WILLIAMS, Sir CHARLES JAMES WATKIN (1828 - 1884), Member of Parliament, judge

Born 23 September 1828, eldest son of the Rev. Peter Williams, rector of Llansannan (later of Llangar) and his wife Lydia Sophia, daughter of James Price, Plas yn Llysfaen, Denbighshire. Educated at Ruthin grammar school, he studied medicine at University College Hospital, London, where he became house surgeon. Deciding to become a lawyer, he entered S. Mary's Hall, Oxford, but did not graduate, and in 1851 became a student at the Middle Temple, being called to the Bar in 1854. He specialised in commercial and financial cases. He took silk in 1873. In November 1868 he became Liberal Member of Parliament for the Denbigh boroughs, a seat which he held until 1880, when he was returned for Caernarvonshire. He was regarded as an advanced Liberal and was a prominent figure in the Welsh Liberal revival. On 24 May 1870 he moved a resolution in the House of Commons in favour of the disestablishment of the Welsh Church, but was opposed by Gladstone. He became a puisne judge in 1880, soon after his election for Caernarvonshire, and in that capacity won a reputation for care and sound legal knowledge. He died suddenly, 17 July 1884, and was buried at Kensal Green. He married (1) Henrietta, daughter of William Henry Carey, and (2) Elizabeth, daughter of lord justice Lush. He wrote The Principles and Practice of Pleading in Civil Actions, The Philosophy of Evidence, and The Law of Church Rates (a pamphlet).

Author

• Edward Morgan Humphreys, (1882 - 1955)

Sources

• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
• T. R. Roberts, Eminent Welshmen: a short biographical dictionary of Welshmen... from the earliest times to the present (1908)
• T. Gwynn Jones, Cofiant Thomas Gee (Denbigh 1913)

Further Reading

• NLW Archives: Representation of the County of Carnarvon: Election of 1880: Instructions to Liberal voters
• NLW Archives: Paham y dylwn bleidleisio dros Mr. Watkin Williams?
• NLW Archives: At Etholwyr Sir Gaernarfon
• Wikipedia Article: Watkin Williams

Additional Links

• Wikidata: Q5079461

Published date: 1959

Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-RUU/1.0/