William Williams

William Williams has been the name of several notable individuals:

Sir William Williams (1634-1700) was a lawyer, MP for Chester and later for Beaumaris[?], and the first Welshman to become Speaker of the British House of Commons, a post which he held from 1680 to 1685. A critic of King James II, he was nevertheless appointed Solicitor-General after a dispute with fellow Welshman Judge Jeffreys. He helped to draft the Declaration of Rights[?]. Williams was knighted in 1687 and created a baronet in 1688.

William Williams Pantycelyn (1717-1791) was a religious leader and hymnwriter.

William Williams of Wern (1781-1840) was an Independent minister, the promoter of the "General Union" movement of 1834. He was one of three "giants of the Welsh pulpit", along with John Elias[?] and Christmas Evans[?].

William Williams (1788-1865) was a Welsh businessman based in [[London. As Radical MP for Coventry (1835-1847) and Lambeth[?] (1850-1865), he was critical of the state of Welsh education and instigated the Commission which made its controversial report in 1847 (the Treason of the Blue Books[?]). His own bequest was used to promote university education in Wales.

Sir William Fenwick Williams (1800-1883) was a Canadian-born British military leader.

William Williams (1808-1872), known as "Red Stag" (in Welsh, "Carw Coch") was proprietor of the Stag Inn at Trecynon[?], from which he derived his nickname. He was a local politician, one of the society of "Free Enquirers" at Aberdare, subsequently known as the "Cymreigyddion of Carw Coch".

William Williams (1832-1900) was a Welsh veterinary surgeon, founder of the New Veterinary College in Edinburgh (1871) and author of several standard works on veterinary science.

William Williams (bardic name, "Crwys") (1875-1968) was a Welsh language poet, three times winner of the Crown at the National Eisteddfod of Wales[?] and later Archdruid (1939-1947). His best-known works include "Ednyfed Fychan[?]" (1910) and "Dysgub y Dail".

William Carlos Williams was an American poet.