Tributes paid to ‘immense, inimitable’ Sudbury driving instructor and ‘oracle of the countryside’ Ray Davis following death at age of 76

Whether through his 50-year career as a driving instructor, or his lifelong passion for nature, there were few in Sudbury unfamiliar with Ray Davis.

Tributes to the popular figure – who died earlier this year at the age of 76, after a battle with cancer – have described him as an “immense, inimitable personality” and an “oracle of the countryside.”

And the renown in which he was held locally was reflected at his memorial service in Long Melford, where hundreds of people packed into the village church to pay their respects.

From there, he received a guard of honour, as his coffin was conveyed in his iconic Land Rover to Kentwell Hall, where he was a familiar face throughout his life.

Ashley Cooper, a long-time friend of Mr Davis, told the Free Press: “He was one of the most popular, beloved and well-respected people this community has seen.

“Almost everyone knew him. His friendship network was extraordinary.

“You never met him without your spirits being lifted. Few people have brought so much joy, happiness and helpfulness into other people’s lives as Ray did.”

Mr Davis spent his early years in Little Cornard, before moving to Great Cornard around the age of 11, and developed his love of nature throughout his childhood.

After leaving school at 15, he worked as a butcher’s assistant in Sudbury, but his true calling came when, after learning to drive, he qualified as a driving instructor when he was just 18 years old.

Between 1965 and 1972, he was a tutor at Sudbury Auto School, then instructed independently from then on – and, by the end of his career, he had taught more than 5,000 people to drive.

Mr Cooper, who was one of his students, said: “He was so popular and highly-respected that, after six months, he never needed to advertise again.

“He must be the most well-known person in Sudbury, because if you teach 5,000 people in a 10-mile radius, you pretty much know 20,000, because he would have known their families as well.

“He was a wonderful character, and would bring with him his love of the traditional countryside lifestyle, shooting and fishing.

“When he taught you to do a three-point turn, he would put a shotgun cartridge on the dashboard, and wait patiently until you could do it without the cartridge falling over.

“He had an extraordinary gift of being able to get along with all people, from the youngest age right up to the most elderly.

“He was just as popular with the children and grandchildren of the people he taught to drive. There were a number of occasions when he taught three generations of the same family.”

Mr Cooper recalled that, in his retirement years, Mr Davis became the “go-to person in Great Cornard”, helping people with all manner of tasks, and passing on his knowledge of the countryside.

He was known for his unique collection of phrases, such as calling seagulls ‘Clacton pheasants’, and ending phone calls by saying he was “going off to roost”.

During retirement, Mr Davis also created a lasting legacy in Little Cornard by acquiring a disused brickyard and converting it into a wildlife reserve, attracting all manner of birds, lizards and insects.

“That was a wonderful legacy to him,” said Mr Cooper. “He loved all aspects of being outdoors and connected to the natural world.

“He was an oracle of all country law, sayings, knowledge and the ways of the countryside. He had the ability of being able to squeak with his lips to call animals, like deer.

“He knew the countryside so well from his driving. The area between Sudbury, Hadleigh and Halstead could have been called ‘Ray Davis countryside’, because he knew it so well.”

Mr Cooper added: “His middle name could have been ‘Sharing’, because he loved sharing everything with people.

“Wherever he went, he always took a gift. He was like a 365-days-a-year Father Christmas.

“There was something very Robin Hood about him, because he loved being in a merry band of friends and he loved giving back.

“At the funeral service, there were over 500 people, which is quite exceptional. The church was packed with people who had come to say farewell to this utterly inimitable and uplifting person.

“He just had a natural, characterful personality and an immense kindness, consideration and thoughtfulness.”

Other tributes included that of Ann Rippingale, who said: “Ray was everyone’s friend. He was like a diamond, with many facets, and he made everyone shine.”

Kevin Lecompte added: “Ray never married and had no children of his own – but he had the biggest family on Earth.”