David John Williams (1818 - 1902)

Born 1818 in Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom

Husband of Jane Walters (Voss) Williams — married 1851 in Glamorgan, Wales, United Kingdom

Died 1902 at about age 84 in Queenscliff, Victoria, Australia

Eureka Rebellion

Biography

David Williams was born in Glamorgan, Wales.

David Williams came free to the Colony of Victoria (1851-1900)

David Williams was involved in events associated with the Eureka Rebellion at Ballarat.

Needs research ancestors.

David John Williams was born 1818 in Swansea, Glenmorganshire, Wales^[1]. He studied medicine in England and Scotland up until he graduated MRCS (Membership of The Royal College of Surgeons) in 1841; LSA (Licence of the Society of Apothecaries) qualification 1845 & M.D. 1848 at St Andrews ^[2]

"As the early 19th century law restricting medical employment in the British military, to those who had qualifications in both medicine and surgery was taken to require diplomas from different organisations, it became customary to take both the Licence of the Society of Apothecaries (LSA) and the Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (MRCS)."^[3]

"Williams obtained a position working as a surgeon-superintendent on the 'Templar' which arrived in Sydney in 27 August 1844^[4][5].

He then returned to England and through the 'English Medical Service' became the surgeon on The 'Queen Victoria'^[6]- this luxury yacht was a gift from Her Majesty to the Russian Tzar Alexander (a previous love interest) who was about to visit England. He spent the summer sailing in the yacht with the Tzar and his family. He was then appointed personal medical officer to the Tzar serving him plus several hospitals in St Petersburg. When he decided it was time to return to England, the Tzar gave him an engraved jewel-encrusted broach and awarded him the Star of the Order of St Anne for personal services to the sovereign. (In 2009 the broach was sold at auction for $51,000!)"^[7][8][9]

He married Jane Walters Voss 1851 at Glamorganshire, Wales, UK.^[10][11].

Dr David Williams & new wife moved permanently to Australia, and arrived in Melbourne on 17 May 1853 on the 'Bride', a vessel on which he served as Surgeon-Superintendent^[12]. In September 1853 he was appointed to the Quarantine Station at Point Nepean, Port Phillip Bay. Victoria. ^[13].

Dr Williams then took up the position of District Surgeon at Ballarat after the resignation of Dr Heise, arriving in Ballarat on 10 August 1854. In this posting he was otherwise known, & often mentioned in news articles, as the (Ballarat military) 'Camp Doctor'.

Their first child, Houlton Voss Williams, was born on 14 September 1854 at Ballarat, Victoria. He died in 6th January 1855 and is buried at Ballaarat Old Cemetery. Aged 4 months.

In between these dates he was called on to conduct the coroner's inquest of the death of Scottish Miner James Scobie. Scobie's death led to one of the defining events of the Eureka Stockade & so this, many historiams would suggest, was one of the defining events leading to the development of Democracy in Australia as we know it today. At the time Williams' as coroner was described as 'inexperienced' and criticised for constanly interrupting the witnesses & allowing a suspect to cross-examine a 10 years old witness. His verdict was 'inconclusive'. Within days ; 3 men were arrested & after 2 later trials, found guilty of murder; sentenced each to 3 years hard labour. Later he was required to conduct a coroner's inquest of Henry Powell as well; on 9 December 1854 (Henry was an innocent bystander, killed on the day of the attack on the Eureka Stockade).

The position of District Surgeon was abolished on 31 December 1854 and Dr. Williams relocated to Queenscliff where he took on the role of a Justice of the Peace^[14].

In 1861 Williams graduated his qualification to FRCS (Fellowship of The Royal College of Surgeons)^[15]. and he resumed his former role of Coronerat Queenscliff, Vic.^[16]

By 1863 he was serving on the Queenscliff council ... "QUEENSCLIFF MUNICIPALITY. - A MEETING of the Municipal Council of Queens-cliff was held at Leihy's Royal Hotel on Monday afternoon. Present - Councillors Wright, and seconded by Councillor Robertson, "That Councillor Williams J.P. be chairman of the municipality." Carried unanimously."^[17]

"In 1864 the liturgical west three light stained glass window of St George’s Anglican Church at Queenscliff was donated by Dr. David John Williams (1819-1902). He was Trustee and Vestryman of St George’s Church and the first Mayor of the Borough of Queenscliffe in 1863-64... he window described in this article is the liturgical ‘West’ window which fronts the street and was the first to be erected in the Church...The window depicts the Evangelists. Matthew, Mark. Luke and John and the Shield of the Trinity or Apostles Creed..."^[18]

Dr Williams died in 1902 at Queenscliff, Vic^[19]

"WILLIAMS. —On the 18th January (1902), at Queenscliff, David John Williams, M D , F. R.C.S. , aged 84"^[20]

He is interred at Queenscliff cemetery ^[21] with wife Jane ^[22] & their daughters Isabel ^[23] & Ethel ^[24], the girls passed away at the same time.

Children of David John Williams & Jane Voss

• Houlton Voss (1854-1855) Aged 3 months
• Ethel Mary (1863-1867) Aged 4 years
• Isabel Jane (1858 - 1867) Aged 9 years
• Cyril Gower Voss (1860 - 1949) Aged 89 years

Sources

1. ↑ Christening David Williams 1818 at St Johns parish, Swansea, Glamorgan, Wales, UK. Parents; Rees & Margaret Williams. Father's occupation; School master https://www.freereg.org.uk/
2. ↑ Qualifications register of David John Williams by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. https://livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk/client/en_GB/lives/search/detailnonmodal?qu=%22rcs%3A+E003563%22&d=ent%3A%2F%2FSD_ASSET%2F0%2FSD_ASSET%3A375746%7E%7E0&ic=true&rt=false%7C%7C%7CIDENTIFIER%7C%7C%7CResource+Identifier&h=0
3. ↑ Description of the qualification of LSA & its relevance. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conjoint
4. ↑ Migrant ships arriving in NSW. https://web.archive.org/web/20200319081420/http://members.iinet.net.au/~perthdps/shipping/mig-nsw.htm
5. ↑ Arrival of the Ship Templar 1844. "EMIGRATIONTO NEW SOUTH WALES. - The splendid ship Templar, Captain Brown, one of the vessels chartered by Messrs. Carter and Bonus, with emigrants for this colony, is now lying at Cove, and will sail for her destination on the 16th instant. From having visited and mi-nutely examined the accommodations which this superior vessel affords for a long voyage, we are enabled to express an un-qualified opinion as to the admirable ar-rangements by which the care, comfort, and convenience of her passengers are ensured. The cabins are elegantly fitted up, spacious and airy, and the berths be-tween decks are most commodious and well ventilated, while the classification and order in every department cannot be too highly praised. The hospital department is as perfectly fitted up as any medical institution of the same extent could be on shore, and the passengers are under the medical superintendence of Dr. Williams, who is represented to us as a particularly humane, attentive, and experienced prac-titioner. There are on board 300 steerage, and 14 cabin passengers. Among the latter are Commissary-General Ramsay and family... " The Colonial Observer (Sydney, NSW : 1841 - 1844), Thu 29 Aug 1844 , page 174. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/226466909
6. ↑ "The imperial yacht "Queen Victoria"... was built in England at the shipyard of the Isle of Wight near Southampton. Received its name in honor of the British Queen Victoria. In the autumn of 1846, the English crew brought the yacht to St. Petersburg where the Queen Victoria yacht was presented in a solemn ceremony to the Russian Tsar Alexander II. The yacht became part of the Baltic Fleet of the Russian Empire and was assigned to the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. the yacht "Queen Victoria" regularly served the Russian monarchs as a floating residence for 17 years." Brief History of the Imperial yacht 'Queen Victoria' http://www.shipmodels.com.ua/catalog/Model_of_the_Imperial_yacht_Queen_Victoria
7. ↑ David John Williams biography at Geelong Cemeteries Trust https://www.facebook.com/geelongcemeteriestrust/posts/david-john-williams-md-medical-doctor-studied-medicine-in-england-and-scotland-u/2038287332919327/
8. ↑ Description of Royal Broach at time of sale 2008 - Lot 741, SESSION 3 (John Chapman Collection, 2.30pm Tuesday, 22–24 Jul 2008) Australian Historical Medals (1788-1885) - SOLD $51,000 "RUSSIA, Imperial Court Presentation Jewel (48.43mm x 63.45mm) with brooch mount, comprising a central amethyst surrounded by a cluster of diamonds, within a gold oval ring with green enamelled facings top and at both sides, a double headed Imperial eagle holding sceptre and orb in gold at base. In red case of issue with silver plaque affixed to lid inscribed `Presented by / His Imperial Majesty / the Emperor of all the / Russias / To / D.J.Williams, Esq M.D. / Surgeon to H.I.M.Yacht / `Queen Victoria'. A highly important piece presented by Czar Nicholas I of Russia to Dr D.J.Williams of Eureka fame. Extremely fine and extremely rare". https://www.noble.com.au/auctions/lot?id=222697&ret=1
9. ↑ https://fergusonandurie.wordpress.com/tag/david-john-williams/
10. ↑ Marriage David John Williams & Jane Walters Voss 1851 at Nicholaston, Glamorganshire, Wales, UK "Wales, Glamorganshire, Parish Registers, 1538-1912," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KCYP-TRJ : 10 February 2018), David John Williams and Jane Walters Voss, 01 Oct 1851, Marriage; from "Parish Records Collection 1538-2005," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : 2012); citing Nicholaston, Glamorganshire, Wales, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey
11. ↑ Jane (Voss) Williams interred with David John williams https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/158356774/jane-walters-williams
12. ↑ "TO D. J. WILLIAMS, ESQ. M.D. Surgeon Superintendent. Ship Bride, Williamstown, May 18, 1853. RESPECTED SIR,—We the undersigned emigrants on board the Bride, under your superintendence, beg permission very re-spectfully to congratulate you on the happy issue of the voyage from Plymouth to Port Phillip..." The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957, Wed 25 May 1853, page 12. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/4792919?searchTerm=williams%20surgeon%20bride
13. ↑ "In August 1854 Dr James Reed took up the position of resident doctor, succeeding Dr Williams..." Quarantine early 1850s by Nepean Historical Society. https://nepeanhistoricalsociety.asn.au/history/quarantine-station/quarantine-early-1850s/
14. ↑ D J Williams esq. J.P. at Queenscliff Police Court Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1929), Sat 19 Sep 1863, page 3 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/148699958?searchTerm=queenscliffe%20williams
15. ↑ Qualifications register of David John Williams by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. https://livesonline.rcseng.ac.uk/client/en_GB/lives/search/detailnonmodal?qu=%22rcs%3A+E003563%22&d=ent%3A%2F%2FSD_ASSET%2F0%2FSD_ASSET%3A375746%7E%7E0&ic=true&rt=false%7C%7C%7CIDENTIFIER%7C%7C%7CResource+Identifier&h=0
16. ↑ "GOVERNMENT GAZETTE.- Resumption of Duty.—David John Williams, Coroner, acting at Queenscliff, resumed duty on the 6th September inst" (1861). Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1929), Thu 12 Sep 1861, page 3. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/150307965?searchTerm=queenscliffe%20williams
17. ↑ QUEENSCLIFF MUNICIPALITY meeting notes Geelong Advertiser (Vic. : 1859 - 1929), Wed 17 Jun 1863, page 3 https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/150409461?searchTerm=queenscliffe%20williams
18. ↑ Dr David John Williams - Biography by Ferguson and Urie (Colonial Victoria's Historic Stained Glass Craftsmen 1853-1899) https://fergusonandurie.wordpress.com/tag/david-john-williams/
19. ↑ Death David John Williams 1902 at Queenscliff, Vic. BDM Vic ref# 3218/1902. Parents; Richard & Mary Williams. https://my.rio.bdm.vic.gov.au/
20. ↑ Death Notice David John Williams The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Mon 20 Jan 1902, page 1. https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/9624712
21. ↑ Cemetery David John Williams 1902 at Queenscliff, Victoria. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/158356677/david-john-williams
22. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/158356774/jane-walters-williams
23. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/158356734/isabel-jane-williams
24. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/158356735/ethel-mary-williams