Sir William Dawes, 3rd Baronet facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Most Reverend and Right Honourable Sir William Dawes Bt
Archbishop of York
Province	York
Diocese	York
In Office	1714–1724
Predecessor	John Sharp
Successor	Lancelot Blackburne
Other posts	Dean of Bocking (1698–1708) Bishop of Chester (1708–1714)
Orders
Consecration	1708
Personal details
Born	(1671-09-12)12 September 1671 Lyons, Essex, England
Died	30 April 1724(1724-04-30) (aged 52) Westminster, Middlesex, Great Britain
Buried	Chapel, St Catharine's Hall, Cambridge
Nationality	English (later British)
Denomination	Anglican
Parents	Sir John Dawes Christian née Lyons
Spouse	Frances D'Arcy ​ ​ (m. 1692; died 1705)​
Children	5 sons & 2 daughters
Alma mater	St John's College, Oxford St Catharine's Hall, Cambridge

The family crest of Sir William Dawes.

Sir William Dawes (born September 12, 1671 – died April 30, 1724) was an important leader in the Anglican Church. He was a Baronet, which is a special title of honor. Sir William served as the Bishop of Chester from 1708 to 1714. After that, he became the Archbishop of York, a very high position, from 1714 until he passed away in 1724. He was also known for his political views, as he supported the Hanoverian royal family.

Early Life and Education

Sir William Dawes was born in a place called Lyons, near Braintree in Essex, England. When he was nine years old, he started attending Merchant Taylors' School in London. He was a very bright student.

A Young Scholar

By the age of 15, William was already very good at Hebrew, an ancient language. When he was just 18, he wrote a poem called The Anatomy of Atheisme. He also wrote an important book in prose called The Duties of the Closet. These writings showed how smart and dedicated he was even at a young age.

University Studies

In 1687, William went to St John's College, Oxford University. He later moved to St Catharine's College, Cambridge in 1689. He earned his Master of Arts (MA) degree from St Catharine's in 1695. He received this degree early because of a special royal order. In 1696, he earned his Doctor of Divinity (DD) degree, which is a high degree in theology.

Becoming a Church Leader

Sir William Dawes had a successful career in the Church of England. He held several important positions.

Serving the Royal Family

William Dawes became a pastor for King William III. Later, he served as a court pastor for Queen Anne. This meant he was a religious advisor and leader for the royal family.

Roles at Cambridge University

From 1697 to 1714, he was the Master of St Catharine's Hall, Cambridge. This was a leadership role at the college. He also served as the Vice-Chancellor of Cambridge University from 1698 to 1699. This role meant he helped manage the whole university.

Dean of Bocking

In 1698, he was chosen to be the rector in the village of Bocking, Essex. In Bocking, the rector is called the Dean. He started a new tradition there. Instead of only having Holy Communion three times a year, he made it a monthly event. This was a big change for the time.

Bishop and Archbishop

On February 8, 1708, Queen Anne personally chose him to become the Bishop of Chester. This was a special appointment, as the Queen went against her ministers' advice to choose him.

In 1714, he became the Archbishop of York. This was a very important position, and he held it until he died in 1724. He was also a Privy Counsellor. This meant he was a trusted advisor to the King or Queen. His predecessor, John Sharp, greatly respected him and asked the Queen to appoint Dawes as his successor. The Queen was happy to agree. Sir William also helped restore the Archbishop's palace in York, called Bishopthorpe.

Sir William Dawes was known as a great preacher during his time. He was seen as a strong and respected leader. He passed away on April 30, 1724, and was buried in the chapel of St Catharine's College with his wife.

Family Life

Sir William Dawes was the son of Sir John Dawes and Christian Lyons.

He married Frances Cole d'Arcy on December 1, 1692. They had five sons and two daughters together. Their daughter Elizabeth later married Sir William Milner.

Images for kids

• 

  Sir William Dawes.