Background
Williams was born in 1834 to Doctor John Morgan Williams.
Williams was born in 1834 to Doctor John Morgan Williams.
Privately educated, Williams studied law and was called to the Bar at the Inner Temple in 1867.
Arthur John Williams was one of the trustees of the land that the village of Williamstown was built upon and that took his family name. Williams served as an honorary secretary to the Law society and the Legal Education Association. In 1869 Williams published his first book, The Appropriation of the Railways by the State, and would publish many more books over his life, mainly concerned with legal and economic concerns.
In 1878 Williams was promoted to the post of Secretary to the Royal Commission on Accidents in Mines, and as part of his duties would investigate the causes of mining disasters throughout England, Scotland and Wales, of which there were many.
His first foray into politics occurred in 1880 when he unsuccessfully contested the seat of Birkenhead. He campaigned for proportional representation and the abolishment of Hereditary Peers in the House of Lords.
When Williams married Rose in 1878, Crawshay did not attend the wedding and severed Rose from his will. Although they moved to Eastbourne for some time, Williams and his family moved back to South Wales in 1889 and set up home at Plas Coed-y-Mwster, a mansion in Coychurch, Bridgend.
Williams died in 1911 aged 77 and his ashes were placed within Coychurch church in 1912.
23rd United Kingdom Parliament. 24th United Kingdom Parliament. 25th United Kingdom Parliament]
In 1885 he was elected as a Liberal member of South Glamorgan and held the seat until 1895.
They had two sons, Eliot Crawshay-Williams who was also a Member of Parliament and Leslie Crawshay.
