Dr. David H. Williams

The Rev. Dr. David H. Williams

In January 2001 the subject of the lecture to the Bibliographical Group was “Cistercian libraries with especial reference to Wales and the border”. As a result of the meeting the speaker, David Williams, joined the Group and became a regular attender at our meetings and dinners. His main research interests were the Cistercians and wax seals, and he wrote extensively on these and other subjects, including his 2007 book Images of Welsh history: seals of the National Library of Wales. He prided himself on probably being the National Library’s longest-standing reader.

Academic activities, however, were only one aspect of David Williams’s life. He was born in Newport in 1933 on the feast day of St. Gwynllyw (Woolos), but part of his childhood was spent in Egypt where his father was working. After reading Geography at Trinity College, Cambridge, he was ordained in St. Woolos Cathedral in Newport, and devoted his life to priestly ministry. This included periods in the monastic community on Caldey Island, in the parish of Pool Quay near Welshpool, and as a chaplain to English-speaking congregations in Poland and Libya. His lasting affection for Poland was reflected in his home-made Christmas cards, items of bibliographical interest in themselves, which always contained a photograph of a historic religious site with accompanying description and a greeting in English, Welsh and Polish.

In retirement David moved to the Aberystwyth area, partly in order to use the National Library, but he continued to conduct services in various churches, including Holy Trinity, Aberystwyth, and St. Matthew’s, Borth, as well as being active in the Royal British Legion. He was very hospitable, hosting numerous tea parties at his home, including an annual one for the catering staff of the National Library. His latter years were spent at the College of St. Barnabas, a home for retired clergy in Lingfield, Surrey. He enjoyed the company of like-minded people there and continued his researches at the British Library, publishing a history of the College in 2023. He missed Wales and made return visits to Aberystwyth as long as his health allowed. He died in October 2025. Despite to his regret having never learned Welsh, David Williams remained deeply attached to the land to whose academic and spiritual life his years had been devoted.

Timothy Cutts