My friendship with Douglas Dawson began nearly 70 years ago when in 1952 he came to speak at our newly-formed Fellowship of Youth group at Zion, Trowbridge.
Doug’s life began in East London. There were six children in the family connected with the chapel in Hainalt Road, Leyton. Doug left school at 14 and in 1941 he volunteered for the RAF reserves.
In 1946, he was given early release for ministerial training at the SB Bible Institute under that most notable theologian, Charles Breed. In 1948 Doug was married to Hilda Jones who was to be his faithful wife until her home call in 2017. Douglas and Hilda were married for 69 years.
Doug commenced his first ministry in the church at Stretham, Cambridgeshire in 1949. This profitable ministry continued until 1955 when he was called by the church in Borough Green, Kent. This ministry continued for the next 18 years. I know personally that his ministry was greatly appreciated over that period.
Leyton and Thamesmead
In 1973, Doug was called by the church in which he grew up – Hainalt Road. Some of his close family were still in membership there. Doug and Hilda served very happily in the church until his official retirement in 1987.
Knowing Doug as I did over a lengthy period of time, I looked upon him as a gracious and kindly brother in Christ. I appreciated his gentle ministry, although I didn’t have the opportunity to hear him on many occasions.
From Leyton, Douglas and Hilda settled for the next 20 years in Thamesmead. Here in retirement they were to be a great blessing in the reasonably young church. My longstanding friend Derek French speaks very highly of Doug’s help to him through a period of his ministry in that church and also in Grace Baptist Mission.
At the age of 85, Doug and Hilda did retire! By this time, they needed the help and support of the family, so they moved to Stapleford, Nottingham near to their son, Andrew. Here they lived contentedly until the call to glory came.
