My Paternal Grandparents, Malcolm and Kathleen Davis – Chapter II

Malcolm McCarthy Davis (1897- 1966)

Malcolm McCarthy Davis was born on 23^rd May 1897 at Sedge Pond Plantation, St. Peter, Barbados. I don’t know who owned Sedge Pond at that time, but a Gill may have had an interest. (Queree has “1892–3 Chancery Court Gill et al v Peddar,” possibly John T. Pedder.) Malcolm’s parents were Robert Fitzherbert (Herbie) Davis and Keturah Matilda Alberta (Kit) Gill.

While Granny Kathleen was very ladylike, Malcolm was more earthy. As young men, he and his brothers, Evelyn Fitzherbert (Fitz) and Leo, migrated to the US. They were friends with William Greaves of Barbados who was already in Brooklyn, New York. They lived in New York State in either NY city or Brooklyn. Fitz was a professional boxer and Leo was a police officer in Brooklyn. All of the brothers knew how to box. I came across this on the Familysearch.org site.

12 April 1914 – Evelyn Davis, M, Single, clerk, 18ys old, 5″6″, fair, light hair, blue eyes going to brother Malcom Ince (actually Davis, the Ince seems a mistake copied from the line above), 357 W 44th St, NYC. Father in B’dos Robert Davis, Parks, St. Joseph.

IGI

Notice that first names are used here, even though father and son went by middle names. Queree shows A. Percy Haynes as the owner of Parks in St. Joseph at that time. (Arthur Percy Haynes was a son of the Honourable Joseph Alleyne Haynes of Newcastle, St John. It is possible that Malcolm’s father was an overseer or manager at Parks.) When they first went to the States, Malcolm and his brothers had low level jobs, but Fitz went on to a successful career with the Merchant Marines and Leo was promoted to police Captain in 1953. Malcolm returned to Barbados where he met and married Kathleen at Holy Innocents, St Thomas in 1923. The attending Anglican priests were Rev. Browne and Rev. Alleyne. By chance I came across this snip probably from a 1973 Advocate:

My father, C. F. M. (Herbert) Davis, thought Malcolm had tremendous physical strength. He recalls as a small boy coasting down a hill at speed on his bicycle. To his horror, he saw a deep trench across the bottom of the hill. A water pipe was being laid. Herbert was unable to stop, but his father, Malcolm, stepped into the middle of the road and grabbed the bike’s handlebars, bringing boy and bike to a dead stop.

Malcolm was a “Planter” or sugarcane farmer. He typically wore long trousers, a jacket and a “Cork Hat.” The latter looked like a pith helmet. It was hard but light. It had a broad brim which protected the Planters from the tropical sun.

Next I will reflect on my personal experiences with my grandparents.