Chair |office2 = 62nd Governor of Newfoundland |term_start2 = 15 January 1913 |term_end2 = 15 September 1917 |monarch2 = George V |prime_minister2 = Edward Morris |predecessor2 = Ralph Champneys Williams |successor2 = Charles Alexander Harris |birth_date = 20 April 1859 |birth_place = Valletta, Crown Colony of Malta |death_date = {{death-date and age|16 September 1923|20 April 1859}} |death_place = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |spouse = Dame Margaret Davidson |alma_mater = Christ's College, Cambridge }} '''Sir Walter Edward Davidson''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|KCMG|KStJ}} (20 April 1859 – 16 September 1923) was a British colonial administrator and diplomat. He served periods as Governor of the Seychelles, Governor of Newfoundland and as Governor of New South Wales, where he died in office.<ref name=ADB>{{cite book| title = Davidson, Sir Walter Edward (1859–1923) | publisher = Australian Dictionary of Biography| url =http://adbonline.anu.edu.au/biogs/A080252b.htm | access-date = 12 July 2010}}</ref>

==Early life and career== Born on 20 April 1859 at Valletta on the Crown Colony of Malta, Davidson was the son of James Davidson of Killyleagh, Ireland, an agent for the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company. After being educated at Magdalen College School, Oxford, Davidson graduated from Christ's College, Cambridge.<ref>{{acad|id=DVT878WE|name=Davidson, Walter Edward}}</ref> In 1880 he entered the Ceylon Civil Service and, by 1898, had risen to be Chairman of the Colombo Municipal Council and Mayor of Colombo (1897–1898). Following the peace treaty for the Second Boer War in South Africa in May 1902, Davidson was on 21 June appointed Colonial Secretary in the Colony of Transvaal, and thus a member of the executive council of the governor, Lord Milner.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Latest intelligence – Lord Milner and the Transvaal |date=23 June 1902 |page=5 |issue=36801}}</ref> He was appointed a Companion of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (CMG) in the November 1902 Birthday Honours list.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Birthday Honours |date=10 November 1902 |page=10 |issue=36921}}</ref><ref name=CMG>{{London Gazette |issue=27493 |date=7 November 1902 |pages=7161–7163 |supp=y}}</ref> In the following years he was involved in the post-Boer War reconstruction of the colony, until he left the office in 1904.<ref name=ADB/>

==Governor of Seychelles and Newfoundland== thumb|left|200px|Governor and Lady Davidson visiting the Carnegie Library (now the National Library of Seychelles) at the day of its opening in 1910 In mid 1904 he was appointed as Governor of the Seychelles, which had become a separate colony from Mauritius in 1903. On 21 October 1907 he married Margaret Agnes Feilding, the daughter of General Sir Percy Feilding. As governor, Davidson involved himself in the development of the new colony and made regular visits throughout the colony to increase the visibility of his role. During his administration he was responsible for the construction of the Le Niol Reservoir, the Carnegie Library and also for the design of the Colonial State House of which he was the first occupant. In 1911 he received the King George V Coronation Medal. He remained in the Seychelles until his promotion in 1912.<ref name=sey>{{cite web| title =Sir Walter Edward Davidson KCMG (1904–1912)| publisher =The Seychelles National Archives| url =http://www.sna.gov.sc/pages/SNAFeatures/governordavidson.aspx| access-date = 12 July 2010 }}</ref>

On 15 January 1913, Davidson was appointed as Governor of the Dominion of Newfoundland.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28682|page=406|date= 17 January 1913}}</ref> For his long service, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1914.<ref name=KCMG>{{London Gazette|issue=28842 |supp=y|page=4878|date= 19 June 1914}}</ref> During the First World War, Davidson helped direct Newfoundland's military effort in his role as Chairman of the Newfoundland Patriotic Association, and was very influential in public affairs. As Honorary Colonel of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment and as Commander-in-Chief of the Newfoundland Forces, he played an active role in recruitment and organisation.<ref name=newf>{{cite web| title =Davidson, Sir Walter Edward (1859–1923)| publisher =The Governorship of Newfoundland and Labrador| url =http://www.heritage.nf.ca/govhouse/governors/g62.html| access-date = 28 March 2010 }}</ref> His term expired and he left Newfoundland in 1917 just as the financial situation for Newfoundland was in sharp decline, and the political consensus over which he and the prime minister, Sir Edward Morris, had presided since 1914, was breaking down.<ref name=newf/>

==Governor of New South Wales== [[Image:Davidson.JPG|thumb|right|200px|Grave of Walter Edward Davidson, South Head Cemetery, Vaucluse, New South Wales]] In September 1917 Davidson was recommended and appointed as the next Governor of New South Wales, succeeding Sir Gerald Strickland. He arrived in Sydney on 17 February 1918. Despite a reduction by Premier William Holman in the governor's allocated funds, the Davidsons entered enthusiastically into the round of vice-regal duties. For her work with the Red Cross Society, both in Newfoundland and New South Wales, Lady Davidson was appointed as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1918, and in August 1920 presided at a meeting to inaugurate the State branch of the Girl Guides' Association.<ref name=book>{{cite book| last =Clune| first =David|author2=Turner, Ken | title =The Governors of New South Wales: 1788–2010| publisher =Federation Press| year =2009| location =Sydney| pages =446–455|no-pp=y}}</ref> As governor, he was made a Knight of Grace of the Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem on 25 October 1916<ref name=KStJ>{{London Gazette|issue=29804|page=10417|date= 27 October 1916}}</ref> and a member of the Savile Club, London.

In January 1920 the Labor Premier, John Storey, sought Davidson's approval concerning additional appointments to the New South Wales Legislative Council. Though he was of the opinion that the size of the Upper House ought not to be increased, in August Davidson approved the nomination of sixteen new members. On 20 December 1920, Storey's successor, James Dooley, and his cabinet resigned after having lost a vote in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly a week before. Davidson then commissioned the Leader of the Opposition, Sir George Fuller, as premier. However, as Fuller did not have a majority, his attempts to form government failed. After serving as premier for seven hours, Fuller requested a double-dissolution from Davidson. Davidson refused, on the basis that Dooley still had a majority in the lower house, and Fuller resigned.<ref name=book/> Davidson then re-commissioned Dooley, who was granted a dissolution. Upon Dooley's defeat in the March 1921 elections, Davidson wrote to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, Winston Churchill, of his "Labour friends: they were likeable men, upright and simple, and not ashamed to take advice". In September 1922 it was announced that his term of office would be extended until March 1924.<ref name=ADB/>

In June 1920, Davidson hosted the 26-year-old Prince Edward, Prince of Wales during his visit to Australia and New Zealand. The Prince, in writing to his mistress Freda Dudley Ward, expressed a characteristically acerbic low opinion of Davidson in his role as governor: "I can hardly bring myself even to talk to these - Davidsons!! However they are tamer than when we arrived not that that is saying vewy much; they really are the most impossible couple & no wonder the dominions get fed up with the Old Country & want to abolish all Imperial Governors if the Colonial Office will insist on sending out such hopeless boobs!! ... what a lot of harm is done throughout the Empire by the rotten Governors they appoint who are nearly always pompous duds who they don’t want in London!!".<ref>{{cite web |title=Letters from a Prince - Edward, Prince of Wales writes to Freda Dudley |url=https://www2.sl.nsw.gov.au/events/exhibitions/2010/onehundred/100-objects/Exhibit-066.htm |website=100 Objects Exhibition |publisher=State Library of NSW |access-date=18 April 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Letters from Edward, Duke of Windsor to Freda Dudley Ward, 1920 |url=https://archival.sl.nsw.gov.au/Details/archive/110331650 |website=Manuscripts, oral history and pictures catalogue |publisher=State Library of NSW |access-date=18 April 2021}}</ref>

While still in office, Davidson died of cardiovascular disease at Government House, Sydney on 16 September 1923. After lying-in-state at St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney and a full state funeral, he was buried in South Head cemetery, where in 1925 a memorial was erected by public subscription. On the news of his death, the ''Sydney Morning Herald'' paid tribute to his "Splendid record of Empire service" and noted that "the whole community shares a common and heartfelt sorrow at the passing of the one of the most distinguished and popular of His Majesty's overseas representatives".<ref>{{cite web|url= http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article16093744?searchTerm=sir+walter+davidson|title= DEATH OF SIR WALTER DAVIDSON|work=Sydney Morning Herald 17 September 1923 pg 9 |date= 17 September 1923|publisher=Australian National Library|access-date=12 July 2010}}</ref>

==Legacy== After his death, in October 1923, an area of land around Frenchs Forest was proclaimed as "Davidson Park State Recreation Area" in his honour and, subsequently, the suburb of Davidson that developed later took his name, including the NSW state electoral district in 1971, and the local high school in 1972.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article222679390 |title=DAVIDSON PARK |newspaper=The Sun|location=New South Wales, Australia |date=14 October 1923 |accessdate=6 May 2021 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article246062658 |title=DAVIDSON PARK |newspaper=The Daily Telegraph |location=New South Wales, Australia |date=28 September 1923 |accessdate=6 May 2021 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}}</ref><ref>''The Book of Sydney Suburbs'', Compiled by Frances Pollon, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia {{ISBN|0-207-14495-8}}, p. 81</ref><ref>{{cite web| title =Our School – History| publisher =Davidson High School| url =http://www.davidson-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/history.html| access-date =2 June 2009| url-status =dead| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20081006042437/http://www.davidson-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/history.html| archive-date =6 October 2008}}</ref> In recognition of Lady Davidson's service, Lady Davidson Hospital in North Turramurra was dedicated in 1923<ref name=sydsub>''The Book of Sydney Suburbs'', Compiled by Frances Pollen, Angus & Robertson Publishers, 1990, Published in Australia {{ISBN|0-207-14495-8}}, p. 256</ref> and Lady Davidson Circuit in Forestville.<ref name=sydsub/>

==Honours== {{Infobox viceroy styles | image = 60px 45px 40px | name = Sir Walter Davidson | dipstyle = His Excellency | offstyle = Your Excellency }}

{| class="wikitable" |- |rowspan=2|80px || Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) || 1914<ref name=KCMG/> |- | Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) || 1902<ref name=CMG/> |- |80px || Knight of Grace of the Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem (KStJ) || 1916<ref name=KStJ/> |- |80px || King George V Coronation Medal || 1911 |- |}

===Arms=== {{Infobox COA wide |image = |escutcheon = Azure, on a fesse wavy between in chief two pheons and in base a four-leaved shamrock slipped argent, a stag lodged gules, attired with ten tines or. |crest = On a wreath of the colours, a falcon's head and neck couped proper. |other_elements = Mantling azure and argent. |motto = {{langx|la|Viget in cinere virtus}} (Virtue flourishes after death)<ref>{{cite web |title=Mottos & Crests |url=https://clandavidson.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Rev-112-H_Mottos.pdf |publisher=The Clan Davidson Association |access-date=31 August 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Fox-Davies |first1=Arthur Charles |title=Armorial Families - A directory of Gentlemen of Coat Armour |date=1929 |publisher=Hurst & Blackett |location=London |page=505 |edition=7th |access-date=31 August 2023 |url=https://archive.org/details/armorialfamilies01foxd/page/504/mode/2up}}</ref> }}

==References== {{Reflist}} {{Commons category|Walter Edward Davidson}}

{{s-start}} {{s-gov}} {{succession box | title=Colonial Secretary of the Transvaal | before=George Vandeleur Fiddes | after=Patrick Duncan| years=1902–1903}} {{succession box | title=Governor of the Seychelles | before=Sir Ernest Sweet-Escott | after=Sir Charles O'Brien | years=1904–1912}} {{succession box|title=Governor of Newfoundland|before=Sir Ralph Williams |after=Sir Charles Harris| years=1913–1917}} {{succession box|title=Governor of New South Wales|before=Sir Gerald Strickland |after=Sir Dudley de Chair |years=1918–1923}} {{s-end}}

{{NewSouthWales Governors}} {{NLLG}} {{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davidson, Walter Edward}} Category:1859 births Category:1923 deaths Category:People from Valletta Category:People from County Down Category:People educated at Magdalen College School, Oxford Category:Alumni of Christ's College, Cambridge Category:Mayors of Colombo Category:Governors of British Seychelles Category:Governors of the Dominion of Newfoundland Category:Governors of New South Wales Category:Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Category:Knights of Grace of the Order of St John Category:Transvaal Colony people Category:Chief secretaries (British Empire) Category:Newfoundland military personnel of World War I Category:Royal Newfoundland Regiment officers Category:Politics of the Dominion of Newfoundland