Walter, afterwards Fr Stephen, Dawes was born in Longton, Staffs, on the [25th] December 1871, one of a large and intensely Catholic family with many Benedictine associations. He came to the school here in 1886 and left in 1891 to enter the novitiate. He was ordained in 1899. Memories of him as a young monk recall a figure intermittently alarming but usually genial and friendly: he cultivated a gruff manner which went ill with his considerable and delicate artistic gifts and failed to hide his natural warmth of sympathy. He was of the out-of-doors type, a terrifying opponent at ice hockey, interested in all sports and games and, by current standards, good at most of them. Consequently his piety was all the more attractive and edifying.
Under a threat of consumption he was sent to South Africa for some months. He returned better but not cured; and when the Boer War began he went back to Africa as a military chaplain. His departure exhibited his characteristic resourcefulness: he missed the troopship at Tilbury, but engaging first a hansom cab and then a rowing boat he caught up with her, persuaded the captain to slow down, and arrived on board by rope ladder with his tall hat firmly on his head and coat tails flying. He was an admirable chaplain and made many lifelong friends in the Army, especially in the Connaught Rangers. It was perhaps an officer of that regiment who described him as: the best polo player in the Army, the best shot, and the best confessor when you are dying.
After the war he was sent to do parish work, first in Workington and then, early in 1914, at St Anne's, Liverpool. Not unnaturally he was appointed chaplain to the 8th (Irish) Bn King's Liverpool Regiment, and shortly afterwards went to France with it. He served throughout the war and with the Army of Occupation until 1920. In February of that year he was appointed to St Joseph's parish, Cockermouth, and was there for the remainder of his life. He gave devoted care to his small flock, furnished and adorned his church and designed and partly built the beautiful little church of Our Lady of the Lakes and St Charles in Keswick. This was served from Cockermouth until 1933, when it became the church of an independent parish. In addition he killed many salmon in the Derwent, which flows past the presbytery garden, and won the respect and liking of the whole neighbourhood. The virile Cumbrian accepted him as a kindred spirit; little children understood and loved him; obstinate wrongdoers quailed before him; sufferers found sympathy and encouragement in him. Everybody knew him, and in their different ways the golden jubilee of his priesthood and his funeral touched the whole town. In 1953 he was honoured with the Cathedral Priorship of Worcester to the great satisfaction of his brethren. Failing sight caused him much inconvenience in his later years, but affected neither his cheerfulness nor the speed at which he habitually drove; and his last months of growing disability were borne with piety and patience and courage. He died on the 3rd February, 1958, and was buried in his parish. May he rest in peace.
WALTER STEPHEN DAWES 3 February 1958
1871 25 Dec Born Longton Staffs
1886-91 Educ Ampleforth
1891 3 Sep Habit
1892 13 Dec Simple Vows
1896 12 Jan Solemn Vows
1899 20 Mar Priest
1900 Army Chaplain in S Africa
1902 Workington
1914 24 Jan St Anne's Liverpool
1915 Aug Army Chaplain in France & Germany
1920 Feb To charge of Cockermouth
1953 Jun Nominated Cath Prior of Worcester
1958 3 Feb Died at Cockermouth
Buried at Cockermouth