Charles Edward Davis

Born near Bath, Somerset, in 1827, he was son of Edward Davis, an architect there and pupil of Sir John Soane, and his wife Dorothy Walker, widow of Captain Johnston of the Madras cavalry.

He began as his father's pupil, and in 1863, having recently won a competition for the cemetery buildings on the lower Bristol Road, was appointed city architect and surveyor to the corporation of Bath.

[1] To collect information on the nature and management of spas, Davis in 1885 made a tour of major European watering places.

The rank of major by which Davis was generally addressed arose from his commission in the Worcestershire militia; he was also a member of the Bath volunteer rifles.

Exploring in 1869 the site of the hot springs of the old King's Bath, he found remains of Roman thermal work and published a descriptive account.

Reports were made on behalf of the Society of Antiquaries by John Henry Middleton and William Henry St John Hope, but local debate grew heated; an independent opinion sought from Alfred Waterhouse, who in a report dated 14 January 1887 came to anodyne conclusions.

Charles Edward Davis