Obituary: NCI Hengistbury Head watchkeeper Ros Davies

Ros Davies bravely defied her cancer diagnosis to join the Hengistbury Head National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) in 2018, spending her final years helping beachgoers and swimmers stay safe from the dangers of the sea.

Rosalind Hall Davies was born on January 15, 1948, in East Sheen, London. At the age of four, she and her family moved to Kenton in Middlesex. She would then attend Heathfield School in Harrow from ages five to 16.

She joined Shell International in their technical library where she spent nine years. She then moved on to Shell’s chemical planning and economics departments, forecasting the capacities and outputs of chemical plants to 10 years in the future.

A young Rosalind Davies

At her funeral, Ros’ friend of more than 50 years joked that the recent fuel shortages may not have happened “had Ros still been working for Shell”.

Ros met Ivor Davies around this time and they were married in April 1970 in Harrow on the Hill near Wembley – on FA Cup final day.

The happy couple, described as “inseparable” by friends, set up a home soon after marrying in Chorleywood, Hertfordshire, where they lived for 35 years.

After leaving Shell, Ros joined Newlands Park College where she worked her way up to become the finance officer. This meant she had overall responsibility for both the college and student finances.

When Newlands Park amalgamated with High Wycombe College, Ros left to join Chiltern District Council as a part time land charges officer within their legal department where she was praised for her organisational skills.

A great passion of Ros’ life was horse riding. Friends recounted many times seeing Ros riding in fields on New Year's Day. She was a member of Northwood Riding Club and remained so until her death.

Former NCI Hengistbury Head watchkeeper, Rosalind Davies

She also had a passion for gardening and was never happier than with her hands in the soil of her beloved garden where she would plant flowers and grow vegetables.

However, it was a passion for boating shared by Ivor and Ros that ultimately led to their arrival in Dorset in 2005.

The couple left Chorleywood and moved to Burton in order to be close to their little speed boat called Sundowner in Christchurch – before they accidentally sank it off the Isle of Wight.

They replaced this with a small cabin cruiser called Blue Spirit, then another called Sequel before buying their dream boat which Ros named Manana. They spent years cruising the boat on trips to Dartmouth, the River Avon and Poole, enjoying the views of the harbour.

In the distance, across the harbour at Hengistbury Head, Ros and Ivor could make out the old lifeguard station which had recently been transformed into a National Coastwatch Institution base.

Having been diagnosed with cancer before this, Ros was apprehensive about joining the watch as she didn’t wish to become a burden. However, the head of the NCI base in Hengistbury Head dismissed these concerns and welcomed Ros to the team. She and Ivor were among the first volunteer recruits.

She qualified as a watch leader while undergoing chemotherapy, becoming a familiar face in the watch station and forming friendships with those she met along the way.

Ros and Ivor’s friend Nigel described her as “very pragmatic, determined, but always positive and generous in her thoughts and actions. Her care for Ivor knew no bounds, her love for him was so evident to the very end”.

Rosalind Davies and her husband, Ivor

After her passing, NCI Hengistbury Head posted a tribute to Ros. This read: “Today we said goodbye to one of our own. Rosalind Davies was one of our early homegrown watchkeepers, the eighth NCIHH watchkeeper to qualify and earn her epaulettes back in July 2018, when we were still based in the beach office at Southbourne.

“Ros was an accomplished sailor and equestrian. She was funny, kind, a great asset to our station and a real fighter. She will be sorely missed by all who knew her and had the pleasure of keeping watch with her.”

Ros died of cancer on Friday, November 12, 2021. She was 73 years old.

She is survived by her husband of 51 years, Ivor Davies.

Her funeral was held at Bournemouth Crematorium on Wednesday December 1, 2021.

Have you recently lost a loved one? Email andrew.goldman@newsquest.co.uk if you want to celebrate their life with the community.