DAVIES, CHARLES NICE (1794 - 1842), Independent minister and college tutor

He attained these offices after a most extraordinary career. Born in a church at Ghent, in 1794, he was the son of an army sergeant; the mother at least was Welsh. His father was killed the same year, and his mother married another sergeant called Nice, whose surname the grateful stepson afterwards incorporated in his own. They were protégés of the duke of York, who got Nice a commission and made the boy (of 12) an ensign. Both went out (1808) to India, where the lad displayed a remarkable talent for learning languages. The step-father was killed, and the young man (now a lieutenant) wounded, at Mysore in 1814; but he recovered to take part in the Peninsular War.

Returning to England, he married, and took to religion; he began preaching in 1820, and was minister at several places in England, including Hereford. In 1831 he became librarian of the Congregational Library, but in 1834 accepted the pastorate of Norwood. In 1839 he was appointed theological tutor of the Independent college at Brecon, where he died 22 January 1842. His library was sold in May 1842 at an auction in London consisting of 1228 lots.

Author

• Emeritus Professor Robert Thomas Jenkins, (1881 - 1969)

Sources

• The Congregational Magazine, 1842
• Sale catalogue, Cambridge University Library, Munby.c.115(18)

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q20732699

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC/1.0/