DAWSON, Christopher Goodhugh 1885 - 1950

Born at Hunmanby, Yorks, in 1885. He came of good Methodist stock, both his father and grandfather being Wesleyan ministers who served their Church with distinction. He entered the Wesleyan Ministry in the year 1910 after training at Headingley College, and went to India to the Trichinopoly District.

During the First World War he served for two years in the Indian Army Reserve of Officers.

On returning to the Home Church he served in the Retford and Melton Mowbray Circuits before going for a long and unbroken period into the Bournemouth District.

Here he exercised an effective ministry in the Swanage, Weymouth, and Sherborne Circuits before moving to Portsmouth, where he led his people, in face of many difficulties, with zeal, statesmanship, high courage, and deep devotion.

In every circuit he gave himself without stint to the work of the Ministry, and left abiding memories of work well done and of a minister who was a great friend to his people. His supreme concern was the cause of the Gospel, and out of a rich and varied experience he strove to interpret the Christian message in modern language.

He was a man of great personal charm and strength of character, a faithful and effective minister of the Gospel, a loyal and kindly colleague and beloved pastor.

Those who witnessed the final phase of his earthly sojourn were moved to glorify God for his splendid fortitude and his complete triumph in the midst of pain and weakness ; he was more than conqueror.

He passed peacefully away in the early morning of 24th March 1950, in the Royal Hospital, Portsmouth, in the fortieth year of his ministry.

©Trustees for Methodist Church Purposes 1950