About

• Summary:
  
  Rosa Marguerite, known as Daisy, was born in 1885, the eldest child of John Lionel and Lucy Stretton,. In her teens she played First Violin in Sir Edward Elgar’s orchestra in Worcester. Growing up in medical family it is unsurprising that Daisy trained at the London College of Pharmacy, Chemistry, etc for Ladies from which she qualified as an Assistant in Compounding and Dispensing Medicines at the age of nineteen in 1904, returning to Kidderminster to work as Dispenser for her father. In 1915 Daisy married Rev Albert Claude Davis. Thereafter she worked with him as he moved to various parishes in the Midlands. More details of Daisy’s life can be found below.
• Archive link: Link to Daisy’s documents and images
• No of documents: 39
• No of Images: 15
• No of photo albums: 5
• Born: Sunday, 08 March 1885
• Birthplace: Kidderminster, Worcestershire
• Died: Wednesday, 10 February 1971
• Bio:

  
  Family:
  Daughter of John Lionel, the Iodine Surgeon, Daisy was one of three children. Her youngest brother, John Weston, followed their father as a surgeon. Samuel Houghton, the middle child, is detailed elsewhere.

  Early days:
  As a young child she was somewhat ‘delicate’ and spent one winter in Malta with an uncle who was Master of the Harbour. Due to illness of her chaperon she returned by ship, being the only female on board.

  Education:
  Some of Daisy’s school reports are to be found here. Her ‘delicate’ nature resulted in considerable absence from school although comments are generally encouraging apart from a remark in 1901 that she was “a little inclined to be morbid”!

  Career:
  Daisy is remembered as being an enthusiastic individual and keen to help others which fits with her involvement with the St John’s Ambulance Association in 1902 at the age of 17. Qualifying as a Dispenser she worked for a time with her father at his practice in 27 Church Street, where this photograph was taken.

  She then moved to London, where it is thought she stayed with her uncle, Joseph Hope Stretton and trained in social work.

  When she married Rev Albert Claude Davis she quickly became a devoted parish priest's wife. Most notable was their work together at Abington where they were instrumental in the building of a new church, St Alban the Martyr in Northampton

  When her husband - a Canon of Coventry and Peterborough (the youngest at the time ever to be appointed at Coventry) - died in 1943, Daisy became responsible for Moral Welfare work in the Diocese, a task which she pursued with zeal and sympathy for ten years.

  Notable aspects:
  • Learnt to drive at an early age in her father’s car, one of the earliest in the country
  • Appointed as Justice of the Peace in 1942
  • In charge of the London, Holloway office of the Charity Organisation Society
  • Representative of the Peterborough Diocese on the Church Assembly

  Death:
  Having moved to Clevedon in 1959 to be nearer to family and then in 1970 to Glastonbury with her eldest daughter, she died at the age of 85 and is fondly remembered by all who knew her for her sense of humour and endearing character.

• Place of Death: Wells, Somerset
• Spouse: Albert Claude Davis
• Marriage Date: Tuesday, 14 September 1915
• Father: John Lionel Stretton
• Mother: Lucy Emma Stretton (Née Houghton)
• Sibling-1: Samuel Houghton Stretton
• Sibling-2: John Weston Stretton
• Child 1: Mary Marguerite Davis
• Child 2: Joyce Helen Davis
• Child 3: Claudia Elisabeth Davis