Basil Williams
Encyclopedia
Basil Williams OBE (4 April 1867 - 5 January 1950), was an English
historian
.
Williams was born in London
, the son of a barrister
. He was educated at Marlborough College
and then read Classics at New College, Oxford
. He was a clerk in the House of Commons. One of his duties was to attend the parliamentary committee of inquiry into the responsibility for the Jameson raid
, and he became familiar with Cecil Rhodes, whose biography he later wrote.
Williams served in the Second Boer War
, where one of his companions was Erskine Childers
, of whom he later wrote a memoir. In 1905 he married Dorothy Caulfield. She died two years before him.
Williams came back to the UK briefly, then returned to South Africa as a civilian, in the service of Lord Milner. He also worked as an assistant to Lionel Curtis, the town clerk of Johannesburg
. During World War I
, he served as an education officer in the Royal Field Artillery
and in 1919 was awarded the O.B.E. for his services.
Williams had already made an impression as an academic, with a series of articles on Sir Robert Walpole
's foreign policy in the English Historical Review (1900-1). He became Kingsford Professor of History at McGill University
in 1921, and then Professor of history at Edinburgh University from 1925 to 1937 when he retired. In 1935 he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy. He wrote biographies of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham (1913), and Stanhope (1932), Carteret and Newcastle (1943). He retained his interest in South Africa, and this became a secondary sphere of historical interest. In 1946 he produced a book on Botha, Smuts and South Africa.
He also contributed a volume entitled The Whig Supremacy to The Oxford History of England
, later updated by C. H. Stuart.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
.
Williams was born in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, the son of a barrister
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
. He was educated at Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
and then read Classics at New College, Oxford
New College, Oxford
New College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.- Overview :The College's official name, College of St Mary, is the same as that of the older Oriel College; hence, it has been referred to as the "New College of St Mary", and is now almost always...
. He was a clerk in the House of Commons. One of his duties was to attend the parliamentary committee of inquiry into the responsibility for the Jameson raid
Jameson Raid
The Jameson Raid was a botched raid on Paul Kruger's Transvaal Republic carried out by a British colonial statesman Leander Starr Jameson and his Rhodesian and Bechuanaland policemen over the New Year weekend of 1895–96...
, and he became familiar with Cecil Rhodes, whose biography he later wrote.
Williams served in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
, where one of his companions was Erskine Childers
Robert Erskine Childers
Robert Erskine Childers DSC , universally known as Erskine Childers, was the author of the influential novel Riddle of the Sands and an Irish nationalist who smuggled guns to Ireland in his sailing yacht Asgard. He was executed by the authorities of the nascent Irish Free State during the Irish...
, of whom he later wrote a memoir. In 1905 he married Dorothy Caulfield. She died two years before him.
Williams came back to the UK briefly, then returned to South Africa as a civilian, in the service of Lord Milner. He also worked as an assistant to Lionel Curtis, the town clerk of Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he served as an education officer in the Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
and in 1919 was awarded the O.B.E. for his services.
Williams had already made an impression as an academic, with a series of articles on Sir Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole
Robert Walpole, 1st Earl of Orford, KG, KB, PC , known before 1742 as Sir Robert Walpole, was a British statesman who is generally regarded as having been the first Prime Minister of Great Britain....
's foreign policy in the English Historical Review (1900-1). He became Kingsford Professor of History at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
in 1921, and then Professor of history at Edinburgh University from 1925 to 1937 when he retired. In 1935 he was elected a Fellow of the British Academy. He wrote biographies of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham (1913), and Stanhope (1932), Carteret and Newcastle (1943). He retained his interest in South Africa, and this became a secondary sphere of historical interest. In 1946 he produced a book on Botha, Smuts and South Africa.
He also contributed a volume entitled The Whig Supremacy to The Oxford History of England
Oxford History of England
The Oxford History of England is one of the most prominent and acclaimed modern history series, written by many of the then-leading historians of each period....
, later updated by C. H. Stuart.