T. Raffles (Thomas Raffles) Davison

Thomas Raffles Davison (1853–1937), often credited as T. Raffles Davison, was an English architect, architectural illustrator, and journalist. Born in Stockton-on-Tees, he was privately educated at Shrewsbury and trained with architect W. H. Spaull in Oswestry before working in Nottingham and Manchester.

Although he practiced as an architect, his strongest reputation seems to have come from drawing and writing about architecture. He became a major contributor to The British Architect and Northern Engineer and was appointed editor in 1878, staying with the publication until it merged with The Builder in 1919. That unusually long editorial run gave him a lasting place in the professional life of British architecture.

Davison was also known for his architectural illustrations, which were valued for their clarity and style, and he later became an Honorary Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He died on May 5, 1937, at Woldingham, Surrey.