Background
Williams was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England and came to New Zealand as a young child.
Williams was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England and came to New Zealand as a young child.
From April 1844 ‐ 1846 he attended the College of Saint John Evangelist, when it was located at Waimate North and then at Street John's College in Auckland.
In 1841 Williams was managing the family farm at Pakaraka. He was managing the farm during the Flagstaff War when in June 1845 Hone Heke went to Pakaraka to gather food supplies. He was also ordained at Street John's College in Auckland in 1846.
On 20 September 1846 he was appointed deacon of Old Saint Pauls, Auckland.
From February 1848 to December 1853 Williams assisted Archdeacon Octavius Hadfield at Otaki. In 1853, after William Colenso was dismissed from the Church Missionary Society, Williams was persuaded to move to Hawkes Bay.
Te Aute College opened in 1854. However the school buildings were destroyed in a fire.
Williams worked the Te Aute estate in order to provide the financial resources to rebuild the school.
The school that became Hukarere Girls" College was opened in 1875. In 1859 Williams built Christ Church at Pukehou, nearby to Te Aute. Williams was the Rural Dean of Hawke"s Bay from 1854 to 1888.
He was archdeacon in 1888 and in 1889 was appointed the archdeacon and canon of Street John"s Cathedral, Napier while still continuing his work at Te Aute College.
Williams died in Te Aute on 14 March 1907.