Downes taught English and history at Diocesan College in Pretoria, South Africa, later returning to England and teaching in Suffolk and Somersetshire.
[1] Downes's election to the Manitoba legislature occurred during a period of provincial controversy over the prohibition of alcohol.
Although Downes was listed on the ballot as an independent candidate, he campaigned as a representative of the province's "Moderation League", supporting restrictions on the sale of alcoholic beverages.
After serving as an opposition member for the next five years, Downes again ran as a "Moderation League" candidate in the 1927 provincial election.
[1] Downes sought a return to the legislature in the 1941 provincial election, running as an independent opposing the province's coalition government.