Arthur John Williams
Encyclopedia
Arthur John Williams was a Welsh
lawyer, author and Member of Parliament
for South Glamorganshire 1885-1895.
Williams was born in 1834 to Dr John Morgan Williams. Arthur John Williams was one of the trustees of the land that the village of Williamstown
was built upon and that took his family name. Privately educated, Williams studied law and was called to the Bar
at the Inner Temple
in 1867. Williams served as an honorary secretary to the Law society and the Legal Education Association.
In 1869 Williams published his first book, The Appropriation of the Railways by the State, and would publish many more books over his life, mainly concerned with legal and economic concerns. In 1878 Williams was promoted to the post of Secretary to the Royal Commission on Accidents in Mines, and as part of his duties would investigate the causes of mining disasters throughout England, Scotland and Wales, of which there were many.
His first foray into politics occurred in 1880 when he unsuccessfully contested the seat of Birkenhead. In 1885 he was elected as a Liberal
member of South Glamorgan
and held the seat until 1895. He campaigned for proportional representation
and the abolishment of Hereditary Peers in the House of Lords. Along with David Lloyd George
, he campaigned for the disestablishment of the Church of England
in Wales.
On the 23 May 1877, Williams met his future wife Harriette Rose, eldest daughter of Robert Thompson Crawshay
the ironmaster of Cyfarthfa Castle
in Merthyr. Crawshay was set against his daughter marrying, as she had promised not to wed until after his death. When Williams married Rose in 1878, Crawshay did not attend the wedding and severed Rose from his will.
Although they moved to Eastbourne
for some time, Williams and his family moved back to South Wales in 1889 and set up home at Plas Coed-y-Mwster, a mansion in Coychurch
, Bridgend
. Williams died in 1911 and his ashes were placed within Coychurch church in 1912. Rose survived her husband and her ashes were placed with his when she died in 1943. They had two sons, Eliot Crawshay-Williams
who was also a Member of Parliament and Leslie Crawshay.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
lawyer, author and Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for South Glamorganshire 1885-1895.
Williams was born in 1834 to Dr John Morgan Williams. Arthur John Williams was one of the trustees of the land that the village of Williamstown
Williamstown, Rhondda Cynon Taff
Williamstown is a village in the Rhondda Valley in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales...
was built upon and that took his family name. Privately educated, Williams studied law and was called to the Bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
at the Inner Temple
Inner Temple
The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1867. Williams served as an honorary secretary to the Law society and the Legal Education Association.
In 1869 Williams published his first book, The Appropriation of the Railways by the State, and would publish many more books over his life, mainly concerned with legal and economic concerns. In 1878 Williams was promoted to the post of Secretary to the Royal Commission on Accidents in Mines, and as part of his duties would investigate the causes of mining disasters throughout England, Scotland and Wales, of which there were many.
His first foray into politics occurred in 1880 when he unsuccessfully contested the seat of Birkenhead. In 1885 he was elected as a Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
member of South Glamorgan
South Glamorganshire (UK Parliament constituency)
South Glamorganshire was a parliamentary constituency in Glamorganshire, Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.-History:...
and held the seat until 1895. He campaigned for proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
and the abolishment of Hereditary Peers in the House of Lords. Along with David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George
David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor OM, PC was a British Liberal politician and statesman...
, he campaigned for the disestablishment of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
in Wales.
On the 23 May 1877, Williams met his future wife Harriette Rose, eldest daughter of Robert Thompson Crawshay
Robert Thompson Crawshay
Robert Thompson Crawshay was a British ironmaster.-Life:Crawshay, youngest son of William Crawshay by his second wife, Bella Thompson, was born at Cyfarthfa Ironworks. He was educated at Dr. Prichard's school at Llandaff, and from a very early age manifested interest in his father's ironworks, and...
the ironmaster of Cyfarthfa Castle
Cyfarthfa Castle
Cyfarthfa Castle is the former home of the Crawshay family, historical ironmasters of Cyfarthfa Ironworks in Park, Merthyr Tydfil, Wales. Despite appearing superficially to be a fortified building it is a house built in the style of a large mansion...
in Merthyr. Crawshay was set against his daughter marrying, as she had promised not to wed until after his death. When Williams married Rose in 1878, Crawshay did not attend the wedding and severed Rose from his will.
Although they moved to Eastbourne
Eastbourne
Eastbourne is a large town and borough in East Sussex, on the south coast of England between Brighton and Hastings. The town is situated at the eastern end of the chalk South Downs alongside the high cliff at Beachy Head...
for some time, Williams and his family moved back to South Wales in 1889 and set up home at Plas Coed-y-Mwster, a mansion in Coychurch
Coychurch
Coychurch is a small village that sits between Pencoed and Bridgend in Wales, bordering with Bridgend Industrial Estate.It has a longstanding religious association, with an early Christian church having been built there possibly as long ago as the 8th century CE. The current church of St...
, Bridgend
Bridgend
Bridgend is a town in the Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of the capital, Cardiff. The river crossed by the original bridge, which gave the town its name, is the River Ogmore but the River Ewenny also passes to the south of the town...
. Williams died in 1911 and his ashes were placed within Coychurch church in 1912. Rose survived her husband and her ashes were placed with his when she died in 1943. They had two sons, Eliot Crawshay-Williams
Eliot Crawshay-Williams
Eliot Crawshay-Williams , was a British author, officer, and Liberal Party politician. He was a Member of Parliament and Parliamentary Private Secretary to Prime Minister Lloyd George and Winston Churchill....
who was also a Member of Parliament and Leslie Crawshay.
Published works
- The Appropriation of the Railways by the State London (1868)
- Hints to Honest Citizens on Going to Law Cassell & Co. (1885)
- How to Avoid Law Cassell & Co. (1888)