Charles Williams (brewer)
Charles Williams | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1850 Adelaide, South Australia |
| Died | 11 April 1936 Millswood, South Australia |
| Occupation | Brewer |
| Known for | Leading Australian brewer and founding partner of Williams Brewery Ltd |
Charles Williams (1850 – 11 April 1936) was a leading brewer associated with several well-known Australian brewing firms.
Career
Born on Wakefield Street in Adelaide, Williams was the son of John Williams (c.1806–1876), a brewer by profession. He received his education at the Adelaide Educational Institution under J. L. Young. Williams commenced his career at his father's Angas Park brewery, established in 1858, and briefly took charge following his father's passing before the brewery was ultimately liquidated.
Subsequently, he held the position of head brewer at both the Black Horse brewery and Henry Leggo & Son's brewery located in Ballarat. Upon returning to Adelaide, he oversaw brewing activities at the Lion Brewing and Malting Company as well as the Walkerville Cooperative Brewing Co. In 1901, he became a founding partner of Williams Brewery Ltd based in Walkerville, South Australia, where he remained a senior partner until his retirement. Among those who worked under him was John Tothill, later owner of the S. A. Brewing Company’s Mount Gambier brewery; Tothill gained experience at breweries in Broken Hill and Laura under Williams’s guidance.
Around 1921, Williams assumed management of the Waverley Brewery in Mitcham, South Australia, a role he fulfilled for twelve years until stepping down in 1933 due to declining health. At that time, he was recognized as the oldest practicing brewer in Australia.
Williams died at his residence on Wood Street in Millswood.
Family
On 6 December 1871, Charles Williams married Eliza Lehman (1851–1928). Their offspring included:
- Lilian Grace Elizabeth Williams (1872–1950)
- Ella Eliza Williams (1874–1955)
- Charles Egerton Stanley Williams (1876–1904), who trained professionally in brewing and was anticipated to follow in his father’s footsteps
- Violet May Williams (1878–1945)
The three daughters actively participated in the Cheer-Up Society and remained single throughout their lives. Charles’s sister, Maria Williams (c. 1839–1914), was married to John Moody (1831–1916), a prominent businessman.