JOHN LEWIS WILLIAMS
3rd January 1882 – 12th July 1916
John Lewis Williams was the son of Edward Lewis Williams and Mary Williams of Llwyncelyn,
Whitchuch, Cardiff.
In the 1901 census, the family are living at “Rhubina” Road, Cardiff, and as well and their sons,
John and Edward, their daughter, Ethel Mary, aged 15, is also at home. In the 1911 census we see
that Edward Lewis Williams is British by parentage, born in Radyr, Cardiff and is an Assistant
Overseer for the Board of Guardians at Cardiff Prison, and also a Collector of Rates. His wife,
Mary, was from Whitchurch, and she has had 6 children, of which 2 have died. Also living at home
at the time of the census are John Lewis who is 23, a coal exporter, and his brother, Edward Lewis
Williams, who is 23, and a marine engineer.
Originally, when John was at Cowbridge Grammar School, he played football and not rugby. He
started playing rugby with the village team in Whitchuch, always on the left wing. In 1899, he was
invited to play at Newport RFC for three seasons. Then on moving to Cardiff for business reasons,
John joined Cardiff RFC; the following season he was the team’s top try scorer, with 16 tries to his
name. He also played for London Welsh.