William Cornelius Williams Jr. (1849 - 1891)

Born 1849 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Johanna (Casey) Williams — married 3 Jul 1873 in St Marks Church, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia

Descendants

Died 19 May 1891 at about age 42 in Carlton, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

William Cornelius Williams (1849-1891) was born in 1849 in Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

William Cornelius Williams was a pioneer & highly decorated player (listed as Bill Williams) for the Carlton Football Club for 13 seasons from 1864-1876 & was a prominent and exceedingly popular member of the Carlton Football Club in the 1870's, ^[1]

His direct family descendants claim he kicked the Carlton Football Club's first goal (see Carlton Football Club - Blueseum website), however this can't be confirmed due to lack of newspaper reporting the results for some of the early games. ^[2]

William Cornelius Williams (from Carlton) married Johanna Casey (from Co. Tipperary, Ireland) on the 3 Jul 1873 at St Marks Church, Fitzroy, Victoria. Johanna's parents may have originally been from Cork City, Co. Cork, Ireland however Johanna was listed as being born in Co. Tipperary, Ireland in the marriage certificate.

William Cornelius worked for the Victorian Railways in his early life & from 1885 as the licencee for the Flower Hotel, 249 Drummond St Carlton.

After his marriage to Johanna they moved to 65 Roden St, West Melbourne.

Ironically even though William's father William Cornelius Williams Snr was extensively involved in the 'Melbourne Temperance Movement' of the 1840's-1860's this did not stop William Cornelius Williams Jnr becoming the licencee of the Flower Hotel in 239 Drummond St, Carlton for 6 years.

Sadly William Cornelius Jnr & his wife Johanna would pass away in their early 40's a year apart, Johanna in 1890 & William Cornelius in 1891 both at the Flower Hotel, Carlton. They both passed away from alcohol related diseases a year after his fathers (1889) death & tragically left their 4 young children orphaned.

After William Cornelius death In May 1891 Johanna's sister Mary Casey was the caretaker manager of the Flower Hotel while his Probate was being finalised. On the 2 Dec 1891 Mary Casey took over the licence from the Administrator for the Flower Hotel until her death in 1893.

Parents

Father: William Cornelius Williams (Snr) 1807-1889 from London, England & Mother: Sarah Ann (Thompson) Williams (1812-1893) born Cork City, Co. Cork, Ireland.

Note: Sarah's father Joseph Thompson (1783-1862) & his family settled in Geelong in the mid 1840's starting the Joseph Thompson & Sons Engineering business in Ryrie St Geelong c1846.

Birth

William Cornelius Williams was born in 1849 in Geelong. BDM's (Victorian Birth Record) lists his surname as 'William' without the 's' on the end (1849).
Note: Some sources have William Cornelius Williams as being born in Wales which is incorrect.

Siblings

William Cornelius Williams had 5 siblings:- Joseph William (1844-1844); Sarah Ann (1846-1927) married Walter A Williams & had 11 children; Robert (1851-1852); Joseph (1847-1924); Charles Williams (1854-1939)

Marriage

William Cornelius Williams (from Carlton) married Johanna Casey (Co.Tipperary, Ireland) on the 3 Jul 1873 at St Marks Church, Fitzroy, Victoria.
Note: Johannah (Casey) Williams was born 1850 in Co. Tipperary, Ireland as per Marriage Certficate.

Children

William Cornelius Williams & Johanna Casey had 6 Children: -
William Henry Williams (1874-1921) b. Melb Nth; Florence May Williams (1876-1935) b. Hotham; Edith Frances Williams (1877-19??) b. Melbourne; Joseph John died aged 9 mths (1879-1880) b. Melbourne; Harold Roden Williams (1883-1884) died aged 14 mths Melbourne; Herbert Drummond Williams (1885-1964) b. Carlton & named after Drummond St Carlton.

Residences

1849-1850: Born in Geelong area?
1851-1854: Melbourne & Eastern Hill area.
1856: Bourke St East, Melbourne.
1857-1863: Melbourne & Eastern Hill area.
1864-1870: 127 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy.
1850-1850: TBA - May have lived in Geelong.
1851-c1864: Melbourne & Eastern Hill area with family.
1865-1871: 127 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy with parents.
1872: 284 Fitzroy St, Fitzroy with parents.
c1873-1879: TBA after marriage 1873 in Fitzroy.
c1880-1884: 65 Roden St, West Melbourne as per Death Notice for sons Joseph John aged 9 mths 1880 & Harold Roden aged 14 mths 1884.
c1885-1891: Lived at the Flower Hotel, 249 Drummond St, Carlton.
Licence for Flower Hotel granted to WC Williams 8 Jan 1885.[5]

Occupations

1864-1876: Pioneer Footballer for the Carlton Football Club who played for 13 seasons.
c1867-c1884: Victorian Railways.
1885-1891: Licenced Victualler : Flower Hotel, 249 Drummond St, Carlton [6]

Carton Football Club

The Carltonians was also the name for the Carlton FC in the 1850's. (Ref: 20 May 1851 Meeting)

William Cornelius Williams was a pioneer player for Carlton Football Club and may have scored the club's first goal in Carlton's second game according to the Williams family (see Blueseum - History of the Carlton Football Club).

Bill Williams (William Cornelius "Billy" Williams Jnr.).
Player for 13 seasons with Carlton FC from 1864-1876.

Flower Hotel, 249 Drummond St, Carlton

1889: Mysterious murder at Somerset Place, a small lane leading off Drummond Street, Carlton.
1892: Photograph of the Carlton First Twenty of 1868 in Joe Williams shop window [7]

See various Trove backstories. ^[3]

Before his death during the early part of the 1890's depression there was pressure from creditors to call in promissory notes (loans). His Probate & newspaper article identified one of these promissory notes for £350 & a dishonoured bank cheque for £44 related to the running of the Flower Hotel.

After William Cornelius death In May 1891 his wife Johanna's sister Mary Casey was the caretaker manager while his Probate was being finalised. On the 2 Dec 1891 Mary Casey took over the licence from the Administrator for the Flower Hotel until her death in 1893.

Death/Burial/Probate

Died 19 May 1891 aged 44? at the Flower Hotel, Drummond St, Carlton.
Death Certificate: Died of Cirrhosis of the Liver & Syncope (Fainting).

Buried 20 May 1891 - Melbourne General Cemetry.

Probate was granted 10 Jul 1891 however William Cornelius Williams family declined the request to be Administrators. ^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Blueseum - History of the Carlton Football Club - Bill Williams was a pioneer player for the Carlton Football Club from 1864-1876. [1]
2. ↑ 9 Feb 2017: Tony De Bolfo, Carlton Media - Was Williams our first goalkicker? [2]
3. ↑ 1885-1892: Flower Hotel - Drummond St, Carlton Backstories. [3]
4. ↑ 10 Jul 1891: Probate William Cornelius Williams Jnr. [4]