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Tom William Dodds was organist of Queen's College, Oxford from 1872 to 1919 and a composer of church music.

Tom William Dodds was born on 22 September 1852 in Leeds in the West Riding of Yorkshire. He was the son of Thomas Dodds, a vocalist, and Harriet Dodds, a teacher or "professor" of music^[1].

Dodds became a choristor at Leeds Parish Church In 1861, aged about 9, going on to become an organist at St Michaels' Church, Headingly (1862-63), St Matthew's Church, Leeds (1863-66) and St Wilfred's College Chapel, Leeds (1866-72).^[2]

In 1872, he moved to Oxford where he became organist and an organ scholar at The Queen's College^[3] and organist at St Clement's Church^[4]. He matriculated on 11th October 1875^[3], receiving his BMus in 1876^[5]. On the 2 March 1887, Dodds led a performance of his orortorio "Hezekiah" at the Sheldonion Theatre, Oxford. The composition and performance were a musical exercise towards his Doctor of Musc Degree and the performers included his father, Thomas Dodds, and the choir of St Clement's Church where Dodds was organist and choir master^[6][7].; following the award of the degree in April 1887, the choir presented Dodds with his doctor's gown as a token of their "admiration and regard"^[8]. Oxford University appointed Dodds as an examiner for music degrees in 1896.^[9]

Dodds was alo a composer of church music^[9], although little now remains.

In addition to his main employments, local newspapers regularly reported Dodds's work with several local choral societies and the achivements of his private pupils

In 1897, Dr Dodds inaugurated the new organ which had been built to his specification at St Clement's Church as part of the celebration of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee^[10].

In addition to his work as an organist, local newspapers report that Dodds worked with a number of amateur choirs in the Oxford area as well as taking private pupils.

Dodds left his post as organist at St Clement's in 1915^[4] after 43 years and from Queen's College in Michalemas Term 1919, after 47 years, citing infirmity.

Tom Dodds married Julia Harriet Gilpin at Iffley in 1879. The couple had a son, Arthur Starmer Dodds (b. 1883)^[11]. Julia Dodds died in 1889. Dodds was remarried in 1892^[12] to Rose Edie Carter at Iffley^[12]. Tom and Rose Edie had a daughter and two sons: Brena M Dodds (b. 1896), Henry Raymond Dodds (b. 1899)^[13]. and George Patrick Dodds (b. 1901)^[13]. The Dodds family lived at various addresses in Iffley Road, Oxford from the 1880s until, at least, 1911 and the census shows that they were able to afford a domestic servant during this period^[14].

Following his resignation from Queen's, the College granted him a pension of £180 p.a. However, Dodds began to experience financial difficulties and, in 1920, he became bankrupt citing poor health, loss of pupils due to the Great War, and being defrauded by a money lender. He subsequently lost his College pension, which had been conditional on him not becoming bankrupt^[15]. By 1920, he had moved from Iffely Road in Oxford to Eynsham.He died in Headington, Oxford in 1938 and is buried in Headington Quarry Churchyard^[16].