Roll of Honour
Lieutenant
Alexander Ritchie Davidson
Student
Alexander Ritchie Davidson was born on the 21st January 1893 in Dennistoun, Glasgow, Lanarkshire. His father was Charles Davidson (1858-1933), a Sculptor, and his mother was Helen Davidson (nee Lamb) (1858-1932), and they married on the 15th June 1882 in Friockheim, Forfarshire. The family home was ‘Ellenlea’, in Southesk Street, Brechin, Forfarshire some time around 1896. As the first stage of preparation for a teaching career, he completed two years of Junior Student training at Brechin High School, where he gained Lower Grade passes in Latin and Drawing, and Higher Grade passes in Experimental Science and Nature Studies, English, Mathematics and French at the Leaving Certificate examination.
Alexander qualified for the Junior Student’s Certificate in July 1911 and applied for a full teacher training course at the Glasgow Provincial Training College, run by the Glasgow Provincial Committee for the Training of Teachers, antecedent of Jordanhill College of Education, now the University of Strathclyde. The Provincial Committee accepted Alexander onto its course for University students, which was taught primarily in the College, but with concurrent classes at the University of Glasgow. For Alexander, the latter included Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, Physics Laboratory and Logic. The College admission register indicates that the total annual income of Alexander’s family was £90, and that there were two dependents who earned no income. In view of these necessitous circumstances, he received a bursary of £15.
After four years at the Glasgow Provincial Training College, Alexander gained the Teacher’s General Certificate in August 1915. This qualified him to teach in primary schools. He was also recognised as qualified to teach drawing and Educational Handwork courses in primary schools.
Alexander enlisted with the 3rd Bn. Seaforth Highlanders and fought in what is now Iraq. Lieutenant Alexander Ritchie Davidson died on the 21st April 1916 in Sannaiyat, Mesopotamia (now Iraq) and is remembered on the Basra Memorial. He is also remembered in the Roll of Honour of the Glasgow Provincial Committee for the Training of Teachers.
Comments and Citations
Biographical information: With thanks to Anne Cameron of Strathclyde University Archives.
University of Glasgow Registry and Faculty Records.
The University of Glasgow is a registered Scottish charity: Registration Number SC004401
