Thomas Williams was an ironfounder, businessman and Christchurch City Councillor.

Williams established his engineering business in Christchurch

Christchurch

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...

 New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 in 1864, aged only 18. He made flax machinery and kitchen ranges of which he sold 150 in 2 years. His foundry could turn out castings up to 16cwt. Williams was contracted by New Zealand Railways to supply a steam crane for 600 pounds-the first of its kind to be made in New Zealand in August 1872.

Thomas Williams was elected to the Christchurch City Council

Christchurch City Council

The Christchurch City Council is the local government authority for Christchurch in New Zealand. It is a territorial authority elected to represent the people of Christchurch. Since 2007, the Mayor of Christchurch is Bob Parker, who stood as an independent candidate...

 in 1872.

Sources

• "The Cyclopedia of New Zealand
  The Cyclopedia of New Zealand
  The Cyclopedia of New Zealand: industrial, descriptive, historical, biographical facts, figures, illustrations was an encyclopaedia published in New Zealand between 1897 and 1908 by the Cyclopedia Company Ltd of Christchurch. Six volumes were published on the people, places and organisations of...
  
  " (1903, The Cyclopedia Company Limited, Christchurch)
• "GR MacDonald Dictionary of Biography" (Undated, GR MacDonald, Christchurch)