[3] Born the eldest son of John (a physician) and Adeline (née Peter) Williams, at Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire,[4] he was educated at Rossall School and then went up to Jesus College, Oxford, where he had a remarkable career.
He was a Scholar of his college and took a Triple First in Classical Moderations (1908), Greats (1910), and Modern History (1911), having won the Gladstone Historical Essay in 1909.
Williams married Margaret, née Stewart, of Perthshire,[1] on 23 August 1914; they had no children, and she died in 1958.
[4] He was ordained deacon on St Thomas's day (21 December) 1913[5] and priest on 20 December 1914[6]—both times by Charles Gore, Bishop of Oxford, at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford[5][6]—and soon moved to Winchester College, where he was Assistant Master (1915–1916), Second Master (1916–1924), and Headmaster (1924–1934), having meanwhile been appointed an Honorary Canon of Winchester Cathedral in 1928 and Chaplain to George V in 1931, both of which he gave up in 1934, when he was appointed Dean of Christ Church.
[1] An unobtrusive but much respected cleric,[9] he retired to Charmouth, Dorset, and died at home there seven years later,[10] his funeral service being at Winchester Cathedral.