It is understood that Fr Francis was the last OBs to go straight from the school into the monastery in 1956.
Born : 10 February 1939
Clothed: 28 September 1956
Professed: 29 September 1957
Solemn Profession: 29 September 1960
Ordained: 21 April 1965
Died : Ampleforth, 9 April 2018
Fr Francis Davidson OSB was born George Davidson 10 February 1939 in Edinburgh. He was educated at Carlekemp and Fort Augustus and entered Fort Augustus Abbey in 1956. He was ordained on 21 April 1956. Fr Francis studied at Fribourg and Blackfriars, Oxford and taught at Fort Augustus Abbey School from 1965. In 1969 he was appointed Housemaster of Lovat House at Fort Augustus Abbey School. In 1972 he was appointed headmaster. He resigned in 1985. He left Fort Augustus and went to Portsmouth Abbey School, Rhode Island where he became headmaster from 1988 to 1992. He returned to Fort Augustus as the Prior Administrator from 1998 to 1999 and oversaw the closure of the Abbey. He moved to Ampleforth Abbey in 1999 and became Parish Priest of St Mary’s, Bamber Bridge, Lancashire from 2001 to 2006. He undertook various roles at the Abbey from 2006 to 2009 before becoming Sub-Prior at Ampleforth from 2009-2012 and Acting Prior in 2010-2011. He was appointed Prior of St Benet’s Hall, Oxford in 2012 but resigned in 2013 returning to Ampleforth. he moved to the Monastery Infirmary in 2016 and sadly passed away in the infirmary on 9 April 2018.
Fr Francis was a very keen (and very good) cricket player and hockey player. For Old Boys cricket games, Fr Francis would be seen wearing his OB blazer.
Further detail about Fr Francis can be found on the English Benedictine necrology pages.