Randall Thomas Davidson
Encyclopedia
Randall Thomas Davidson, 1st Baron Davidson of Lambeth GCVO
, PC (7 April 1848 – 25 May 1930) was an Anglican bishop
of Scottish origin who served as Archbishop of Canterbury
from 1903 to 1928.
and Henrietta, daughter of John Campbell Swinton of Kimmerghame; his parents were Scottish Presbyterians. He studied at Harrow
and Trinity College, Oxford
.
to Archibald Campbell Tait
when Tait was Archbishop of Canterbury
and married his daughter. After Tait's death he remained at Lambeth Palace
as chaplain to Edward White Benson
when he became Archbishop of Canterbury. A favourite of Queen Victoria, he was appointed Dean of Windsor
at a very young age. The Queen relied heavily on him for advice regarding church appointments and only reluctantly agreed to his preferment to episcopal office. His memory for people was prodigious. He was subsequently Bishop of Rochester
between 1891 and 1895 and Bishop of Winchester
between 1895 and 1903 before becoming Archbishop of Canterbury in 1903. He played a major part in the funeral ceremonies for Queen Victoria in 1901, taking care, along with James Reid
, of the wake at Osborne House
, Isle of Wight
. Roger Lloyd, Church of England historian, thought that Davidson was one of the two or three greatest Archbishops of Canterbury. He was the first Archbishop of Canterbury to retire, all his predecessors having died in office, and the longest serving in that office since the English Reformation
. As there was no procedure for resignation a commission of three bishops was hastily appointed to receive his letter of resignation and convey it to the King.
Davidson presided over two Lambeth Conferences and was present at five of the first six, Bell's biography suggests that at least part of the reason for his resignation was his natural reluctance to face the work and worry of the seventh conference, eventually held in 1930.
Davidson reacted to the papal bull Apostolicae Curae
by stressing "the strength and depth of the Protestantism of England" and regarded other differences with Rome as much more important than its views on Anglican orders. This view seems to have been widely held at the time, judging from the reaction of Herbert Cardinal Vaughan, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster
.
Davidson's time of office covered the climax of the struggle for women's suffrage. Women's Social and Political Union
(WSPU) suffragette prisoners adopted the tactic of hunger and thirst strikes. To counter this in 1909 the authorities began force feeding. The high point of this battle between the authorities and the suffragettes came in 1913 with the passing of the Cat and Mouse Act
.
In 1913 the WSPU decided to launch a full scale campaign to expose the horrors of force feeding. Many clergy were sympathetic to the women's movement and, in 1913, a number of them marched to Downing Street to protest against the "Cat and Mouse Act" and had also held a meeting in December 1913 in Queen's Hall, London, to protest against forcible feeding. The WSPU may, therefore, have hoped to win full support from the church for their wider cause of suffrage by pressing on the issue of forcible feeding and to that end church leaders were targeted by the WSPU
Davidson, when pressed, chose not to allow the church be drawn into a battle between the WPSU and the authorities and held to a line that militancy was a precursor to forcible feeding and militancy was against the will of God.
He resigned after Prayer Book
revision failed to pass the House of Commons in 1928.
Davidson was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
(KCVO) in 1902, a Privy Counsellor in 1903 and a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) in 1904. In 1928 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Davidson of Lambeth, of Lambeth in the County of London.
, Archbishop of Canterbury
, in 1878. They had no children. He died in May 1930, aged 82, when the barony became extinct. Lady Davidson of Lambeth died in June 1936.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, PC (7 April 1848 – 25 May 1930) was an Anglican bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of Scottish origin who served as Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
from 1903 to 1928.
Background and education
Davidson was the son of Henry Davidson of EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and Henrietta, daughter of John Campbell Swinton of Kimmerghame; his parents were Scottish Presbyterians. He studied at Harrow
Harrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
.
Ministry
Davidson served as chaplainChaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
to Archibald Campbell Tait
Archibald Campbell Tait
Archibald Campbell Tait was a priest in the Church of England and an Archbishop of Canterbury.-Life:Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Tait was educated at the Royal High School and at the Edinburgh Academy, where he was twice elected dux. His parents were Presbyterian but he early turned towards the...
when Tait was Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
and married his daughter. After Tait's death he remained at Lambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace
Lambeth Palace is the official London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury in England. It is located in Lambeth, on the south bank of the River Thames a short distance upstream of the Palace of Westminster on the opposite shore. It was acquired by the archbishopric around 1200...
as chaplain to Edward White Benson
Edward White Benson
Edward White Benson was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1883 until his death.-Life:Edward White Benson was born in Highgate, Birmingham, the son of a Birmingham chemical manufacturer. He was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1852...
when he became Archbishop of Canterbury. A favourite of Queen Victoria, he was appointed Dean of Windsor
Dean of Windsor
The Dean of Windsor is the spiritual head of the Canons of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle. The Dean chairs meetings of the Chapter of Canons as primus inter pares.-List of Deans of Windsor:* William Mugge, 1348* Walter Almaly, 1380...
at a very young age. The Queen relied heavily on him for advice regarding church appointments and only reluctantly agreed to his preferment to episcopal office. His memory for people was prodigious. He was subsequently Bishop of Rochester
Bishop of Rochester
The Bishop of Rochester is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Rochester in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers the west of the county of Kent and is centred in the city of Rochester where the bishop's seat is located at the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin...
between 1891 and 1895 and Bishop of Winchester
Bishop of Winchester
The Bishop of Winchester is the head of the Church of England diocese of Winchester, with his cathedra at Winchester Cathedral in Hampshire.The bishop is one of five Church of England bishops to be among the Lords Spiritual regardless of their length of service. His diocese is one of the oldest and...
between 1895 and 1903 before becoming Archbishop of Canterbury in 1903. He played a major part in the funeral ceremonies for Queen Victoria in 1901, taking care, along with James Reid
James Reid
James Reid is the name of:*James Randolph Reid , American soldier and Continental Congressman*James Reid , member for British Columbia in the House of Commons, and member of the Senate of Canada...
, of the wake at Osborne House
Osborne House
Osborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a summer home and rural retreat....
, Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
. Roger Lloyd, Church of England historian, thought that Davidson was one of the two or three greatest Archbishops of Canterbury. He was the first Archbishop of Canterbury to retire, all his predecessors having died in office, and the longest serving in that office since the English Reformation
English Reformation
The English Reformation was the series of events in 16th-century England by which the Church of England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church....
. As there was no procedure for resignation a commission of three bishops was hastily appointed to receive his letter of resignation and convey it to the King.
Davidson presided over two Lambeth Conferences and was present at five of the first six, Bell's biography suggests that at least part of the reason for his resignation was his natural reluctance to face the work and worry of the seventh conference, eventually held in 1930.
Davidson reacted to the papal bull Apostolicae Curae
Apostolicae Curae
Apostolicae Curae is the title of a papal bull, issued in 1896 by Pope Leo XIII, declaring all Anglican ordinations to be "absolutely null and utterly void"...
by stressing "the strength and depth of the Protestantism of England" and regarded other differences with Rome as much more important than its views on Anglican orders. This view seems to have been widely held at the time, judging from the reaction of Herbert Cardinal Vaughan, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Westminster
Archbishop of Westminster
The Archbishop of Westminster heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster, in England. The incumbent is the Metropolitan of the Province of Westminster and, as a matter of custom, is elected President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, and therefore de facto spokesman...
.
Davidson's time of office covered the climax of the struggle for women's suffrage. Women's Social and Political Union
Women's Social and Political Union
The Women's Social and Political Union was the leading militant organisation campaigning for Women's suffrage in the United Kingdom...
(WSPU) suffragette prisoners adopted the tactic of hunger and thirst strikes. To counter this in 1909 the authorities began force feeding. The high point of this battle between the authorities and the suffragettes came in 1913 with the passing of the Cat and Mouse Act
Cat and Mouse Act
The Prisoners Act 1913 was an Act of Parliament passed in Britain under Herbert Henry Asquith's Liberal government in 1913...
.
In 1913 the WSPU decided to launch a full scale campaign to expose the horrors of force feeding. Many clergy were sympathetic to the women's movement and, in 1913, a number of them marched to Downing Street to protest against the "Cat and Mouse Act" and had also held a meeting in December 1913 in Queen's Hall, London, to protest against forcible feeding. The WSPU may, therefore, have hoped to win full support from the church for their wider cause of suffrage by pressing on the issue of forcible feeding and to that end church leaders were targeted by the WSPU
Davidson, when pressed, chose not to allow the church be drawn into a battle between the WPSU and the authorities and held to a line that militancy was a precursor to forcible feeding and militancy was against the will of God.
He resigned after Prayer Book
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
revision failed to pass the House of Commons in 1928.
Davidson was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(KCVO) in 1902, a Privy Counsellor in 1903 and a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO) in 1904. In 1928 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Davidson of Lambeth, of Lambeth in the County of London.
Personal life
Lord Davidson of Lambeth married Edith, daughter of Archibald Campbell TaitArchibald Campbell Tait
Archibald Campbell Tait was a priest in the Church of England and an Archbishop of Canterbury.-Life:Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Tait was educated at the Royal High School and at the Edinburgh Academy, where he was twice elected dux. His parents were Presbyterian but he early turned towards the...
, Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, in 1878. They had no children. He died in May 1930, aged 82, when the barony became extinct. Lady Davidson of Lambeth died in June 1936.