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Finding Aid

Williams Family

Williams family fonds. -- 1835-1930. -- 75 cm of textual records. -- 2 photographs : b&w.

Lord Alfred Spencer Churchill was the second son of the sixth Duke of Marlborough (1793-1857). He was born on 24 April 1842. He served in the military and also as Member of Parliament for Woodstock, 1845-1847 and 1857-1865. He was a member of the Society of Arts, serving as chairman, 1875-1880. He married Harriett Gough-Calthorpe in 1857. Their daughter, Adeline ("Daisy") Spencer Churchill was born in 1861. Lord Alfred died in London on 21 September 1893. His daughter married Colonel William Hugh Williams on 1 August 1895. They had two sons, Herbrand Alfred Collam ("Sam") Williams, born 30 June 1896, and Geoffrey Williams. Both sons served during World War I. Herbrand was a Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps. He later rose to the rank of Captain. Herbrand married a Russian, Xenia Poushkine, on 8 April 1927. Geoffrey served on H.M.S. Queen, H.M.S. St. Vincent and H.M.S. Dragon.

The fonds has been arranged into the following four series:

Lord Alfred Spencer Churchill. Series concerns Churchill's involvement with electric railways. It contains an offprint of Churchill's memorandum, "Improvements in Apparatus for Propelling Vehicles by Electricity Upon Railways and Tramways," as well as correspondence and other documents concerning the patenting of his invention. There is one unrelated document in the series and that is an 1884 election flyer issued by Churchill to the Electors of Woodstock. (Box 1)

Harriett, Lady Alfred Spencer Churchill. Letters from America, 1873-1874. Holograph copies of letters written to her children Daisy, Janie and Vi, and journal extracts, in a notebook. Loose in the notebook is part of the original journal, dated 1 November 1873, Montreal, Canada; one original letter to her children, 14 November 1873; and an undated letter to her from the Gordon Boys' Orphanage in Dover. Also one pocket diary containing entries from January-July 1873. (Box 1)

Adeline ("Daisy") Williams. Correspondence to and from her. Her correspondents include her husband, her sons, and her daughter-in-law Xenia (who addresses her as Aunt Daisy). Her husband's letters are from 1897 when he was posted to Turkey. A number of letters are written to her from her sons during World War I. There is also correspondence between the brothers themselves as well as their father. Also four pocket diaries, 1879-1913. (Boxes 2-5)

Williams family genealogy and family coat of arms. Research was undertaken by Herbrand Williams from 1917 to 1928. The series consists of copies of birth and marriage certificates, correspondence, family trees, seals, and other items, including his wife's Russian passport with photographs. (Box 1)

Title based on content of the fonds.
Date of acquisition and complete provenance are unknown. The fonds was in the possession of Herbrand Williams at one time.
Finding aid available in hard copy and electronically.
There are no access restrictions.
Further accruals are not expected.

Contact: archives@mcmaster.ca
Last Reviewed: April 14, 2005
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