Sir
Ralph Champneys Williams
CMG
Governor of Newfoundland
In office
1909–1913
MonarchsEdward VII
George V
Preceded bySir William MacGregor
Succeeded bySir Walter Edward Davidson
Governor of the Windward Islands
In office
1906–1909
MonarchEdward VII
Preceded bySir Robert Baxter Llewelyn
Succeeded bySir James Hayes Sadler
Resident Commissioner in Bechuanaland
In office
January 1901 – 1906
MonarchsVictoria
Edward VII
GovernorThe Lord Milner
The Earl of Selborne
Preceded bySir Hamilton Goold-Adams
Succeeded byFrancis William Panzera
Personal details
Born9 March 1848
Holyhead, Anglesey
United Kingdom
Died22 June 1927(1927-06-22) (aged 79)
London, United Kingdom

Sir Ralph Champneys Williams CMG (9 March 1848 – 22 June 1927)[1] was a British colonial governor.

Life and career

Williams was educated at The King's School, Chester, and at Rossall School. He joined the colonial service in 1884 and his first post was to Bechuanaland. He then served at Pretoria, South Africa, Gibraltar and Barbados, for which he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1901 New Year Honours List.[2] In early 1901 he returned to Bechuanaland as Resident Commissioner at the height of the Second Boer War.[3] Williams was governor of the Windward Islands prior to his appointment as governor of Newfoundland in 1909.

Mrs. Williams

While governor of Newfoundland Williams travelled throughout the island and the coast of Labrador. He was opposed to confederation with Canada and desired to maintain Newfoundland's individuality and hold fast Britain's last tie to North America. In 1913 he published his memoirs, How I Became a Governor.

Legacy

Two Newfoundland towns were renamed for him: Salmon Cove, Trinity Bay, became Champneys, and Greenspond, White Bay, became Williamsport.

See also

References

  1. ↑ The New International Year Book. Dodd, Mead and Company. 1928. p. 815.
  2. ↑ "No. 27261". The London Gazette. 1 January 1901. p. 2.
  3. ↑ "WILLIAMS, Ralph Champneys". Who's Who. 59: 1900. 1907.
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