[1] Known by her peers as a pioneer in the field of comparative medieval literature, more especially the origin and rise of the Arthurian Romances, she was awarded the Officier d’Academie and Chevalier de la Legion d’Honneur by the French government in 1934.

This enabled her to undertake a period of study at the National University of Ireland at Dublin which contributed to the success of her research into the origin of the Arthurian Romances.

At the same time, she enrolled at the Sorbonne where in 1910 she obtained a doctorate from the University of Paris, D.es l (D.Lit), producing a thesis dealing with the relation of the Welsh story of Peredur to the French and German versions.

During the First World War, Mary Williams also held numerous responsibilities in addition to her full-time academic post at King's College.

In 1915, the Academic Council of King's College recommended that she be appointed a Reader of the University, but, owing to delay caused by the war, the Readership was not conferred by the Senate until January 1919.

In 1948 Williams was appointed Professor of French and Acting Head of Department at the University of Durham, a post she held until her retirement in 1952.

[7][8] It was reported that Williams felt these were "not so much as being personal distinctions but rather as France’s tributes to Wales and to the Welsh contribution to our European cultural heritage".

[9] Her enthusiasm for her native country of Wales and its advancement and material prosperity contributed to the high esteem in which she was held by her colleagues and the wider community.

Described by those who knew her as a great favourite, Williams "was a notable organiser who in a quiet and business-like way demonstrated sterling qualities and a zest for research".

The network hold regular seminars around the theme of gender equality in academia, inviting notable speakers from the UK and beyond.