09 November 2023 , 12:42
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A quirky brother and sister duo who once allowed chickens to roost on their brand-new Mercedes Benz have left a whopping £1.3 million to an air ambulance charity.
The gift from their will is the largest donation the Wales Air Ambulance has ever received. Margaret 'Peggy' Davies and her brother Charles were born and raised on a farm in Corwen, Denbighshire in Wales.
Charles was known for his love of collecting clocks and Land Rovers, and described by friends as a "mischievous character". Peggy meanwhile was a gardening enthusiast, and was fond of competing at the annual Cynwyd and Llandrillo shows.
Charles and sister Margaret 'Peggy' Eunice Davies, 89, left most of their estate and wealth to Wales Air Ambulance (Wales Air Ambulance/Media Wales)
A local farmer said Charles and Peggy were 'different' and 'very old fashioned but likeable people' (Wales Air Ambulance/Media Wales)The siblings, who were well-known in their village, dedicated their lives to their farm, Tyn y Wern, Faerdref in Corwen. Peggy passed away at 89 in November 2019, with Charles following four months later at 92. Before their deaths, they entrusted friends Merfyn Roberts and Iolo Evans to execute their wills. The generous donation was made after the air ambulance team assisted Charles during a farm accident. Merfyn fondly recalled: "I remember Charles visiting me in my office, with his yellow corduroy trousers and dickie bow. He always had a glint in his eye.
"They both had a distinct style. I'll never forget visiting Charles and Peggy after they purchased a brand-new state-of-the-art Mercedes, which they allowed the chickens to roost on the top of and make a mess of. Charles liked to think he was a weather expert and always had a theory about the weather and the signs to look out for when the seasons changed. We didn't know what he was talking about, but it always used to make us smile."
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The pair had a Welsh phrase on their tombstone which translates into English as 'they gave their lives to farming, they gave their profits to charity' (Wales Air Ambulance/Media Wales)Iolo Evans, who was general manager of Corwen Farmers for more than 50 years, said: "Charles and Peggy were different and very old fashioned but likeable people. They would come to my office to buy farming supplies and Charles would strike a deal and then nod to Peggy who would pull out a bag of money. They were quite comical and unique characters. Merfyn and I plan to donate a cup in Peggy's memory at the gardening show."
Peggy was always grateful to anybody who would show her or her sibling kindness. Born to Robert and Margaret Davies, they grew up on the family farm with their six other siblings, Maldwyn, Ivor, Lois, Trebor, Jennie and Wmffre. Merfyn said: "I recall going to the house to help with cattle passports and being treated to a roast dinner as a thank you. Peggy had obviously put a lot of effort into the meal, and it was typical of her to repay a favour through a kind gesture."
The "colourful characters" lived a simple and modest life and helped the local community by driving the school taxi. For many years Charles worked for Denbighshire Council on the highways, and Peggy worked at home on the farm. The siblings are thought to have left their legacy to the Wales Air Ambulance as a thank you for the charity's help when Charles had a tractor accident on the farm.
Merfyn Roberts, Area Secretary for the National Farmers' Union, said: "I remember Charles telling me about his accident and how grateful he was for the fantastic service he had received, but we didn't know their intentions until after their deaths. It was good to see that Charles and Peggy had both agreed to bequeath most of their estate to the charity - had we known, we would have encouraged them to meet the charity and see how their legacy would help continue to save lives. It was pleasing to hear the legacy is the largest the charity has received, and we hope it may encourage more of our members to also leave a gift."
Merfyn also shared that the pair had 'Rhoi eu hoes if ffermio'n gymen, Rhoi eu helw i elusen' engraved in Welsh on their tombstone, which translates into English as 'they gave their lives to farming, they gave their profits to charity'. Phae Jones, senior individual giving and legacy manager for Wales Air Ambulance, said: “We are humbled by this incredibly generous donation, making it the largest legacy to have been left to the charity. It is a shame that we never got to meet Charles and Peggy, but it is clear to see from their generosity and from hearing the stories about them, the type of characters they were."
She added: “Choosing to include the charity in their Wills is a very special way to be remembered and ensures that Charles and Peggy’s legacy to Wales will live on through the delivery of advanced critical care and saving the lives of others. Their gift will fund over 280 lifesaving missions. That’s over 280 patients and their families whose lives will be impacted by their extraordinary kindness.”
* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]