▶Date of birth:  18 February 1867        Place of birth: Halifax, Yorkshire

▶Father:  Charles Richard Holmes     Mother: Mary Ann Lake

▶Spouse(s): (unmarried)     Date(s) of marriage:       Place(s) of marriage:

▶Occupation: Clergyman, Missionary

▶Lifestory: In the early years twentieth century Walter Herbert Graeme Holmes, by then a Vicar in Jarrow, decided to dedicate himself to mission work in India; on his return thrity years later he settled down with his sister in Pittville, still dreaming of returning to the Subcontinent. Holmes was born in Halifax in 1867, the fourth son of the Revd. Charles Richard Holmes, Vicar of Haley Hill, Halifax, and his wife Mary Ann; he was also a nephew of the Dean of Durham, William Charles Lake). He was educated at St Peter’s School, York, and at University College, University of Durham, BA (first class in Classical and General Literature and second class overall; Gabbet Essay prize and Van Mildert scholarship) 1888, first-year examination in Theology (graduates’ exhibition) 1888, final examination in Theology (second class) 1889, LTh 1889, MA 1893; he represented the university at cricket and also officiated locally in rugby matches.

Holmes was ordained Deacon in 1890, and Priest (both Durham) in 1891. In 1890 he was licensed Curate of Christ Church, Jarrow, Co. Durham, and was presented with the living of Dunstall, Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire as its Vicar in 1893. After this, he returned to Jarrow as Vicar of St Peter’s in 1897, where he led a movement for housing reform, and was one of the founders of the Borough Municipal Reform Association.

By 1901 he was a Member of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts and developed a strong conviction in mission work, and in 1903, aged thirty-six, he announced that he would leave Jarrow to join the Brotherhood of the Epiphany, the Oxford Mission to Calcutta (now Kolkata), where he remained until 1934, simultaneously serving as Junior Chaplain of St John’s Church, Calcutta from 1913 until 1913, and as a Canon of Calcutta Cathedral 1920-34; he was the third successive vicar to leave St Peter’s, Jarrow for missionary work. Walter wrote letters to his old parish informing them about his mission work, and returned briefly in 1909 and 1915, and again in 1927 and 1933, for holidays and to preach and lecture about his life in India; he worked largely with students at Calcutta University.

By 1910 he was also Superintendent of the Calcutta Mission Hospital, and in 1917 contributed to the Calcutta University Commission’s “Analysis of present conditions” as regards education in India. During his time in India, and afterwards, he published several religious texts, including The Upanishads and the Christian gospel: some contrasts and fulfilments (1908), The Epistle to the Hebrews (1919), and The presence of God: a study in divine immanence and transcendence (1923).

He returned from Calcutta in 1934 to live with his sister at Cotswold Lodge on Pittville Circus Road, where he continued to promote the work of the Calcutta Mission through public talks, and retained a wish to return to India should his health improve. In 1951 he moved from Pittville Circus Road to 60 Prestbury Road.

Holmes lived in Cheltenham, unmarried, until his death in 1953, at the age of eighty-six.

▶Moved to Pittville from:  Calcutta      Moved from Pittville to: (deceased)

▶Date of death:   15 December 1953     Place of death: Cheltenham

▶Date of burial:         Place of burial:

▶Notes:        ID: 14171

Contributor(s):  John Simpson/Alan Munden