Thomas John Williams

25 April 1869—24 April 1944

THOMAS JOHN (T.J.) WILLIAMS was born in Llangiwg (Ynysmeudwy), Glamorganshire, Wales, 25 April 1869, son of John Williams and Hannah Thomas of Camarthenshire, Wales. They were members of Adulam Baptist Chapel; Thomas was baptized there at age 12 by the Rev. J.T. Morgan. His father died some time after 1871 when he was a small child, and his mother remarried to John James on 6 March 1876. At some point as a boy he also attended the Ebenezer Chapel in Rhos, Pontardawe, Wales. On 7 June 1890, Thomas married Margaret Williams; they had Elizabeth Hannah (1890), who married J.T. Evans, John David (1891), who died young, and Elved (1895–1984). In the 1891 census, Thomas was described as an engine stoker; in 1901, he was listed as a coal miner hewer; by 1911 he had started a career in the insurance business, a career he continued until his retirement.

As a musician, he earned an Associate degree at the Tonic Sol-Fa College (A.T.S.C.) in 1897, a school started in London by music educator John Curwen (1816–1880). At an unknown time, Williams studied music composition with Welsh organist and composer David Evans (1874–1948). Shortly after earning his A.T.S.C, Williams became organist of Mount Elim Chapel, Pontardawe, serving there from 1888 until 1903. Rev. Morgan founded Mount Elim with a splinter group from Adulam, so T.J. would have been among familiar company when he was appointed organist there. The building, erected in 1886, still stands. In the summer of 1903, he accepted an offer to become organist and choirmaster of Zion Chapel (Baptist) in Llanelli, first on a trial basis, then made official later that September. While there, he arranged several successful concerts and cantatas. He served there faithfully until 1911; upon his departure the church presented him with a gold watch inscribed February 1911, which is now a family heirloom, and Mrs. Williams received a silver tea service. He was then made organist and choirmaster of Calfaria Chapel (Baptist), Llanelli, in November of 1913, a position he held until 1931. T.J. Williams died 24 Apr 1944 at Llanelli, Wales. The first musical phrase of EBENEZER is inscribed on his gravestone in Llanelli, set to the text “Dyma gariad fel y moroedd,” a hymn by William Rees (1802–1883). His wife Margaret died 15 May 1951.

In 1927, the editors of the Handbook to the Church Hymnary said, “He has written a large number of hymn tunes and a few anthems.” After his death, an obituary listed some of his popular works, including “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord” and “Molwch yr Arglywdd” (anthems), and “Fe dora y wawr,” “Aberteih,” “Bryn Scion,” “Sunny Hill,” “Bethesda,” “Giaus,” “Calfaria,” and “Cadodaeth.” His most famous tune, EBENEZER, was composed in 1896 and first published in 1897. It was named in honor of the Ebenezer Chapel he had attended as a boy. The old structure still stands behind a newer chapel built in 1904. Around 1899, Williams included the tune in an anthem, “Goleu yn y Glyn” (“Light in the valley”), dedicated to his stepfather, then sold a share of the copyright to music printer W. Gwenlyn Evans in 1901, who republished the anthem circa 1902. EBENEZER has been his lasting legacy.

by CHRIS FENNER
with NIGEL WILLIAMS
for Hymnology Archive
25 February 2020
rev. 8 March 2020

Llanelli District Cemetery, Carmarthenshire, Wales. Images courtesy of Nigel Williams.

Featured Tunes:

EBENEZER (TÔN-Y-BOTEL)

Related Resources:

James Moffatt & Millar Patrick, “Thomas John Williams,” Handbook to the Church Hymnary (Oxford: University Press, 1927), p. 545.

E.T. Jones & T.R. Jones, Hanes Eglwys Capel Sion, Llanelli (Llanelli: Argraffwyd yn Swyddfa’r “Mercury,” 1931), pp. 198–199: WorldCat

Trysorfa’r Plant, vol. 80 (October 1940).

“Death of composer of Ton y Botel,” Llanelly Mercury (27 April 1944), p. 5: PDF

“Obituary: Mr. T.J. Williams,” The Star (Llanelli, 29 April 1944), p. 4: PDF

“Obituary: Mr. T.J. Williams,” The Llanelly & County Guardian (4 May 1944): PDF

“Story of ‘Ton y Botel’: Interview with composer’s widow,” The Llanelly & County Guardian (1 June 1944): PDF

Richard Watson & Kenneth Trickett, “Thomas John Williams,” Companion to Hymns and Psalms (Peterborough: Methodist Publishing House, 1988), p. 562.

Alan Luff, “EBENEZER,” HSGBI Bulletin, vol. 12, no. 12 (October 1990), p. 229.

Huw Llewelyn Williams, “EBENEZER,” Taro tant: detholiad o ysgrifau ac erthyglau (Denbigh: Gwasg Gee, 1994), pp. 105–109.

Maggie Humpreys & Robert Evans, “Thomas John Williams,” Dictionary of Composers for the Church in Great Britain and Ireland (London: Mansell, 1997), p. 362.

Thomas John Williams, Hymnary.org:
https://hymnary.org/person/Williams_ThomasJohn

Alan Luff, “Thomas John Williams,” Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology:
http://www.hymnology.co.uk/t/thomas-john-williams

Papers of W. Gwenlyn Evans and Son, Bangor University Archives:
https://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/data/gb222-bmsswge