Frederick Charles "Tenby" Davies (12 April 1884 – 23 July 1932)[1] was a Welsh athlete who became the half-mile world professional champion in 1909 after a race against Irishman Beauchamp Day.
Tenby Davies.
Biographyedit
Frederick Charles Davies was born at South Parade in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, Wales, the son of John Gwynne Davies (1854–1910), a stonemason and builder, and Sarah Phillips (1852–1935). Freddy Davies went on to achieve recognition as one of the greatest runners Wales has yet produced and was regarded as one of the finest half-milers ever seen, winning the World 880 yds championship at Pontypridd in 1909.[2]
Fred Davies’ versatility as a world-class athlete is underlined by the fact that as well as excelling at the half-mile, he also won events throughout Britain at distances from 100 yds up to a mile. He was a regular competitor in the Welsh Powderhall 130 yds handicap sprints, organised by the Pontypridd Athletic Club and held at Taff Vale Park in the town during the early part of the twentieth-century.[3] But ‘Tenby’ is probably best remembered for taking on his great rival, Irishman Beauchamp R. Day of Blackpool, at Pontypridd on Monday 23 August 1909 where he decisively beat him over the half-mile distance, clocking an impressive 1 min. 57.6 seconds in the process, which was one of the fastest times recorded in the World for that year.[4]
In 1911 he married Agnes Emily Ferguson (1888–1945) at the parish church of St Mary the Virgin in Tenby, and in the years that followed the couple moved to Cardiff where they had three children. F. C. Davies died at his home of 9 Preswylfa Street in Canton, Cardiff, Glamorgan, aged only 48.
Fred Davies beating Bert Day. Photograph by kind permission of Richard Davies
^Newspaper obituary: ‘A Famous Welsh Athlete: Death of “Tenby” Davies’, 27 July 1932
^Lee, Brian, The Great Welsh Sprint: The Story of the Welsh Powderhall Handicap 1903–1934 (Gwyn Thomas, Pontypridd, 1999)
^‘World Championship, Half Mile Test at Pontypridd, Tenby Runner’s Easy Win’, The Tenby and County News and Visitors’ List, Wednesday 25 August 1909, p. 3; ‘Great Victory for Tenby Runner, Freddy Davies Half-Mile Champion of The World’, The Tenby Observer and Weekly List of Visitors, Thursday 26 August 1909, p. 3.
Bibliographyedit
Collins, John; Currie, Alan & Brenda; Walters, Mike & Williams, Clive (2002). The History of Welsh Athletics. Dragon Sports Books Ltd, Llanelli. ISBN0-9524041-5-X
January 01, 1970
tenby, davies, frederick, charles, tenby, davies, april, 1884, july, 1932, welsh, athlete, became, half, mile, world, professional, champion, 1909, after, race, against, irishman, beauchamp, biography, editfrederick, charles, davies, born, south, parade, tenby. Frederick Charles Tenby Davies 12 April 1884 23 July 1932 1 was a Welsh athlete who became the half mile world professional champion in 1909 after a race against Irishman Beauchamp Day Tenby Davies Biography editFrederick Charles Davies was born at South Parade in Tenby Pembrokeshire Wales the son of John Gwynne Davies 1854 1910 a stonemason and builder and Sarah Phillips 1852 1935 Freddy Davies went on to achieve recognition as one of the greatest runners Wales has yet produced and was regarded as one of the finest half milers ever seen winning the World 880 yds championship at Pontypridd in 1909 2 Fred Davies versatility as a world class athlete is underlined by the fact that as well as excelling at the half mile he also won events throughout Britain at distances from 100 yds up to a mile He was a regular competitor in the Welsh Powderhall 130 yds handicap sprints organised by the Pontypridd Athletic Club and held at Taff Vale Park in the town during the early part of the twentieth century 3 But Tenby is probably best remembered for taking on his great rival Irishman Beauchamp R Day of Blackpool at Pontypridd on Monday 23 August 1909 where he decisively beat him over the half mile distance clocking an impressive 1 min 57 6 seconds in the process which was one of the fastest times recorded in the World for that year 4 In 1911 he married Agnes Emily Ferguson 1888 1945 at the parish church of St Mary the Virgin in Tenby and in the years that followed the couple moved to Cardiff where they had three children F C Davies died at his home of 9 Preswylfa Street in Canton Cardiff Glamorgan aged only 48 nbsp Fred Davies beating Bert Day Photograph by kind permission of Richard DaviesReferences edit MuseumFromHome Day 222 Tenby Museum and Art Gallery 17 November 2020 Retrieved 10 April 2021 Newspaper obituary A Famous Welsh Athlete Death of Tenby Davies 27 July 1932 Lee Brian The Great Welsh Sprint The Story of the Welsh Powderhall Handicap 1903 1934 Gwyn Thomas Pontypridd 1999 World Championship Half Mile Test at Pontypridd Tenby Runner s Easy Win The Tenby and County News and Visitors List Wednesday 25 August 1909 p 3 Great Victory for Tenby Runner Freddy Davies Half Mile Champion of The World The Tenby Observer and Weekly List of Visitors Thursday 26 August 1909 p 3 Bibliography editCollins John Currie Alan amp Brenda Walters Mike amp Williams Clive 2002 The History of Welsh Athletics Dragon Sports Books Ltd Llanelli ISBN 0 9524041 5 X Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Tenby Davies amp oldid 1221906162, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
