William Henry Williams
Encyclopedia
William Henry Williams (7 November 1852 – 12 September 1941) was an English
-born Australian Headmaster and Professor.
, England
, the son of a merchant's clerk. He attended a Grammar School in Newark
and entered Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1872. He gained a foundation scholarship
, an English declamation
prize, the New Testament
Greek
prize and an exhibition and graduated with a first-class honours BA
in 1876 and MA in 1879.
, Cambridge
. He married during his final teaching year at Leys. In 1884 he arrived in Australia and took up the headmastership of Newington College
, Sydney
. The school's authorities described him as 'essentially a scholar of liberal outlook' who broadened the curriculum in arts and science. In 1885 he established Newington's first science laboratory believing that education should include 'some of the graces and amenities of life without neglecting the realities'. In 1892 the College Council decided that the combined position of President and Headmaster should be held by a clergyman and Williams resigned his post.
. He occupied the chair until his retirement in 1925. During part of that time he was Dean of the Faculty of Arts and served as a trustee of the State Library of Tasmania
from 1921 to 1936. He died in Hobart
, suirvived by his second wife and was buried with his first wife.
and Dryden
, and notes on Twelfth Night, Macbeth
, King Lear
and The Tempest
. He was an authority on Elizabethan and pre-Elizabethan English. In addition to writing on Chaucer, Langland
and Marlowe
, he also edited classical texts.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
-born Australian Headmaster and Professor.
Early life
Williams was born in WorcestershireWorcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, the son of a merchant's clerk. He attended a Grammar School in Newark
Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 , and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way...
and entered Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
in 1872. He gained a foundation scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
, an English declamation
Declamation
Grand National Tournament in Declamation is a public speaking event of the National Catholic Forensic League. One can qualify for the annual NCFL Grand National Tournament in Declamation through their local qualifying tournament...
prize, the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
Greek
Koine Greek
Koine Greek is the universal dialect of the Greek language spoken throughout post-Classical antiquity , developing from the Attic dialect, with admixture of elements especially from Ionic....
prize and an exhibition and graduated with a first-class honours BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1876 and MA in 1879.
Public School career
From 1880 until 1883, Williams was an assistant master and senior classics master at The Leys SchoolThe Leys School
The Leys School is a co-educational Independent school, located in Cambridge, England, and is a day and boarding school for about 550 pupils aged between 11 and 18 years...
, Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
. He married during his final teaching year at Leys. In 1884 he arrived in Australia and took up the headmastership of Newington College
Newington College
Newington College is an independent, Uniting Church, day and boarding school for boys, located in Stanmore, an inner-western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. The school's authorities described him as 'essentially a scholar of liberal outlook' who broadened the curriculum in arts and science. In 1885 he established Newington's first science laboratory believing that education should include 'some of the graces and amenities of life without neglecting the realities'. In 1892 the College Council decided that the combined position of President and Headmaster should be held by a clergyman and Williams resigned his post.
University career
In 1894 Williams became a lecturer and in 1896 the foundation Professor of Classics and English Literature at the newly established University of TasmaniaUniversity of Tasmania
The University of Tasmania is a medium-sized public Australian university based in Tasmania, Australia. Officially founded on 1 January 1890, it was the fourth university to be established in nineteenth-century Australia...
. He occupied the chair until his retirement in 1925. During part of that time he was Dean of the Faculty of Arts and served as a trustee of the State Library of Tasmania
State Library of Tasmania
The State Library of Tasmania is the organisation which runs the library system in the state of Tasmania, Australia. The State Library operates as part of the Tasmanian Department of Education, and maintains close ties with Tasmanian schools and senior secondary colleges.The headquarters of the...
from 1921 to 1936. He died in Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, suirvived by his second wife and was buried with his first wife.
Publications
Williams wrote no books, but he edited or wrote introductions to twenty-five publications. These included editions of ThackerayWilliam Makepeace Thackeray
William Makepeace Thackeray was an English novelist of the 19th century. He was famous for his satirical works, particularly Vanity Fair, a panoramic portrait of English society.-Biography:...
and Dryden
Dryden
-People:* Dave Dryden, retired Canadian ice hockey goaltender* David Owen Dryden, renowned San Diego builder-architect*Erasmus Dryden * Helen Dryden, American artist and designer* Hugh L. Dryden, NASA Deputy Director...
, and notes on Twelfth Night, Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
, King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
and The Tempest
The Tempest
The Tempest is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1610–11, and thought by many critics to be the last play that Shakespeare wrote alone. It is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the exiled Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place,...
. He was an authority on Elizabethan and pre-Elizabethan English. In addition to writing on Chaucer, Langland
Langland
-People:* Joseph Langland, an American poet* Tuck Langland, an American sculptor* William Langland, a 14th-century English poet-Places:* Langland Bay, near the village of Langland on the Gower Peninsula of south-west Wales.* Langland, Caithness, in Scotland...
and Marlowe
Marlowe
- People :Given name* Marlowe Gardiner-Heslin , Canadian actor* Marlowe Morris , American jazz musicianSurname* Andrew W...
, he also edited classical texts.
External links
- J. C. Horner, 'Williams, William Henry (1852–1941)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 12, Melbourne University Press, 1990, pp 508–509. http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120570b.htm?hilite=William%3BWilliams