Davidson, E M

Person

Davidson, E M

Edward Mill Davidson was born on 12th September 1875 in Dundee, the younger of two sons of Agnes (nee Kinnison) and Edward Mill Davidson senior, a seaman. However, Edward's father died before he was born and his mother moved with Edward and his elder brother Frank to Buccleugh Street in Glasgow. By 1891, Edward was working as an engraver's apprentice. In 1893, he commenced his studies at The Glasgow School of Art as an evening student whilst working as a clerk and later as a glass stainer. He continued at The Glasgow School of Art until 1897, with his studies interrupted for a year before he returned between1898-1900, his occupation by then noted as designer. He missed a further year before completing his final year as an evening student of lithography in 1900-01 by which time he was working as a portrait painter. His work was exhibited on three occasions at the Royal Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts; 'The Latin Quarter, Paris', a water colour, in 1901, 'The Girl in Black' in 1902 and 'A Daughter of Spain' in 1904. In January 1905, Davidson married Margaret Drysdale Greg, the daughter of a coal miner, in Oswald Street, Glasgow, by then working as a decorative artist. He and his wife had three sons; Frank, born in 1905, Peter, born in 1906 and Edward, born in 1912. In World War 1, Davison served as a Private with the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). In the autumn and winter of 1915, he is likely to have been involved in the Gallipoli campaign, an attempt by the Allied Powers to control the sea route from Europe to Russia with huge losses of life suffered on all sides, both in battle and also from the dreadful conditions. Davidson survived the war and returned to the Dundee area, also spending time in Canada working there as an artist with his wife and family. He is also thought to have worked as a medical illustrator. Edward Mill Davidson died in 1944 and is buried at Scoonie, in Fife. E.M. Davidson is commemorated on The Glasgow School of Art's First World War Roll of Honour.

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Sources: Scotland's People: http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk; Ancestry: http://www.ancestry.co.uk ;The Long Trail: http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk; The National Archives: discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk: The Dictionary of Scottish Art and Architecture – Peter J. M. McEwan; The Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts 1861-1969 – Roger Billcliffe

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