Family
Name |
Davy,
Ruby Claudia Emily |
Date
of Birth |
22
November 1883 |
Place
of Birth |
Salisbury |
Date
of Death |
15
July 1949 (A mastectomy in 1947
affected Davy's playing; she became depressed and died). |
Place
of Death |
South
Yarra, Victoria |
Place
of Burial |
West
Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide SA |
Arrived
in South Australia (date/ship etc.) |
|
Lived
in Prospect (dates) |
Her
parents moved in 1920 to Prospect, where mother and daughter taught music |
Addresses
in Prospect |
5 Harrington
Street, Prospect SA |
Names
of houses (if any) |
|
Parents |
William
Charles Davy and Louisa Jane Wade, nee Litchfield |
Spouse(s) |
Nil |
Date(s)
of Marriage(s) |
Nil |
Place(s)
of Marriage(s) |
Nil |
Children |
Nil |
Occupation(s) |
Gifted
musician, composer, music teacher, conductor and performer. In 1920,
Ruby and her mother opened the Dr Ruby Davy's School of Music in Prospect. In
1935, established the Davy Conservatorium of Music in South Yarra, Victoria. |
Interests |
Early
in 1939 Dr Davy organised a three year lecture and recital tour of England
and Europe. Between engagements she made several recordings with Decca
Records and the BBC. In May 1940 she gave a recital in New York and later for
the American Broadcasting Company. In
1941 Dr Davy founded the Society of Women Musicians of Australia and remained
its President until her death in 1949. |
Religion/Churches
|
|
Notes
(points of interest etc.) |
First
person in Australia to become a Licentiate of the London College of Music
(1913). First
Australian woman to become a fellow of Trinity College of Music, London
(1921), the first to be awarded outside England. She
also held a diploma in elocution from the London College of Music. First Australian woman to
receive a doctorate in music As a pianist, Ruby was not only the first woman
to earn this title at Adelaide University, but also the first woman to gain a
Doctorate in any faculty. In
1927 Dr Davy gained an Honorary Fellowship of the Victorian College of Music,
London, again the first to be awarded outside England. |
Sources
of information |
Joyce
Gibberd and Silvia O'Toole, 'Davy, Ruby Claudia (1883–1949)', Australian
Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National
University, http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/davy-ruby-claudia-5918/text10081 http://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/davy-ruby-claudia-5918 |
Principal
Researcher |
Kristina
Barnett - based on above sources of information |