Welcome to my website which tells our family’s story over the last 200 years.
We can trace the Williams side of the family back to Charles Beasley Williams (II) who was born in Stafford, England in 1851. He arrived in Fremantle in January 1887 with his wife Agnes who gave birth to their sixth child during the passage. On arrival the family moved to the Avon District where he served on the railways for thirty years with distinction.
My mother Mary’s parents were Thomas and Ada (nee Selkirk) who married in 1908 in Mundaring. Ada was the 8th of 17 children born to James Selkirk (born 1844) and Mary Suppurdy (1849).
Mum (Mary) was born in 1918 and dad (Goff) in 1916. They met while both working at the Boan’s factory in East Perth in 1936 and married in 1940 with Gough having joined the RAAF leaving for Ballarat the next day.
I was the second of three kids between sisters Fay (1941) and Judy (1947). Born in 1943, my earliest memories were from Orange Grove. Life started out in a tent before a shed was built which later underwent several additions and upgrades.
Uncle Harry was a significant influence in my life. Having helped mum and dad build the house and original shed in Orange Grove he later asked the family to move to Inglewood to look after him in 1955. Having moved from what was then the country to suburbia was a huge shock but I soon settled in and got my first job as a paperboy with the Daily News.
In 1957, the family’s financial situation changed dramatically when Pop (dad) won £9,000 on the trots. This was enough to send me to Muresk Agricultural College which was the start of an adventure which has dominated my life ever since.
On completing my education I joined the Department of Agriculture with my first posting to Northam. It was here that I made some lifelong friends and met my wife of 50 plus years – Carol (nee Standing).
Carol and I married in 1966, had our first born Stuart in 1969 and moved into our new family home in Dianella on Mother’s Day 1970. Kristine (1971) followed soon after then Tracy (1975) and Justin (1978).
With the kids grown up Carol and I made the ‘sea change’ to Trigg in 1997 where we have been ever since. It was around this time that the first of the grandchildren was born to Kristine and Daryl – Jared (1996) with his sister Jade following a year later (1998). More recently two more grandchildren followed with Bodie (2010 ) and Margot (2012 ) – born to Tracy and Dave.
A lasting legacy
This website provides a snapshot of the family and friends in my life that have meant so much to me through the years. If you’ve got a photo, video or story to share please contact my son Stuart (stuandkylie@hotmail.com) who’ll be happy to post any contributions you may have. Its my hope that with your help this website will develop a life of its own as it continues to record the lives of each current and new generation of the Williams’ family long after I’m gone.