John Trimble Davey

     
     John Trimble Davey was born on 18 Nov 1855 in Exeter, DEV, ENG, he had turned 35 "last Tuesday the 18th of Nov" in a letter dated 20th in 1890.^2,1
     John Trimble Davey died on 19 Sep 1922 in Auckland, AKD, NZ, at age 66.^3,4 His estate was probated on 4 May 1923 in Wellington, NZ; shown on probate index as: John Trimble Davey, fruitfarmer, Swanson, letters of admin filed Wgtn Court, 4 May 1923, held Wgtn Arch, prob. ref 33629. The file holds application by Public Trustee to adminster estate noting: John Trimble Davey, formerly of Exeter, Devon, chemist and druggist but late of Swanson, fruit farmer, died Auck 19 Sep 1922, that his last will and testament was the will dated 2 Mar 1888; that a letter was found in John's house, addressed to the Public Trustee and saying that the executrix named in the will (his mother Sarah Peake Davey) was dead, and requesting the Public Trust to administer the estate; that the effects were under the value of £4,300; that Henry Charles Davey, brother of the deceased did "verily believe that the said deceased was at his birth and throughout his life a subject of Great Britain only.. and was born in Devon, England.^5,6
     
     The census of 7 Apr 1861 showed John, Henry and Frederic in the household of their parents Henry and Sarah Davey and a boarder James Rowe, at 3 &4 Queen St, All Hallows Goldsmith St, Exeter, DEV, ENG, enumerated as DAVEY: Henry 31 linen draper, b Ashwater, DEV; wife Sarah 35 b Bickleigh, DEV; Children (next page) John T 5; Henry C 2; Frederic W (sic) 1 (all b Exeter); Sister: Harriett Davey unm, 33 draper's assistant b Ashwater; Boarder: James Rowe unm, 83 (indexed as 23 but, with knowledge, can be read as 83, James is actually Sarah's uncle), gentleman b North Buckland, DEV; and 3 assistants and 2 servants (one was a Harriett Tozer 14 nurse serv. b Whitestone, DEV).⁷
     The census of 7 Apr 1871 showed Henry, John, Frederick, Sidney and Ernest in the household of their parents Henry and Sarah Davey at 3 & 4 Queens St, All Hallows, Exeter, Par. of Allhallows Goldsmith, DEV, ENG, enumerated as DAVEY: Henry 41 head linen draper b Ashwater DEV; wife Sarah P, 45 b Bickleigh; Children (all b Exeter): John T 15 chemist; Henry C 15 (yes, both were given as 15) ; Frederick W 11; Sidney R 5; Alice R 8; Ada T, 6; (all scholars); Ernest E 2; Sister: Harriet Davey 43 unm, assisant in drapery b Ashwater; Niece Emma Clifton 20 b Ashwater; Apprentices: John Pickard 16 b Stratton CON; Charles H Willis 17 b Exeter; Kate Wyllie 20 b Exeter; Assitants: Elizabeth J Dollen 39 (indexed as 44) b Kininster, SOM; George Dewdney 18 (indexed as 68) b Plymouth; Servants: Elizabeth Channon 20 b Silverton DEV; Susan Pike 19 b Bow, DEV.^8,9 It is possible that John Trimble Davey was at 4 Granby Ope, Stoke Damerel, DEV, ENG, in 1881 ?the one with William Metters, 30, smith (E & M), wife Mary Ellen, 36, both b Tavistock. Visitor Ann Maria Ennor, dressmaker, 23, b Calstock, CON. Lodger: John Davey, 25, birthplace unknown, groom (8/1). Those in London (West, East and Middlesex) were all married or completely wrong occupation, as is this, but he is the only Davey of the right age, birthplace and single. Also John's mother Sarah's family has connections with a Metters family.^10,11
     John Trimble Davey immigrated c 1888 to AKD, NZ; date assumed from date of will left behind in Exeter. He was not listed in the Auckland arrivals 1883-1915 index held In the NZ National Archives, but these were presumably assisted immigrants.¹² In Mar 1888 John Trimble Davey was a chemist and druggist of 95 Mare St, Hackney, MDX, ENG.¹³ Apparently wrote to his mother regularly, but she didn't think he was very happy "..but his must be a very lonely life."¹⁴ He was a retired chemist, but latterly a fruit farmer in Sep 1922 of Swanson, AKD, NZ.⁴