 He was appointed Dean of Llandaff in 1954., and in this post completed the restoration of the war-damaged cathedral begun under his predecessor Glyn Simon.Stephen Thomas was in many ways a charismatic figure, he was renowned for his pastoral and preaching gifts, but he could also divide opinion.He vigorously exposed an important case of misuse of funds in the Church in Wales, incurring thereby some ill-will, and his sociable manner, coupled with his opposition to the Sunday Closing legislation which closed Welsh public houses on the first day of the week irritated Nonconformist abstentionists.