TRIBUTES have poured in for a distinguished and much-loved educational psychology professor who spent his later life in north Cumbria.

After moving to Caldbeck with his wife Kathleen, Dr Ron Davie threw himself into local life, becoming a leading light in the Caldbeck and District Local History Society. All who knew Dr Davie will remember him as a kind, intelligent, and decent man.

Even by the time he moved to Cumbria in 1995, he had already had a glittering career, earning universal respect for his deep knowledge of child psychology.

Born in Birmingham in November, 1929, he was a grammar school evacuee during World War Two. He married Kathleen - herself an academic high-achiever and teacher of the deaf - in 1957.

They had two children, Alison and Neil. Alison became a consultant child psychologist in Cumbria, later emigrating with her family to New Zealand, while Neil is a history professor in France.

A keen sportsman as a young man, Dr Davie rowed for Birmingham Rowing Club and represented Reading University at rugby and athletics, and Manchester University at rugby. From 1955 to 1964 he worked with children, first as a teacher and then, after post-graduate training, as a psychologist.

He then joined the National Children’s Bureau (NCB) in London to lead a research team studying 15,000 British children born in one week. The results were published in ‘From Birth to Seven’, which had an international readership.

He moved from NCB, as Deputy Director in 1974, to a professorship in Cardiff, returning to NCB, as Director, in 1981, when he also served as Professional Advisor to the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Children.

After early retirement from NCB in 1990, he returned to his ‘first love’, working with children and families again. For fourteen years, he was a freelance consultant psychologist - appearing on behalf of the Official Solicitor as an expert witness on children’s cases in the Family Court in London until 2000 – and working throughout the country for education and social services, including chairing an enquiry, for Gwent, on child sexual abuse in a residential school.

He was also a member of the Special Educational Needs Tribunal until his retirement in 2004, at 74.

For six months in the 1990s he had a temporary post as Consultant Child Psychologist in Whitehaven Hospital, standing in for Alison, who was on maternity leave. In Caldbeck, he chaired Fellview School Governors and the local History Society and was a church warden. Around this time, he was on Eden Valley Hospice Board (chairman in 2000), and served as the Bishop of Carlisle’s Advisor on Child Protection in the late 1990s.

Dr Davie was also a Visiting Professor and Fellow at a number of universities and received three honorary doctorates. He was also a Fellow of the British Psychological Society and an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Throughout his professional career he worked extensively with, often chairing, both national and local charities and professional groups.

Caldbeck & District Local History Society said Mr and Mrs Davie threw themselves into village life from the very start.

A statement said: "It was with great sadness that we learnt of the death of Dr Ron Davie on Tuesday 31 December 31, 2019. Ron and Kathleen moved from Islington to Caldbeck in 1995; they both entered into village life from the start, although Ron continued with consultancy work in his field of child psychology for several more years.

"They joined Caldbeck & District Local History Society and have both played important roles in its development over the past 20 years.

"Ron served two terms as President of the History Society during which time he oversaw several important projects. Together with colleagues, in 2008 he edited a collection of oral histories to produce and publish Memories of Lakeland – Life and Work in the Caldbeck Area, 1914-2000...

"Another hugely successful project that Ron led was the 2011 ‘Grand Local Heritage Exhibition’, held in the Parish Hall, Caldbeck All local organisations, societies and small businesses were invited to take part and they were asked to set up a stall displaying their heritage in any way they chose. Twenty nine groups took part, attracting an extremely good attendance, bringing the village together in a unique way.

A spokesman said: "Members of the History Society will miss Ron’s cheerful and friendly presence and offer their sincere condolences to Kathleen and all the family."

A local resident wrote: ”He accomplished so much that is of lasting value to the community here: Church, school, the many societies and celebrations, all have cause to feel the loss of him deeply; not just for what he did, but for the kindness and sense of humour with which he did it”.

His wife, Kathleen said he was a great family man who loved spending time with his children, grandchildren and great-granddaughter.