A local history writer and teacher who spent 20 years working in Dundee Museum has died.
Former education officer Nancy Davey, 75, who also co-authored many local history books, passed away on May 20 following an illness.
She was well known by pupils and teachers who visited the museum, later known as the McManus, and among the many letters she received from pupils she treasured one from a little boy who wrote: “Thank you for my visit to the museum. I liked the bear and the walrus and the lady.”
Originally from Holmfirth, an area of Yorkshire later made famous as the setting for the TV series Last of the Summer Wine, Mrs Davey came to Dundee in 1963. She had an honours degree in history at the London School of Economics and a post-graduate certificate in education and her husband, Chris, was appointed to a post in Queen’s College.
When their two children were old enough, she resumed her teaching career first in Powrie Primary then Craigie High School.
She also gave classes to adults in Commercial College, before working in the education section of Dundee Museum, initially as a teacher on secondment at the Barrack Street Museum (now the collections office) and, later, worked at the McManus.
She took classes in the museum, visited schools, ran a Victorian classroom in a Dundee school dressed in a long black skirt and frilly white blouse and wrote material for pupils.
As well as her contributions to local history books, Mrs Davey was a member of the committee that established Dundee Heritage Trust and regularly contributed historical snippets to The Courier’s Craigie Column.
A funeral service was held last week in St Mary’s Episcopal Church, Broughty Ferry.
She is survived by husband Chris and their family Jonathan and Lorraine, Jane and Dave, and grandson Calum.