Researching Joseph Williams

He met an unfortunate death in a mining-related accident on the Himley Road, Dudley, on 14 April 1834. He was walking along the road near to a mine-pit, and an explosion taking place threw a large rock into the air which killed him instantly. The pit's owners, Messrs. Horton, were not penalised for the accident.

A second collection of his music, The Celestial Chorister (London: Joseph Hart, c. 1835), was published posthumously, as the title page states, to raise money for his widow and 6 children. The collection is unusual in that 12 of the hymns take their titles from the 12 signs of the Zodiac.

Although he only played two matches at first-class level, Williams had greater success in the limited-overs format, playing six matches over the 1996–97 and 1997–98 seasons of the West Indian domestic one-day competition. He made his List A debut for Barbados against the Windward Islands in October 1996, taking one wicket on debut. In what was arguably his best performance for the team, Williams took 3/33 in the following match against Bermuda, helping to restrict the Bermudians to 215/8 from their 50 overs. His last one-day match for Barbados came against Guyana in October 1997, with his figures of 3/54 the best in the match. Williams did not play for Barbados again, finishing with eight wickets from his six limited-overs matches, alongside his three wickets from two first-class matches.

Beginning with the 1912 season, Williams, working as a groundsman at Lord's, also turned out for the MCC in several non-first-class matches. His only match at first-class level came in May 1914, against Kent. In the match, he scored 11 not out in the MCC's first innings, which included a partnership of 39 runs for the ninth wicket with former Test player Jack Hearne. While bowling, he conceded 26 runs from his three overs, and the MCC lost by an innings and 19 runs. In the First World War, Williams served as a private in the 10th Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment. He was killed in Thiepval, France, in July 1916, as part of the ongoing Battle of the Somme. His name is inscribed on the Thiepval Memorial.

Williams, the son of Gen. Joseph Williams, was born at Norwich, Connecticut, March 29, 1779.

He graduated from Yale College in 1798. Alter studying at Litchfield Law School, he commenced the practiceof law in his native place, with the public interests of which he was, during his long life, honorably identified. He held various positions of trust, and was one of the projectors, and, at the time of his death, the President of the Norwich Savings Society. He also served several terms in the Connecticut State Legislature.

He died in Norwich, Nov. 28, 1865, aged 86 years. He was the oldest native male resident of Norwich, and thelast surviving member of the Yale Class of 1798. Two daughters, unmarried, survive him.