The following are extracts from the eulogy at Philip's funeral on Tuesday 18th February.
PHILIP DAVIDSON was born in Southwark, London, 19.09.1952. He died aged 72. He was pre-deceased by his mother, Fay, his father, Lionel, and his younger brother Nick. He was the last remaining member of his immediate family. Philip was the son of Jewish parents, Lionel Davidson and Fay Jacobs, and one younger brother Nick Davidson. He was a second generation immigrant, with a very large family of uncles and aunts and cousins on his father’s side, as his Russian Jewish grandmother had 9 children, all born in Hull, of whom the three Davidson sisters married 3 Noble brothers from another Jewish family. Phil enjoyed enormously the many large and lively family gatherings and celebrations, weddings, anniversaries, festivals and picnics, and social events. He was always very happy feeling part of the animated interactions around family members, and as an adult, he enjoyed sharing in these gatherings. As a teenager and young adult he had very happy memories of his warm relationship and supportive interactions with his Scottish Jewish grandparents on his Mother’s side of the family, and enjoyed spending time with them in Glasgow. Philips father, Lionel Davidson, was famous as an English best-seller Author who wrote spy thrillers, adventure stories, and childrens’ books… Having a famous author as a father was an inspiring but hard model for Philip to follow. Philip was quite neurodivergent, as many of you will recognise, and very creative in his own way, and strove to find his own unique path in life. His adolescence coincided with the hippy era, and the new paradigm shift that was taking place in society and in consciousness. And he felt elated and supported in that new awareness...When the family moved to Israel, Philip was in his early teens. He never quite settled in Israel and did not want to go into the army and fight, which led to a conflict with his father. Philip had a deep aversion to war. He ran away from home, and eventually he returned to England ahead of his family...
His father initially supported Philip’s early training in Film School, and although a new conflict with his father resulted in his leaving the course early, this led to a life-long creative pursuit for Phil, in making films, particularly depicting the places and cultural history of the areas in which he lived. He was particularly drawn to the early pagan and earth-centred ceremonies and ritual expressions and new-age philosophies surrounding the communities in Glastonbury. He developed a life long interest and involvement in the teachings and philosophy of the Indian teacher, Prem Rawat, who advocated a natural way of being, and taught simple practices for empowering the experience of joy and delight and appreciation in the world and nature as it is. Philip travelled abroad, and lived in New York for 3 years, working at the World Trade Centre, and he also worked in Los Angeles and San Diego. He enjoyed travelling and visited, Athens, Gdansk, Paris , Barcelona, Rome, imbuing the ethos and cultures of these places, and storing up details and images, which must have fuelled many of the scenes in his more recent creative writing...
He really enjoyed and appreciated spending time in the countryside and by the sea where he lived. He joined the Green Party in West Sussex, and the Peace movement. His film -making skills came in useful in creating a film he made to support the anti-fracking campaign locally, and then showing it in different venues...
Phil really did enjoy life in the modern world, despite realising and lamenting its failures and destructive aspects. With this realisation of the growing need for finding a new way to live in the world and manage the world, he began to formulate a story in his mind, based on the historical past but reaching into the future and a new world order. The idea incubated over many years, starting as a film script, but changing into a novel that was intended for publication, but with a view to becoming a film...
His trilogy became like an outward expression of the many contradicting and deeper aspects of Philip’s own psyche and experience, in a sense a wonderful reflection of his inner life, which is also a reflection of the world outside. Unfortunately during this process, Philip was diagnosed with cancer. Although at first the initial treatment he received at the beginning of the covid epidemic, seemed to have been successful. But by the time he came to completing his second novel, the cancer had spread, and further treatment left him weak and increasingly unwell. As he worked hard to complete it, he realised that he might not live to fulfil this ambition. He really tried hard to stay alive, and his sense of urgency to leave a legacy in the form of his trilogy. To this end, he engaged his two cousins, Liz and Arnon, to save, in digital form, typed drafts of his final completed 3 novels. Birth of the Tiptons, Courtship, and 2020 – Tiptons 3 (the family that saves the world)...
He wanted to dedicate his final book to his mother and father, He writes in his dedication: “This book is dedicated to Mum and Dad for having me. And for Humanity on earth to make it through”...
His cousins Liz and Arnon, and some of his friends, hope to be able to make his work of fiction available for all who care to read it. It really is a very good read, and a wonderful expression of Phil. Phil enjoyed his life until his cancer made it too uncomfortable. It is wonderful to know that he did not have to suffer for too long, and that he was able to leave some expression of that enjoyment for us to enjoy still, in our happier memories of him, and in his creative legacy.
