Born at Penllwyn Place, Brecon, on March 4th, 1816, studied at Guy's and St Thomas's Hospitals, and in 1845 began private practice at 33 Newhall Street, Birmingham, in partnership with William Royden Watts. He was Surgeon to the Birmingham Orthopaedic Hospital, took a keen share in the development of the Birmingham Medical Institute, and was an active member of the local Hospital Saturday Fund. In 1879, as President of the Birmingham Medical Benevolent Society, he succeeded in getting donations exceeding those by his immediate predecessors or successors. He was devoted to the interests of the British Medical Association and its Birmingham Branch, acting as Hon Treasurer and obtaining a membership of nearly four hundred. During a critical period of the history of the Association from 1863-1871 Williams was the General Secretary, before the secretarial department was transferred to London. He was present at the Jubilee Meeting of the Association at Worcester in August, 1882, and was subsequently attacked by progressive cerebral disease. He died, after a long illness, at his house, 33 Newhall Street, on February 11th, 1883, and was described as one of the oldest and staunchest members of the Association and one of the best-known medical practitioners in Birmingham.