Edward Williams

Edward Williams was educated at Eton, and Third Trinity, Cambridge. He started rowing at Eton and was in the eight that won the Ladies’ Plate at Henley in 1905. In his final year, 1907, he was the school sculling champion and, after going to Cambridge, he won the University Pairs title in both 1908 (with Eric Powell) and 1909 (with Gordon Thomson). Williams was also a triple Blue 1908-10. He won a bronze medal with the Cambridge eights at the 1908 London Olympics, but one of the finest moments of his career came at Henley in 1909 when he won the Silver Goblets with Banner Johnstone.

Between 1910-13 Williams worked overseas in a remote part of Rhodesia with The Chartered Company. He returned to England and resumed rowing, and at the 1914 Henley Regatta he reached the semi-final of the Diamond Sculls, before losing to Colin Stuart, the youngest brother of Douglas Stuart. Williams also reached the final of the Silver Goblets with Ralph Le Blanc-Smith, but they were beaten by the Swann brothers Sidney and Alfred.

Williams joined the 2nd Battalion of the Grenadier Guards in September 1914 but was killed in action less than 12 months later when he became the 13th former rowing Blue to fall in the Great War. His partner in the Silver Goblets at Henley the previous year, Ralph Le Blanc-Smith, was also killed in action in 1915.

Despite being just 27 years-of-age at the time of his death, Williams had held some important positions within the rowing world. He was president of the Cambridge University Boat Club in 1910, having previously been Captain of the Boats at Eton, and was also captain of the Leander Club.