Joseph Henry Souter was born in Devon in 1827 of a prosperous Catholic family. His first education was at St Augustine's Priory, Newton Abbot, and then at Oscott College, being ordained priest in 1852. He then taught at the College before going to St Chad's Cathedral where he became deeply involved in the establishment of the first Grammar School in the City. In 1864 he was appointed as Rector of St John's, Banbury, and played a major part in the introduction of the Sisters of Charity into England, and whom he later encouraged in his years as Rector of St Peter's when they arrived in the parish.

In 1873 he was appointed as president of the newly-established Cotton College in N. Staffordshire, which had replaced the former junior seminary at Sedgley Park. It was an enormous task, given the problems regarding the transfer of property from Sedgley, the necessary work on the new buildings, and the introduction of the boys to their new surroundings. All of this had to be done with very limited financial resources. Such was his success that a major extension of the college became known as the "Souter Wing" in recognition of his achievements. In 1881 he became a Canon of the Cathedral Chapter, and then, to the dismay of the staff and students of Cotton, was appointed as President of Oscott College in Birmingham, where once again he showed his great gifts for intelligent shrewd administration, along with a gentle but firm manner. He was a rather small but very agile person, likeable, and not easily deceived. Because of his wit and scholarship he was highly regarded throughout the diocese and often asked to preach in other parishes. In 1888 he was appointed Domestic Prelate to the Pope with the title, Monsignor.

When the college became the diocesan seminary for the priesthood in 1889 he was appointed as Rector of St Austin's, Kenilworth, and then in 1892, on the retirement of Canon Longman, the Bishop asked him to accept St Peter's. This he did but, after a few weeks, found the parish too demanding and returned to Kenilworth. (It may have been to salve his conscience that later he made a generous donation to the decoration of the Church). On the death of Fr Nary in 1894 he was once again asked to become Rector. This time he accepted, but only on the provision there would be two curates. By now 67 years of age, he suffered badly from arthritis.

During his years in St Peter's, in keeping with his request, the curates mostly administered the parish, and at least two of them - Fr Cronin, a future President of Oscott College, and Fr Yeo, Provost of St Chad's Cathedral - later became famous names in the diocese.

In 1900, Mgr Souter felt compelled to resign the parish and returned to the West Country. He returned to Leamington in 1910 and lived with a family he had received into the Church. Perhaps Leamington wasn't so bad after all!

He died in 1911 and was buried in the priests' plot at Kenilworth.

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