Born in the parish of St. Mary Radcliffe, Bristol.
His brother was 804, Sergeant William WILLIAMS — 8th Hussars.
In the Crimea William Williams's next of kin was given as: Mother, Mrs. Ann Williams, living in the parish of St. Paul's, Bristol.
Enlisted at Gloucester on the 30th of August 1833.
Age: 19.
Height: 5' 9".
Trade: Book-binder.
Dark complexion. Hazel eyes. Dk. brown hair.
From Private to Corporal: 27th of June 1838.
Corporal to Sergeant: 29th of November 1839.
Embarked for the Crimea aboard the H.T. "Wilson Kennedy" on the 2nd of May 1854.
He appears on a photograph in the Regimental History said to have been taken in the Crimea in 1854, together with officers and other senior N.C.O.s. (See copy in the 8th Hussar file.)
[PB: Locate and add this photograph. Is it this photograph, by Roger Fenton, in the NAM?]
Promoted to Regimental Sergeant Major on the 26th of October 1854.
Sent to the Depot at Canterbury on the 1st of October 1857, prior to the regiment going to India for the Mutiny campaign.
Discharged from Newbridge on the 14th of October 1857, as:
"Unfit for further service. Labours under chronic rheumatism and is worn out by long service. Attributable to rheumatic infection following exposure during the campaign in Turkey and the Crimea. Will materially affect his earning a livelihood if following his previous occupation."
Served 24 years 46 days.
In Turkey and the Crimea: 2 years.
Conduct: "very good". Awarded a pension of 2/6d per day on discharge, but this was increased to 3/2 per day from the 6th of September 1876.
To live in Winslow, Buckinghamshire, on discharge, but he was in Northampton in 1859 and in South London in 1875.
Next of kin: Wife, Emily Louise Williams.
Emily Louise Williams [first wife]
This lady is mentioned in her "Journal" by Mrs. (Fannie) Duberley, wife of Henry Duberley, Paymaster of the 8th Hussars. There being no place for the wives of senior N.C.O.s, and being too grand to be a washer-woman, she had persuaded Mrs. Duberley to take her as a lady's maid.
This was a most disappointing arrangement, as Mrs Duberley complained in a letter from Constantinople:
"Today, for the first time, I had persuaded [Mrs Williams] to wash a few of the clothes that had accumulated during the voyage. I mention this, as this was the first service she had thought fit to render me since I left England."
In another letter, she writes:
"I grumble at the receipt of a food bill for £4 from the purser of the "Shooting Star" for Mrs. Williams's food on the voyage out."
Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman and Sebastopol.
Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, and an Annuity of £20, having been recommended for it on the 12th of January 1855 but it is not known under what particular circumstances this was awarded.
Awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 15th of February 1857, with a gratuity of £15.
His documents only state, "Has received the Long Service & Good Conduct medal", there being no mention of the D.C.M. or Crimean medal.
Appointed a Yeoman of the Guard in 1860.
Died on the 12th of July 1878.
Death registration
The St. Catherine's House records show the death of a man of this name, aged 64 years, in the Lambeth District of London, during the July-September Quarter of 1878.
Died at 7, Manley Place, Kennington Park, London.
In his will he left his estate (of an un-specified amount) to his wife, Catherine Elizabeth ["Katharine Elizabeth" below]. From this it would appear that he had been twice married [his first wife, who accompanied him to the Crimea, was Emily Louise] .
His grave site in the South Metropolitan Cemetery, West Norwood, is Grave No. 17077 Square 91. (There is a copy of a photograph of the erected gravestone in the 8th Hussar file.)
[Add photograph.]
The cemetery records show that he was buried on the 19th of July 1878. The plot was purchased by a Katharine Elizabeth Williams (possibly his wife, or perhaps a daughter) and two other people are shown to have been buried in the same grave-space: Elizabeth Charles, on the 5th of August 1892 and Job Feldwick, who died on the 6th of December 1899, aged 81 and 73 years respectively.
What connection these two had with the family is not known.
1981: His gravestone has now been destroyed, and the area landscaped.