Charles Steel Wallis (1874–1959) was a British Church of England priest, British Army chaplain, and academic. From 1902 to 1912, he was a tutor then Vice-Principal of the London College of Divinity. He was a military chaplain during World War I. From 1919 to 1945, he was Principal of St John's College, Durham, and a lecturer in ecclesiastical history and in logic at Durham University.
C. S. Wallis | |
|---|---|
| Principal of St John's College, Durham | |
| Church | Church of England |
| In office | 1919–1945 |
| Predecessor | D. Dawson-Walker |
| Successor | R. R. Williams |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1902 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Charles Steel Wallis 1874 |
| Died | 6 June 1959 (aged 84–85) |
| Profession | Clergyman and academic |
| Education | Hatton House School |
| Alma mater | London College of Divinity Durham University |
Early life
editWallis was born in 1874 to William Wallis, a solicitor. He was educated at Hatton House School, Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire.[1]
Career
editFollowing school, Wallis studied at the London College of Divinity and completed the universities preliminary theological examination (the exam for none-degree ordinands) in 1902. He was then ordained in the Church of England. He continued his studies at Durham University, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1906 and a Master of Arts (MA) degree in 1909.[1]
Having been ordained, he joined the staff of the London College of Divinity in 1902. In 1903, he was appointed a college tutor. He served as dean from 1904 to 1912.[1]
In 1912, he left to join St John's College, Durham as vice-principal and chaplain. He took a break from St John's between 1915 and the end of World War I to serve as a military chaplain.[2] Following his return from war in 1919, he took over as principal of St John's College.[3] During his time leading the college, he extended its size, acquired further buildings and increased its finances.[1][3] In 1930, he was additionally appointed rector of St Mary-le-Bow, Durham (now a redundant church housing Durham Museum and Heritage Centre).[4] At various times, he was a lecturer in ecclesiastical history and in logic at Durham University, sub-warden of the colleges, and a member of the Durham University Council.[1]
He retired in 1945 and died on 6 June 1959.[1]
Military service
editWallis became a military chaplain in 1915 and served with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force during World War I.[1] On 7 May 1915, he was appointed a temporary Chaplain of the Forces 4th Class (equivalent to the rank of captain) in the Army Chaplains Department, British Army.[2] In July 1915, he sailed for the Dardanelles and the Gallipoli Campaign.[5] His duties on the transport ship included taking services, keeping up the spirits of the men and censoring the troops letters home.[6] Ashore, he duties included basic first aid (undressing troops and washing wounds), giving last rites and holding funerals.[7] He would also accompany hospital ships taking the wounded from the battlefield to hospitals in Egypt or Malta; he continued his basic first aid duties, services, funerals and additionally acted as letter writer for the wounded.[8]
Selected works
edit- Wallis, C. S. (1917). Fifty thousand miles on a hospital ship. London: The Religious Tract Society.
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g "Obituary: Canon C. S. Wallis". The Times. No. 54482. 9 June 1959. p. 14.
- ^ a b "No. 29169". The London Gazette. 21 May 1915. pp. 4897–4898.
- ^ a b Canon H. Y. Ganderton (15 June 1959). "Canon C. S. Wallis". The Times. No. 54487. p. 14.
- ^ "Ecclesiastical News: Church appointments". The Times. No. 45452. 4 March 1930. p. 18.
- ^ Fifty thousand miles on a hospital ship. 1917. p. 1.
- ^ Fifty thousand miles on a hospital ship. 1917. p. 18.
- ^ Fifty thousand miles on a hospital ship. 1917. p. 33.
- ^ Fifty thousand miles on a hospital ship. 1917. p. 49.