The reverend harold francis davidson

'Covering up the girls modesty'

Preaching

With his barrel

That bloody Lion, God's representative

Having a pyjama party with some young girls

The above mentioned Reverend was the Rector of Stiffkey in Norfolk, but was better known for heading off into Soho at every chance to 'rescue young girls'. He preached in Norfolk on Sundays, but would get the Monday morning train to London. He would then stay in London until the Saturday night train back. Between 1919 and 1932, he estimated he had 'helped' two to three thousand girls.

He was however, investigated by the Bishop of Norfolk and on the 29th March 1932, the self-styled Prostitutes' Padre was charged at Church House in Westminster in a Consistory Court, (which has no jury and is presided over, in place of a judge, by what is called a Chancellor of the Diocese).The Rector was found guilty of five counts of immoral conduct and was was charged £8,205 costs. Church career over.

He then travelled the country protesting his innocence, doing stunts such as fasting in a barrel, being put in an oven and poked by the devil (not the real one), and working with a lion. It was the lion that eventually turned on him, mauling him to such an extent that he died of his injuries a couple of days later, on 30th July 1937.

I was interested in this as he may be a distant relation. Also, a lot of the statements applying to him could also have been directed to me.

"He was utterly besotted and bewitched by pretty young girls"

"Davidson would walk around the streets of the West End all week essentially stalking and pursuing girls wherever he went"

"Whether it was attactive young actresses, shop girls or waitresses none of them were particularly safe from the the glint in his eye"

"I was picking up in this way roughly, an average of about 150 to 200 girls a year"

Certainly all sounds familiar to me

For the full story and more photos, go here

http://www.nickelinthemachine.com/

toodle pip