WILLIAMS, SIR JOSHUA STRANGE (1837-1915) was born in London, the son of Joshua William, Q.C., author of a book on real and personal property. He was educated at Harrow under Dr Vaughan, and had as tutor B. F. Westcott (afterwards Bishop of Durham). Williams then went on to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he was second in the first class of the law tripos (1858), and in the following year was Junior optime in the mathematical tripos, and was awarded the chancellor's gold medal for legal studies. Having taken his B.A., he left Cambridge, entered at Lincoln's Inn in 1857, and read law in the chambers of his father and of Hobhouse. He was then called to the bar in Nov 1859. He afterwards graduated M.A. and M.L. His health being poor, Williams was advised to go on a sea voyage and in Jul 1861 sailed from London in the emigrant ship Derwentwater. The vessel arrived off Otago Heads to learn that gold had been discovered, and the captain, fearing that he would lose his crew, declined to enter the port and landed his emigrants in the ship's boats.

Williams was admitted by Gresson without delay and in Mar 1862 entered into partnership with T.S. Duncan, who was provincial solicitor, as a crown prosecutor. In Oct he was elected to the Provincial Council for Heathcote. A few months later Moorhouse resigned the superintendency, and Duncan relinquishing the provincial solicitorship, Williams was appointed. He remained in the executive under Wilkin and Cass, and in Dec witnessed the opening of the first railway in the province. In 1864, with the intention of visiting England, he resigned from the Provincial government, and dissolved his partnership with Duncan. This vacancy gave W. Rolleston the opportunity of entering public life. After his return to the Colony, Williams practised on his own account, until accepting office under the General Government (1876). In 1865 he married Caroline Helen, daughter of Thomas Sanctuary, of Horsham, Sussex.

In 1866 Moorhouse was re-elected Superintendent, and Williams re-entered the Provincial Council for Heathcote. He became provincial solicitor in the Jollie executive, which lasted for only a few weeks. When Stewart came into office (Mar 1867), he called Williams in as a colleague. This association lasted until Mar 1868. Williams retired from the Council at the dissolution of 1870. He was a sagacious adviser, well versed in the forms of the Council. He spoke seldom and briefly, but exercised a great influence on the deliberations of the Council. In 1870 he was appointed district land registrar for Canterbury, and in 1872 Registrar-general of Lands. While thus employed, Williams wrote his handbook on the land transfer act. In 1873, on the foundation of Canterbury College, he was elected chairman of the board of governors.

In Mar 1875 Williams was appointed to the Supreme Court bench, and posted to Otago to replace H. S. Chapman (q.v.). There he worked for the next 39 years with great distinction, lending lustre to the bench, and gathering much credit for his sound law. He presided at many famous criminal trials and at the investigation of the Colonial Bank's affairs (1897). Never an orator or a fluent speaker, he said what he intended in simple English, easily understood. He had a fund of wit and humour, was well versed in French and Italian literature, and made some good translations from Dante. When the Arbitration Court was established, Williams was chosen as its first president (1895), in the belief that he would establish its proceedings and found its traditions on a basis of sound law. He vacated the post in 1898 to return to the Supreme Court. In 1911 he was created a knight bachelor, and two years later was appointed to represent New Zealand on the judicial committee of the Privy Council. He left for London in Feb 1914, and in the short time that still remained to him his sound judgment gained recognition in the highest court of the Empire. While in Dunedin Williams was appointed a member of the council of Otago University (1877). Two years later he became vice-chancellor, and in 1894 he succeeded Dr Stuart as chancellor. He resigned in 1909. In social and philanthropic societies he took an active interest. He was president for many years of the Shipwreck Relief society, the Patients' and Prisoners' Aid society and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In the Dunedin Philharmonic society he held the highest position. Williams's first wife having died while he lived in Christchurch, he married (1877) Amelia Durant (d. 1936), daughter of John Wesley Jago (Dunedin). He died on 22 Dec 1915.

Canterbury P.C. Proc.; Cycl. N.Z., iv (p); Col. Gent.; Cox; The Press, 23 Dec 1915, 13 Sep 1930 (p); Otago Daily Times, 29 Dec 1915, p. 2

Reference: Volume 2, page 260

🌳 Further sources