Strange but True!
Councillor Captain Walter Arthur Vowles BA - RAF, Army Education Corps & Mayor of Hereford 1976-77
The Man Walter Arthur (Dick) Vowles was born on 3rd June 1909, in Bridgewater, Somerset, son of William Box Vowles, an Ironmonger, and Minnie, nee Cavill. He was Baptised on 1st August 1909 in Bristol and by the 1911 census the family were living at 10 Lyndale Avenue, Bridgewater. Dick gained a Batchelor of Arts degree in History at Oxford University, becoming a teacher and marrying Margaret R Morgan in Bristol during the last quarter of 1935, and having two children. In 1940 during World War II aged 31 Dick enlisted into the Royal Air Force as Aircraftsman 1st Class with service number 1129842. On 7th November 1941 he was Commissioned into the RAF Volunteer Reserve as an Acting Pilot Officer on probation in the Administrative Special Duties Branch and with a new service number of 110946, his seniority being backdated to 14th August. He was appointed Pilot Officer during March 1942 with seniority from 14th October 1941, and to Flying Officer on probation (war substantive) on 1st October 1942 and then acting Flight Lieutenant. For his war time service Dick was awarded the Defence and War Medals 1939-45. Dick re-married during the last quarter of 1947 to Betty Roberts in Newcastle and had another three children.Dick remained in the RAF until 18th August 1952 aged 43 when he relinquished his Commission upon appointment to a Short Service Commission as a Captain in the Royal Army Educational Corps with another service number 424878 and seniority backdated to 29th March 1950.
On 18th August 1957 aged 48 he was moved from the active list and transferred into the Regular Army Reserve of Officers until 18 August 1960 aged 61, when he relinquished his Commission. At some time following his retirement from the Army Dick and Betty moved to Hereford, where he became a Schoolmaster at Bishop of Hereford’s School in the City. He was first elected onto Hereford City Council, representing Bartonsham Ward in May 1965 and from 1972, until his death St.Nicholas Ward. He sat on various committees including
Planning & Transport, West Midlands Area Museums Council, West Midlands
Arts Council and was Chairman of the Environmental Health Committee and the City of Hereford Archaeology
Committee. Dick was elected as the 595th
Mayor of Hereford during the Civic Year 1976-77, aged 67. He lived at 13 Harold Street in Hereford, and
in June 1989 was appointed an Honorary Freeman of the City and had a road, Vowles
Close named after him. Dick was
described as a man “Who participated
fully in many areas of city life, a thespian, raconteur and wit”. Dick was also a member of the National
Executive of the Assistant Master’s Association and a Former President of
Hereford Constituency Liberal Party. He died during February 1994 in Hereford aged 84 and is buried in Hereford Cemetery. Strange but true! As a young man Dick relished the intellectual challenge of the Everyman crossword from its launch in 1927, when he was 18. For 66 years, with a short break for war service, he wrestled with the clues, but not once did his correct entry win a prize. Until Everyman 2472, that is. Dick, aged 84, died the day before a £15.00 book token was posted to him.
The Story The Past Mayors' Jewel awarded to Walter Arthur Vowles was of interest as it follows a theme in this collection and was acquired from E-Bay on 22nd February2014. Interestingly a number of colleagues live in Hereford and following enquiries made by them with the Mayor’s Officer a photograph of Dick, together with a brief biography was provided. This coupled with results from Ancestry.com and The London Gazette enable at least a part of his life story be made available for posterity. There are still potential further enquiries with the Hereford Newspaper Archives and possible abstraction of Dick’s will.
The City of Hereford
ARMS: Gules three Lions passant guardant in pale Argent on a Bordure Azure ten Saltires of the second.
CREST: On a Wreath of the Colours a Lion passant guardant Argent holding in the dexter paw a Sword erect proper hilt and pomel Or.
SUPPORTERS: On either side a Lion rampant guardant Argent gorged with a Collar Azure charged with three Buckles Or.
MOTTO: 'INVICTAE FIDELITATIS PRAEMIUM' - Reward for faithfulness unconquered.
Arms recorded (without bordure) at the Visitations of 1569 and 1634. Arms augmented and Crest and Supporters granted 14th September 1645. The City of Hereford Charter Trustees became Hereford Town Council on 1st April 2000, when Hereford became a Parish Council. On 9th October 2000 the Queen reinstated the status of City on Hereford and the parish council took the title of Hereford City Council. Hereford bore on an early seal the Royal Arms of Richard I, who gave the City its first Royal Charter in 1189. It seems to have coloured the lions silver for the purpose of creating a distinctive (but unauthorized) coat of arms. The entire remainder of the design dates from 1645 at which time England was in a state of civil war. The City of Hereford supported the King and was garrisoned by Royalist troops. The garrison was very small and a large force of Scottish troops under the command of Leslie, Earl of Leven, arrived in Hereford. However, the citizens of Hereford joined with the soldiers and did the duties of soldiers so nobly that they kept the Cromwellian troops at bay for approximately five weeks. There was no penetration of the City defenses at any time by the Scottish troops whose sole achievement of destroying one span of the old bridge over the Wye and dislodging a few stones from the City walls. At the end of five weeks, the Scots gave up trying to capture the City and left. Leaving the Royal Standard flying in triumph over the City. King Charles I, on hearing of this was delighted and full of praise for the citizens of Hereford. He visited the City in order to thank them personally for their success. He dined one night at the Bishop’s Palace and at the end of this dinner he is alleged to have made the Grant of Arms, which has resulted in the Coat of Arms, which the City of Hereford now possesses. The lions surrounded by saltires, or St Andrew's Crosses, represent the Royalist forces hemmed in by the insurgent Scots, and the buckles on the collars of the supporting lions are from the arms of the Earl of Leven. The lion and sword of the crest signify loyalty to and defense of the Crown, and is rare in civic heraldry. Of even greater rarity is the barred peer’s helm supporting the crest found only in the arms of one other municipal authority in England – The City of London. King Charles I also gave the motto. The terms of the grant, dated 1645, printed in full in Fox-Davies's Book of Public Arms, set forth that, "Ther hath not any Citty since this unnaturall Rebellion Exprest greater fidelity & Courage then ye Citty of herefford in Continuing there alleaganc & resisting ye many attempts of ye rebells but ye greatness of there loyallty Courages & undaunted resolution did then most eminently appeare when being straitly beseiged for ye space of 5 weeks by a powerfull army of Rebellious Scotts & having noe hopes of releife they Joyning with garison & doeing ye duty of souldiers then defended themselves & repelled ther fury & assaults with such singular constansy & resolution & with soe great distinction of ye beseidges that they are therby become ye wonder of ther Neighboring garisons & may be an Example to all other Citties & therfore doe justly deserve such caracters of honor as may be certified to posterity."
ARMS: Gules three Lions passant guardant in pale Argent on a Bordure Azure ten Saltires of the second.
CREST: On a Wreath of the Colours a Lion passant guardant Argent holding in the dexter paw a Sword erect proper hilt and pomel Or.
SUPPORTERS: On either side a Lion rampant guardant Argent gorged with a Collar Azure charged with three Buckles Or.
MOTTO: 'INVICTAE FIDELITATIS PRAEMIUM' - Reward for faithfulness unconquered.
Arms recorded (without bordure) at the Visitations of 1569 and 1634. Arms augmented and Crest and Supporters granted 14th September 1645. The City of Hereford Charter Trustees became Hereford Town Council on 1st April 2000, when Hereford became a Parish Council. On 9th October 2000 the Queen reinstated the status of City on Hereford and the parish council took the title of Hereford City Council. Hereford bore on an early seal the Royal Arms of Richard I, who gave the City its first Royal Charter in 1189. It seems to have coloured the lions silver for the purpose of creating a distinctive (but unauthorized) coat of arms. The entire remainder of the design dates from 1645 at which time England was in a state of civil war. The City of Hereford supported the King and was garrisoned by Royalist troops. The garrison was very small and a large force of Scottish troops under the command of Leslie, Earl of Leven, arrived in Hereford. However, the citizens of Hereford joined with the soldiers and did the duties of soldiers so nobly that they kept the Cromwellian troops at bay for approximately five weeks. There was no penetration of the City defenses at any time by the Scottish troops whose sole achievement of destroying one span of the old bridge over the Wye and dislodging a few stones from the City walls. At the end of five weeks, the Scots gave up trying to capture the City and left. Leaving the Royal Standard flying in triumph over the City. King Charles I, on hearing of this was delighted and full of praise for the citizens of Hereford. He visited the City in order to thank them personally for their success. He dined one night at the Bishop’s Palace and at the end of this dinner he is alleged to have made the Grant of Arms, which has resulted in the Coat of Arms, which the City of Hereford now possesses. The lions surrounded by saltires, or St Andrew's Crosses, represent the Royalist forces hemmed in by the insurgent Scots, and the buckles on the collars of the supporting lions are from the arms of the Earl of Leven. The lion and sword of the crest signify loyalty to and defense of the Crown, and is rare in civic heraldry. Of even greater rarity is the barred peer’s helm supporting the crest found only in the arms of one other municipal authority in England – The City of London. King Charles I also gave the motto. The terms of the grant, dated 1645, printed in full in Fox-Davies's Book of Public Arms, set forth that, "Ther hath not any Citty since this unnaturall Rebellion Exprest greater fidelity & Courage then ye Citty of herefford in Continuing there alleaganc & resisting ye many attempts of ye rebells but ye greatness of there loyallty Courages & undaunted resolution did then most eminently appeare when being straitly beseiged for ye space of 5 weeks by a powerfull army of Rebellious Scotts & having noe hopes of releife they Joyning with garison & doeing ye duty of souldiers then defended themselves & repelled ther fury & assaults with such singular constansy & resolution & with soe great distinction of ye beseidges that they are therby become ye wonder of ther Neighboring garisons & may be an Example to all other Citties & therfore doe justly deserve such caracters of honor as may be certified to posterity."
With thanks to John Scott of the Birmingham Medal Society and Roger Stokes of Hereford City Council
Medal Details:
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as issued.
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as issued.
- Past Mayor's Jewel: CLLR W.A.VOWLES B.A. 1976-7
- Past Mayoress Jewel: Unnamed as issued.
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This page last updated 29 Apr 15