About the Alexander W
Davie Trust
Mr Davie requested in his Will that: "The parish minister and local bank manager" [at the time of his death] "may agree to supervise the setting up the proceeds of the remainder of my estate into an Alexander Williams Davie Trust Fund, the estate to be invested into SOUND industrial or government stock. The proceeds [i.e. the income] of the fund to be used to provide assistance to educate poorer children born in the Parish of Lumphanan, provided that their parents are unable to do so". Alexander Davie wrote this in 1982 as an elderly man. He probably had memories from his childhood of the poverty that had existed in the farming community and was keen to prevent poverty being an obstacle to education. He gave no other guidance and one of the first jobs that the Trustees had to undertake was to interpret and investigate the viability of Mr Davie's wishes, in light of changed social and economical circumstances. This was not as simple as it might seem. The population of Lumphanan Parish had been in decline for nearly a century and the number of children and young people had also decreased significantly. Family sizes were smaller and the abject poverty of the 1800s and early 1900s had all but vanished. Nowadays few, if any, youngsters are denied access to education through lack of parental funding. In short, funding is much more accessible than it had been in years gone by, and there were few applications from local youngsters or their families who met the requested criteria. The shortage of applications meant that the Trustees were unable to expend very much of the annual income of the Trust, which in turn gave rise to a concern that the Charity could fail, and in the hope of avoiding such an outcome and with a view to ensuring the viability of the Charity long into the future as Mr Davie would have wished, the Trustees, with the support of Mr Davie’s extended family, applied to the Court in Edinburgh to widen the scope of the Trust. The Trustees’ application was only partially successful, the Court agreeing to expand the catchment area to include the Parishes of Torphins and Kincardine O’Neil, but declining to widen the Trustees’ powers to permit the expenditure of capital or the benefiting of deserving groups and organisations, continuing to limit payments to poorer individual applicants. Therefore the Trustees can only distribute the income arising from the investments to persons meeting the Trust’s financial and extended geographical criteria. The awards are made annually with preference going to Lumphanan youngsters provided that they meet the relevant criteria. There is a degree of flexibility on the interpretation of 'poorer'. Parents or guardians will have to provide financial information to demonstrate their financial position. Normally, though not always, below-average income would merit support. All applications, decisions and awards are treated with the strictest confidence.
Mr Alexander Williams Davie
At first sight, the life of Lumphanan man Alexander Davie does not seem to merit significant note or attention. Born in the Tollhouse at Corse on March 22nd 1895, he was the fourth of seven children of William Davie and Georgina Wright. He attended the local school and then joined the police force. In 1923 he married but his wife died two years later, they had no children and he did not re- marry. He saw active war service in France returning to the police on demob where he attained the rank of inspector. He spent his retirement in Aberdeen and died in 1992. In his hand-written will, he left small bequests to various relatives and the 'residue' to be invested to establish the trust fund. A quiet, unassuming gentleman, Mr Davie had spent his adult life investing in the stock market. It was a big surprise to all who knew him that his estate was worth over one million pounds. The capital is retained and invested, and in accordance with the instructions in Mr Davie's will, grants are made from the income generated by the fund.
The Toll House at Corse. Mr Davie’s birthplace.
© 2022 Davie Trust
About the Alexander W Davie Trust
Mr Davie requested in his Will that: "The parish minister and local bank manager" [at the time of his death] "may agree to supervise the setting up the proceeds of the remainder of my estate into an Alexander Williams Davie Trust Fund, the estate to be invested into SOUND industrial or government stock. The proceeds [i.e. the income] of the fund to be used to provide assistance to educate poorer children born in the Parish of Lumphanan, provided that their parents are unable to do so". Alexander Davie wrote this in 1982 as an elderly man. He probably had memories from his childhood of the poverty that had existed in the farming community and was keen to prevent poverty being an obstacle to education. He gave no other guidance and one of the first jobs that the Trustees had to undertake was to interpret and investigate the viability of Mr Davie's wishes, in light of changed social and economical circumstances. This was not as simple as it might seem. The population of Lumphanan Parish had been in decline for nearly a century and the number of children and young people had also decreased significantly. Family sizes were smaller and the abject poverty of the 1800s and early 1900s had all but vanished. Nowadays few, if any, youngsters are denied access to education through lack of parental funding. In short, funding is much more accessible than it had been in years gone by, and there were few applications from local youngsters or their families who met the requested criteria. The shortage of applications meant that the Trustees were unable to expend very much of the annual income of the Trust, which in turn gave rise to a concern that the Charity could fail, and in the hope of avoiding such an outcome and with a view to ensuring the viability of the Charity long into the future as Mr Davie would have wished, the Trustees, with the support of Mr Davie’s extended family, applied to the Court in Edinburgh to widen the scope of the Trust. The Trustees’ application was only partially successful, the Court agreeing to expand the catchment area to include the Parishes of Torphins and Kincardine O’Neil, but declining to widen the Trustees’ powers to permit the expenditure of capital or the benefiting of deserving groups and organisations, continuing to limit payments to poorer individual applicants. Therefore the Trustees can only distribute the income arising from the investments to persons meeting the Trust’s financial and extended geographical criteria. The awards are made annually with preference going to Lumphanan youngsters provided that they meet the relevant criteria. There is a degree of flexibility on the interpretation of 'poorer'. Parents or guardians will have to provide financial information to demonstrate their financial position. Normally, though not always, below-average income would merit support. All applications, decisions and awards are treated with the strictest confidence.Mr Alexander Williams Davie
At first sight, the life of Lumphanan man Alexander Davie does not seem to merit significant note or attention. Born in the Tollhouse at Corse on March 22nd 1895, he was the fourth of seven children of William Davie and Georgina Wright. He attended the local school and then joined the police force. In 1923 he married but his wife died two years later, they had no children and he did not re-marry. He saw active war service in France returning to the police on demob where he attained the rank of inspector. He spent his retirement in Aberdeen and died in 1992. In his hand-written will, he left small bequests to various relatives and the 'residue' to be invested to establish the trust fund. A quiet, unassuming gentleman, Mr Davie had spent his adult life investing in the stock market. It was a big surprise to all who knew him that his estate was worth over one million pounds. The capital is retained and invested, and in accordance with the instructions in Mr Davie's will, grants are made from the income generated by the fund.
Scottish Charity SC024169
