REV. C. M. DAVIDSON, D.D.
A silver bowl and an armchair were presented to Dr. C. M, Davidson, on Sunday. November 2, on the occasion of his leaving Newmarket to Lake up his appointment as parish priest of Slough.
In 1934, Fr. Davidson succeeded at Newmarket the late parish priest, Fr. John Licks:re and his first consideration was the spiritual need of the Catholic stablemen. During his first year in Newmarket the Catholic Stablemen's Guild was formed and at their request a monthly 6 o'clock Mass arranged.
With the object of raising funds for the building of a new church as a memorial to his predecessor, Fr. Davidson erected a clubroom and hall. He also formed a' confraternity of the Children of Mary and a branch of the Catholic Women's League. I
In 1936 the first outdoor procession was organised when over 200 Catholics walked in the Corpus Christi procession. This has since been an annual event.
But perhaps the most important and influential work of all was his persuading the sisters of St. Louis to come here from Monaghan and found the convent elementary and secondary schools.
The parishes of Haverhill and Kirtling have also been served from Newmarket, and sufficient funds were raised by Dr. Davidson for the erection in Haverhill of a small chapel. This chapel has been dedicated to St. Felix and St. Edmund, patron saints of the East Anglian Guild founded by the late Canon St. Leger Mason and Fr. Davidson, and of which he has been secretary for 15 years. A number of pilgrimages, both at home and abroad have been promoted by the directors of this Guild, the last of which was to Peronne just before the outbreak of war.
Fr. Davidson takes 'up duties this weekend at Slough, his predecessor, the Rev. H. W. Gray, having been appointed to Cromer. The new parish priest at Newmarket is the Rev. F. G. Armstrong, of Cromer.