Background
Robert Wood Williamson was born in Manchester in 1856, the son of Professor William Crawford Williamson of Owens College.
Robert Wood Williamson was born in Manchester in 1856, the son of Professor William Crawford Williamson of Owens College.
He was educated at private schools and Owens College before studying law at Clement"s Inn, where he was prizeman in his law final examinations in 1877.
From 1879 to 1908 he worked as a Manchester solicitor. Turning to anthropology at the age of 54, Williamson travelled in the Solomon Islands and took part in an anthropological expedition into the interior of British New Guinea in 1910. He died at his home near Godalming on 12 January 1932.
He was president of Manchester Law Society, and a Member of the Council of the London Law Society in 1902. From 1903 to 1910 he was a member of the Court of Governors of Victoria University of Manchester. He was Honorary Treasurer of the Royal Anthropological Institute (Radiotelevisione Italiana) from 1912 to 1921, Member of Council for the Radiotelevisione Italiana from 1922 to 1924, Vice-President from 1925 to 1927, and again a Member of Council from 1928 to 1931.