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| Reverend David Albert Williams From the 1964 School Photo. |
We are now in position to give a fairly accurate and detailed timeline of his life and career, and it's interesting, for those of us who were taught by him. There is still a lot we don't know about him, such as his family background, but he was one of the long standing 'Masters' at the City of Coventry Boarding School, serving between 1961 and 1980 and this forms an outline of his life and career.
Some of the former pupils have suggested that he was a 'bomb aimer' during WW2 but so far we have found nothing to substantiate that notion. He seems to have been a Curate in Llanbadarn Fawr 1940 - 49 according to Crockford's Clerical Directory.
The Reverend David Albert Williams 1915 - 2004
1915 - David Albert Williams was born on the 23rd of February 1915 in Llanwrda, Carmarthenshire.
Llanwrda is a village on the River Towy, in the county of Carmarthenshire in west Wales, situated some 4 miles (6.5 km) southwest of Llandovery.
1925 - DAW was 10 in 1925, the year of the Centenary of the S & D Railway,
1935 - 39 At 20 years old he seems to have studied for a BA at St. David's College, Lampeter
The entry in Crockford's Clerical Directory is "St. D. Coll. Lamp. BA 35".
"The University of Wales Trinity Saint David is a collegiate university operating on three main campuses in South West Wales: in Carmarthen, Lampeter, and Swansea. The university also has a fourth campus in London, England". Wikipedia
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| The University of Wales Trinity Saint David |
1936 DAW was at St Michael's Anglican Theological College, Cardiff, Llandaff, Wales. And the entry in Crockford's Directory is "St. Mich. Coll. Llan 36".
"St Michael's College, Cardiff is an Anglican Theological college in Llandaff, Wales. The college was founded in 1892, and has been situated at its present site in Llandaff since 1904. Among its many alumni is the poet R. S. Thomas." Wikipedia
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| St Michael's College, Cardiff
1938 DAW becomes an Ordained Deacon. Entry in Crockford's Directory "d 38", where 'd' means "Ordained Deacon". ie An ordained minister of an order ranking below that of priest.
1939 DAW becomes an Ordained Priest. Entry in Crockford's "p 39". Although he serves as a Curate until 1949. |
Chaz Townley found that - The National Register gives a "Clerk in Holy Orders" and DAW was living at 65 Wayside, Penrhos Road , Bangor M.B., Caernarvonshire, Wales.
Chaz says "Using the British Newspaper Website found 2 references to him officiating at funerals in - 1939. Also described as a Curate.
In Crockfield's directory the entry says "C Penrhosgarnedd 38 - 40" Where C is a Curate. So it seems he was a Curate at this location in Bangor between 1938 and 1940. And also at Glanadder in Bangor,which near by.Entry in Crockford's "Glanadder 38 - 40".
1940 - 49 - DAW was a Curate in Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth. Llanbadarn Fawr is an urbanised village in Ceredigion, Wales. It is located on the outskirts of Aberystwyth. It is here that served during WW2. In Crockford's Directory it says "C Llanbadarn Fawr St D 40-49". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Padarn%27s_Church,_Llanbadarn_Fawr
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| Llanbadarn Fawr Parish Church dedicated to St Padarn; the current church dates from 1257 |
1945 - At the end of the WW2 DAW turned 30 years old.
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| Rev David Albert Williams as RAF Chaplain 1949 / 58. |
1949 - 1958 RAF Chaplain. In 1949 DAW joined the RAF as a Chaplain. Crockford's confirm this "Chapl RAF 49 - 58" and the Church Times here -https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2004/10-september/gazette/deaths
We have no information as to where he was stationed but he was 34 when he signed up and 43 when he finished.
The site below gives more information as to the role of RAF Chaplain.
https://www.raf.mod.uk/chaplains/aboutus/history1945.cfm
1958 - 59 A change of career led DAW to become an Assistant Master of King’s Rise School, Peckham Rd, Birmingham,(1958-59).
1959 - 1961 Becomes a House Master of Bourne School, Kuala Lumpur. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bourne_School and here http://www.archhistory.co.uk/taca/HarrisonBourne.html
1961 - 1980 Joins City of Coventry Boarding School as Assistant House master. Variously teaches Divinity, English, Current Affairs (1966 /7), History (after 1969). Head Librarian. (1961 - 80). A story has it that when he left Kuala Lumur, he met Mr Harper on the journey back who was about to take up a post at City of Coventry School and suggested DAW apply too - as obviously he did! DAW was 46 when he started in 1961 and 65 when he retired in 1980.
Above photo of and by Charles Joyce.
Above photo from the School Brochure early 1960's
Some of the books we studied in English -
Spencer Chapman - The Jungle is Neutral
Thomas Hardy - Far from the Madding Crowd.
Next two photos by Charles Joyce
Pygmalion. Macbeth
Written work / notes from Trev Teasdel from DAW's English class.
The Vocabulary Book
1980 - Retires at 65 and returns to Llanwrda. Preached at churches and chapels in that area.
"At his invitation ,We went to visit him at his home after he retired, it was extremely basic ,no modern amenities and newspapers for tablecloths, he used to go to my mum who lived in Papermills in Llanwrda, for a cuppa and cake. We liked him! "
1985 - 70 years old
1995 - 80 years old
2004 - 89 years old - passed away 24th August. Left 2 million to various charities.
"Friends say Rev Williams, who died aged 89, was a quiet man and people would never have guessed he was wealthy."
And from here https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2004/10-september/gazette/deaths
"WILLIAMS. — On 24 August, the Revd David Albert Williams: RAF Chaplain (1949-58); Assistant Master of King’s Rise School, Birmingham (1958-59); House Master of Bourne School, Kuala Lumpur (1959-61); Assistant Master of City of Coventry Boarding School, Cleobury Mortimer (1961-80); aged 89."
2006 An article appeared in the BBC News - Wales. The Frugal Minister left £2m to good causes. Monday, 23 October 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6077710.stm
Rev Williams retired to his home village of Llanwrda
"I don't think anyone would have guessed - he lived a simple and frugal life in the village.
"When he was fitter - when I first arrived here - he would help out, especially if I was away, and he would cover in other local churches from time to time when they were without vicars.
"Locally we have benefited greatly from what he left - some has come to my own church and also to another church - Chapel Dewi - for restoration and re-carpeting."
The Alzheimer's Research Trust said Rev Williams' "generous gift" of £50,000 helped launch a research programme into whether oily fish could help slow the progression of Alzheimer's and lead to new treatments.
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Further information on the results of his donations to good causes from Wales on Line -
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health/legacy-buys-sight-saving-kit-2257545.amp
Legacy buys sight-saving kit
MONEY donated to Swansea hospitals from the estate of a West Wales minister has been used to buy a key piece of equipment to help save the sight of premature babies.
BY WALESONLINE
00:00, 9 APR 2007UPDATED06:12, 30 MAR 2013
MONEY donated to Swansea hospitals from the estate of a West Wales minister has been used to buy a key piece of equipment to help save the sight of premature babies.
1995 - 80 years old
2004 - 89 years old - passed away 24th August. Left 2 million to various charities.
"Friends say Rev Williams, who died aged 89, was a quiet man and people would never have guessed he was wealthy."
Below is from this site https://www.crockford.org.uk/faq/list-of-abbreviations
And from here https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2004/10-september/gazette/deaths
"WILLIAMS. — On 24 August, the Revd David Albert Williams: RAF Chaplain (1949-58); Assistant Master of King’s Rise School, Birmingham (1958-59); House Master of Bourne School, Kuala Lumpur (1959-61); Assistant Master of City of Coventry Boarding School, Cleobury Mortimer (1961-80); aged 89."
2006 An article appeared in the BBC News - Wales. The Frugal Minister left £2m to good causes. Monday, 23 October 2006
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6077710.stm
'Frugal' minister left £2m legacy  The Rev Albert Williams served in the RAF after World War II Hospitals, churches and charities are benefiting from a £2m legacy left by a west Wales minister who led a "simple and frugal" life.Before his death in 2004, Reverend Albert Williams, of Llanwrda, Carmarthenshire, left instructions in his will to help good causes. Friends say Rev Williams, who died aged 89, was a quiet man and people would never have guessed he was wealthy. Nearly £700,000 is going to hospitals in Swansea alone. The city's NHS trust said it was "delighted and extremely grateful" for the "generous" donation. Around £400,000 will be spent on new cancer services and £240,000 on cardiac equipment. Money has also been pledged to research treatment and relief of heart disease, cancer, blindness, multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer's Disease.    I don't think anyone would have guessed - he lived a simple and frugal life in the village  Reverend Adrian Legg Causes outside of health to benefit include a park for youngsters in Llanwrda and the village hall. Rev Williams was born there before moving away to become a curate, first in Bangor and then Llanbadarn Fawr, Aberystwyth. He joined the Royal Air Force as a padre after World War II and then became a history teacher at the City of Coventry School in the Midlands. He retired and returned to Llanwrda around 1980 and preached at churches and chapels in that area. Rev Williams left instructions in his will that the money was to go to good causes. A spokesman for his estate said the vast majority of the money would be spent in Wales and that he hoped it would encourage others to donate to local causes. Reverend Adrian Legg, the vicar of Llanwrda, said: "I think everybody was very surprised that he left that amount of money to charity.  |
Rev Williams retired to his home village of Llanwrda
"I don't think anyone would have guessed - he lived a simple and frugal life in the village.
"When he was fitter - when I first arrived here - he would help out, especially if I was away, and he would cover in other local churches from time to time when they were without vicars.
"Locally we have benefited greatly from what he left - some has come to my own church and also to another church - Chapel Dewi - for restoration and re-carpeting."
The Alzheimer's Research Trust said Rev Williams' "generous gift" of £50,000 helped launch a research programme into whether oily fish could help slow the progression of Alzheimer's and lead to new treatments.
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Further information on the results of his donations to good causes from Wales on Line -
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health/legacy-buys-sight-saving-kit-2257545.amp
Legacy buys sight-saving kit
MONEY donated to Swansea hospitals from the estate of a West Wales minister has been used to buy a key piece of equipment to help save the sight of premature babies.
BY WALESONLINE
00:00, 9 APR 2007UPDATED06:12, 30 MAR 2013
MONEY donated to Swansea hospitals from the estate of a West Wales minister has been used to buy a key piece of equipment to help save the sight of premature babies.
The £50,000 Retcam will help eye specialists at Singleton Hospital identify babies with a condition called retinopathy of prematurity - the same disease that caused singer Stevie Wonder to go blind.
Such early diagnosis will enable treatment to start quickly, saving the babies from a lifetime of blindness.
It is one of the latest purchases made from donations of more than £700,000 from the estate of the Reverend David Albert Williams, from Llanwrda in Carmarthenshire, who died in 2004.
In October Swansea NHS Trust announced £224,000 was being spent on cardiac equipment, and around £450,000 on cancer services. A further £50,000 has also been spent on pain relief equipment, and more than £50,000 on other ophthalmology equipment, in addition to the Retcam.
David Laws, a consultant ophthalmologist at Singleton Hospital, said, "I would like to thank the Rev Williams for thinking of ophthalmology in his will and allowing us to buy an important piece of equipment.
"Premature babies are at risk of a blinding eye disease called retinopathy of prematurity. This is the disease that caused singer Stevie Wonder to lose his sight.
"About 15 years ago a treatment became available which is very effective at preventing the disease. Unfortunately, we are not very accurate at predicting which babies will get it, so have to screen many children to pick up the few with blinding disease.
"The Retcam enables us to view the inside of the eye with a video camera, allowing a more accurate diagnosis."
Fund-raisers at Clase Community Centre, in Swansea, have also contributed £5,000 towards the equipment.
Discussions are under way to consider the best way to spend the £450,000 set aside for cancer services.
And from BBC Wales http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/6918004.stm
3D ultrasound boon for heart ops
The ultrasound probe can be placed on a patient's beating heart
Surgeons in Swansea have taken delivery of an ultrasound probe that produces three-dimensional images of the heart. The probe, one of few of its kind in the UK, was bought by Morriston Hospital using donated money.
It can be used in open-heart surgery to enable surgeons to see real-time 3D images of a patient's beating heart on a computer screen.
They describe the 3D images from the £60,000 machine as "like being able to take a walk inside a patient's heart".
Consultant cardiologist Adrian Ionescu said: "The quality of the pictures is unparalleled, as there is no intervening structure between the probe and the heart.
"This is not experimental, but it's certainly very, very new and hardly done in the UK."
He said the probe would make a "significant difference" for some patients with complex heart problems.
Being able to look at the heart while it's still beating, with 3D, can allow a significant advantage Adrian Ionescu, cardiologist
He said: "Say you have a patient with a complex problem such as a rupture of the heart wall following an extensive heart attack. When this complication isn't fatal it requires immediate surgery.
"The surgery is very difficult because often these ruptures occur in an area of the heart which the surgeon has great difficulty to see, even on a non-beating open heart.
"Being able to look at the heart while it's still beating, with 3D, can allow a significant advantage in planning the operation and making it a success.
Early data
"Basically, in this type of situation, you have one go and if you don't get it right, the likelihood of having a live patient at the end is very low.
"This is one of the rare but nevertheless very significant situations where this technology is likely to make a major impact."
The hospital's cardiac unit has so far used the probe with around 15 patients, and is currently assessing early data with a view to publishing their findings later this year.
The probe and equipment were bought with money donated to Swansea NHS Trust by the late Reverend David Albert Williams, of Llanwrda.
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