John Davey: – [Heath 1951–1959]
We regret to announce the death of John Davey, who passed away peacefully at Calderdale Royal Hospital on Sunday , aged 85.
A service celebrating his life took place at Park Wood Crematorium in Elland on Friday . A copy of the Order of Service can be downloaded as a PDF.
Donations made to The Cave Rescue Organisation would be much appreciated.
John Davey was born 7th March 1940 in Halifax to Johnnie and Emma Davey, joining elder sister Barbara. Dad, Johnnie was a pattern maker in a local foundry and Emma was a shop manager for a bakery company.
John grew up in the Highroad Well and Hanson Lane areas of Halifax, happily unaware of the hardships created by World War 2. He was schooled at Battinson Lane and Warley Road Junior Schools, before passing the old 11+ to qualify for a place at Heath Grammar School. John was allocated to Queens House which he captained in his final year as well as being a Prefect. He loved his time at Heath, throwing himself into the sporting activities with much enthusiasm. He became a useful full back and goal kicker on the rugby field and was an attack-minded wicket keeper batsman on the cricket field. He was also a reasonable swimmer. John also enjoyed playing comic roles in the house plays. He had great respect for many of the teaching staff and made some great and enduring friends during his days at Heath.
During his youth John also joined the Salem Boys Brigade Company and Northowram Hedge Top Cricket Club. In the BB he captained the football side for the Salem Company and played at both centre half and goalkeeper for the Halifax Battalion. For Northowram John started in a strong junior side that won the league three years running and became a regular second team player for many years.
On leaving Heath, John played second team at Heath Rugby Club and captained the newly-formed third team before hanging up his boots when family life became a priority.
Academically John did enough to secure a place at Leeds University to study French and German. That decision proved to be a bad one and John struggled with the course, soon realising he was out of his depth. John packed in his studies at the end of the first year and took up employment with local government in Halifax as a junior clerk in youth employment. He later joined the National Assistance Board as a clerical officer. That organisation became the Department of Health and Social Security and John stayed with them for 27 years.
In 1964 John married Lydia Stevenson a former Crossley and Porter student that he had met at a dance. In 1967 son Martin came along. The couple had a strong marriage of 56 years, living in the same house in Halifax until Lydia’s death in 2020.
John took early retirement from the DHSS in 1990 at age 50. In retirement he took up other positions as a school caretaker at the Crossley Heath, a white van driver, retail assistant in an art gallery and as a self-employed odd-job man. Always happy working with his hands John was a keen builder, woodworker and metalworker. His biggest achievement in that respect was a self-build house extension that improved their family home greatly (even if it did take over 30 years to complete).
John remained a member of the Heath Old Boys Association throughout his life and engaged in committee work until the age of 80, by which time Lydia’s health was failing, and John could no longer give it sufficient time.
Throughout his life John was hugely nostalgic for his time at Heath and he was always grateful for the friendships and interests he developed there.
Martin Davey
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