Williams, Theodore (1785 -1875)

Theodore Williams was the son of James Williams of Westmoreland, Jamaica. He was educated at Pembroke College, Cambridge, matriculated from there on 23 December 1805, and transferred to Trinity College 5 April 1806. Ordained deacon, by the Bishop of London, 1 October 1809, and priest 23 September 1810, he was Vicar of Hendon for sixty three years, from 1812 to 1876. As a young man he collected a magnificent library, which he had sumptuously bound. Twenty nine of the books listed in his sale catalogue were bound by Derôme and twenty seven by Roger Payne. The majority, however, were the work of Charles Lewis or John Clarke, and they sometimes bound for him in imitation of sixteenth century French styles. His library was sold at auction in London by Stewart, Wheatley and Adlard 5 April 1827, and fewer than 1,950 lots realised £10,213. He lived a further fifty years, apparently an uncommon example of a cured bibliomaniac. He married, in 1816?, Jane and they had seven children.