Our beloved Nicolette Muriel Miriam Davis (nee Bensted), affectionately known by family as "Mig", passed away on October 5th, 2022 in Southampton, Hampshire after a short but significant and brave battle with Lung Cancer.

She was, and is a positive inspiration of love, fun, and cheerfulness in the face of hard times, and she is and will always be greatly missed by those who knew and loved her.

Born in Paddington, London to Hilda Evelyn Bensted (nee Moffat) and Brian Sorek Bensted, and growing up in Primrose Hill, Central London,  and survived by her daughter Jade Davis, her siblings, Vivien Hoyle, Bernard Bensted and Keith Bensted and her nieces and nephews Imogen Hoyle, Bella Ashkettle, Laura Bensted, Samantha Bensted, William Bensted and Oliver Bensted. 

Nikki was a powerhouse! A real dynamo, full of "beans" and energy from the start. With a smile, a hug and laughter for everyone she met.

Despite tough circumstances growing up, like a flower she blossomed. She grew into a strong athlete, swimming first for Camden, then London, later swimming for England.  She won many gold medals for Freestyle and Butterfly swimming in her time, and even beat the Olympic Champion running the 100m sprint at just 14 years old! Something which she was too humble to share to most, and something which her daughter, and her family will always be immensely proud of her for.

She took the difficulties from her childhood and channeled that emotion into something powerful and good. Nicky was a master at turning any negative circumstance into a positive outcome. She could transmute pain, anger or suffering into something powerful and great. A force for good. She was a transformer of emotion and energy, into positivity, like an alchemist for happiness and fun. And in that vein, she excelled in Music, in Violin, Piano and French Horn even as a child, when she studied at Sarah Siddons, Paddington and the Royal Academy of Music in Baker Street.

After a diving accident she had to give up her beloved music training, but she carried on with her love of music all her life, and you could see it in the way she lit up, bursting with joy and passion when her favourite songs came on, be it Mozart, Def Leppard, Guns n Roses, Cold play or Ricky Martin!

She first began her career studying Nursing at Shoreham by Sea, where she nursed for a couple of years, but later changed to what became a lifelong and successful career in Accounting & Finance. She took her first role  as an accountant at the Whittington Hospital, London. But she quickly found her way back into her beloved world of music, working in Accounting at Mountain Records, the record label of the 70's and 80's. They represented Eric Clapton, Ginger Baker, Elton John, The Sensational Alex Harvey band and several other great rock bands. This suited Nikki (then Muriel) to a T and she had a great time, going to gigs & going on tour with the artists, sitting in the studio for recordings.

In 1979, at age 25 she married Brian Davis, of Buckhurst Hill, Middlesex, and they moved in together in Primrose Hill, Central London. In 1981 they had the opportunity to move out to the peaceful countryside of Bedfordshire and they took it! There they lived in a sweet little village called Totternhoe, where they raised their daughter Jade Davis, who like her mum, shared her sense of fun, and lightness, and her love of music. Translated into dance and singing, Jade would entertain her mum with her renditions of “Tiptoe Through the Tulips”, learning and performing choreography from MTV videos of Madonna, and any and all of the MGM Musicals tap, song and dance routines they would watch together. They shared a great love and passion for cheering people up through music, and dance, and for bringing joy to others.

Nikkie (Muriel) worked as Director of Finance & Accounting, at many large companies & corporations in her life time, including Northern Foods, (then express dairies), Ruislip, High Value Horticulture, London,, SP Systems boating resins on the Isle of Wight, Maharishi Ayurveda UK (Skelmersdale, Lans) & Sydney, Australia, TRMG Publishing Company in Hatfield, Herts, and The University of Bedfordshire in Luton.

But truly, deeply, Nikki (Muriel) LOVED to travel. Her 3rd love was history and ancient cultures, and she wanted to see as MUCH of the world as humanely possible. And she did a great job of this during her 20's, 30's and 40's! And even into her 50's. She moved all around England, from Skelmersdale , Lancashire, to Cheddington, to London, and the Isle of Wight. Then to Sydney, Australia, probably her favourite place in the world, and a place that she loved with all her heart! 

She travelled the world far and wide. To Capri, Italy, to Austria, to Spain (many times) from Marbella, to Alicante to Javea. She and Jade went to France, to Versailles and all over Europe and England to visit many historical houses as she loved visiting stately homes for their rich ancestral history and in appreciation of the antique works of arts and crafts used to create them, as well as those pieces that filled their galleries and cabinets. .

She travelled to Porec in former Yugoslavia (now Croatia) during the onset of the war, to give peace talks, & to her part in helping settle conflict. And to Germany,  at the tearing down of the Berlin Wall, where she herself chipped away at it with a chisel and her bare hands, bringing back pieces as keep sakes of the return to freedom from Russia. And again worked there in the 2010's. She travelled to Africa, Egypt and to Israel. She truly loved people, and other cultures, and she loved her dear old England too.

Her respect for ancient, native cultures and traditions being central to one of the reasons she travelled so far and wide. She visited Australia 4 times in her life, including living there for a couple of years, & on to New Zealand, and the Cook islands, largely inspired by her love and reverence for the Mauri's and pacific islanders and their natural wisdom. And she often talked about how wise the Aboriginis were, using sound vibrations to heal, and to balance their natural and physical surroundings, as well as their great wisdom and love for the natural environment.

In 2010 she moved south from Hertfordshire to settle in The Hamble, on the Solent, to work for PCE systems as the Managing Director and Head of Finance. , Then Netley, by the sea, in Hampshire. To be closer to the New Forest, and Lymington and the places she loved. Closer to places that held sentimental value, where she visited every summer as a child, with her Mother & Siblings

In 2016 she went into part retirement and left to work for the Transcendental Meditation organisation, basing her self between an office in the Hamble and its central location in Lancashire. And finally retired completely in 2018, becoming a Volunteer at her favorite place in Netley, The Royal Vicotria Country Park Museum.

Yearly she would spend summers with her daughter, taking long walks in the New Forest, and lunches in the cute little pubs, especially the Fighting Cocks, in Fordingbridge. She loved the freedom of the animals there and felt a connection to the ancient roots of England. And she loved all things that felt ancient, Celtic and natural to her.

So it made sense that for her passing, she chose to be cremated outside Lymington, and scattered on the Solent waters at the Lymington to Yarmouth crossing, and for her memories and spirit to be there, in the place where she felt most at peace and had so many happy memories, and good times. To her that route signified travelling from every day life to her happy sanctuary. Her peaceful rest.

There will be a Tree and Plaque placed for her in The Royal Victoria Country Park, in Netley, Hampshire where she worked with her friends. The plaque placing will take place on April 8th, 2023. This will be directly outside the front entrance of the Chapel Museum. 

All her friends and family are invited to join the plaque placing and drinks, food and music to follow, in celebration of her life! Nikki wanted to go out with a party, with happiness and fun, as was her way. So please join us, to share memories, to laugh and dance in her honor, and be happy that we knew her and were touched by her fun, her upliftment and her bursting, blissful, joyous spirit

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