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The Right Honourable
Sir Walter Davidson
KCMG, CBE, KStJ
	The Right Honourable; Sir Walter Davidson; KCMG, CBE, KStJ
	; Grave of Walter Edward Davidson, South Head Cemetery, Vaucluse, New South Wales
24th Governor of New South Wales
	In office; 17 February 1918 – 15 September 1923
Preceded by	Lord Strickland
Succeeded by	Admiral Sir Dudley de Chair
Born	April 20, 1859; Valletta, Malta
Died	September 15, 1923 (aged 64); Sydney, Australia
Alma mater	Christ's College
Profession	Politician, Colonial Administrator

Sir Walter Edward Davidson and his wife visiting the Carnegie Library (now the National Library of Seychelles) at the day of its opening in 1910

Sir Walter Edward Davidson, KCMG, CBE, KStJ (April 20, 1859, Valletta, Malta – September 15, 1923, Sydney) was a colonial governor.

After being educated at Magdalen College School, Oxford, Davidson graduated from Christ's College, Cambridge.^[1] In 1880 Davidson was sent to Ceylon and held several positions including chairman of the municipal council and Mayor of Colombo. At the Paris exhibition in 1900 he was Ceylon's commissioner and in 1902 was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire. In 1901 he went to Transvaal and was appointed governor of the Seychelles Islands from 1904 to 1912, then in 1913 he became governor of Newfoundland.

While Governor of Newfoundland and as chairman of the Newfoundland Patriotic Association Davidson helped direct Newfoundland's military effort. His long colonial service was rewarded in 1914 by his appointment as a Knight Commander of the order of St Michael and St George, and in September 1917 he succeeded Lord Strickland to become Governor of New South Wales on February 18, 1918. For her work with the Red Cross Society, both in Newfoundland and Sydney, Lady Davidson was appointed as a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1918. After the war they had to dedicate numerous war memorials.

In January 1921 Labor premier John Storey sought Davidson's views on the question of additional appointments to the Legislative Council. Though he was then of the opinion that the Upper House ought not to be increased, in August he approved of Storey's nomination of sixteen new members. The refusal by Davidson of a request for a dissolution from Storey's successor James Dooley in December 1921 aroused only token Labor Party objections. On Dooley's advice, Davidson then commissioned Sir George Fuller, but the ministry lasted only seven hours. Davidson then refused Fuller's request for a dissolution and re-commissioned Dooley, who subsequently was granted a dissolution. In September 1922 it was announced that his term of office would be extended until March 1924.

He was a Knight of Grace of St John of Jerusalem and a member of the Savile Club. 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, he was buried in South Head cemetery, where in 1925 a memorial was erected by public subscription.

Lady Davidson Hospital, Turramurra, commemorates his wife. She is also commemorated in the name of Lady Davidson Circuit, Forestville, New South Wales.

In 1972 Davidson High School was established and dedicated in his name.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ Davidson, Walter Edward in Venn, J. & J. A., Alumni Cantabrigienses, Cambridge University Press, 10 vols, 1922–1958.

[edit] External links

Biography at Government House The Governorship of Newfoundland and Labrador

Government offices
Preceded by Sir Ernest Sweet-Escott	Governor of the Seychelles 1904 – 1912	Succeeded by Sir Charles O'Brien
Preceded by Sir Ralph Champneys Williams	Dominion Governor of Newfoundland 1913 – 1917	Succeeded by Sir Charles Alexander Harris
Preceded by Lord Strickland	Governor of New South Wales 1918 – 1923	Succeeded by Admiral Sir Dudley de Chair

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[0] Davidson, Walter Edward in Venn, J. & J. A., Alumni Cantabrigienses, Cambridge University Press, 10 vols, 1922–1958.

[1]