James Williams

Secretary

Industrial Chemist and Antiquarian
Born 27 February 1944 at Stourport-on-Severn
Died 27 November 2009 in Dumfries, aged 65

James Williams was a central figure in the study of the natural environment and human history of the region of Dumfries and Galloway for almost 50 years. During this time he safeguarded and expanded knowledge of the region and made it available to both the local community and academic interests nationally and internationally.

James (known to some as Jimmy or Jim) will long be remembered for his voluntary and dedicated contribution to Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History and Antiquarian Society (DGNHAS), which he joined in 1964. He served the Council of the Society in various capacities, such as Secretary and Librarian. However, it was as co-editor along with the late Bill Cormack and latterly as senior editor of the Society's Transactions that he excelled and left an indelible mark. He was involved in 30 editions, including the one currently being printed, and other publications of the Society, most important of which was Kirkpatrick Fleming, Dumfriesshire — An Anatomy of a Parish in South West Scotland by Roger Mercer and others.

The Transactions is a local studies journal which dates back to 1862. Thanks to his voluntary endeavours, diligence and wonderfully retentive memory the journal, which has a deservedly high reputation for the quality of content, has been able to maintain its editorial standard at the highest level of academic publishing.

Had his contribution been limited to that of editor it would have been a praiseworthy enough achievement for one person; but his meticulous research enabled him to contribute a stream of papers from 1962 to present times.

On his own initiative he set up the Society's website in 2000, which he maintained as long as he was able. In addition he responded to academic inquiries from all corners of the globe. He had begun single-handedly the Herculean task of digitising the Society's Transactions to enable DVDs to be issued in response to such queries.

He lived virtually his entire life in Dumfries and Galloway. He was educated at St Joseph's College, Dumfries, where he developed a lifelong interest in Chemistry, Mineralogy and local History. He acquired the residue of the school's mineral collection to which he added specimens from the three counties of South-West Scotland. He donated some of the unique minerals he found to the National Museum of Scotland. He was particularly proud of a piece of Jasper discovered as a beach boulder on the Kirkcudbrightshire coast. When the Grierson Museum at Thornhill was dispersed 1965-1967 he provided the mineralogical cataloguing for the process. His very first publication in the Transactions was The Mineralogical Collection of the Dumfries Burgh Museum. His work in the field of Mineralogy earned him a sizeable entry in Alec Livingstone's book, Minerals of Scotland.

Employed at ICI, Dumfries, James served as an experimental chemist specialising in polymers. At the time of his early retirement in 2000 he had worked at the Dumfries site for 36 years and was Quality Assurance Manager for Dupont Films (Dumfries and Europe). After retirement he continued part-time for a further seven years to establish new laboratory facilities for Plastic Technology Services.

Early in his career he was sent on a Microscopy course, as a result of which he developed a skill and fascination that remained throughout his life. Much of the work was polymer based but there was a strong emphasis on contamination and failure analysis, which involved forensic skill processes. He became a Fellow of the Microscopical Society in 1986.

Another life-long passion remained his antiquarian interests and the organisation of collections, coupled with the communication of knowledge. The unpublished memoirs of the former Curator of Dumfries Museum, Alfred E. Truckell, MBE, MA, and Fellow of the Museums Association, record the arrival of James, "a shy lad of sixteen" in 1960. At that time Truckell was the sole professional on the museum staff. In his day he was a legend in the field and he welcomed James as his protegé — and unpaid assistant.

He recalls how James was equipped with a good knowledge of Mediaeval History and how he rapidly became a competent archaeologist, developing a sound grasp of the archaeological features of Dumfries and Galloway and practical skills in investigation and excavation. He actively assisted Truckell in the field by organising squads of young volunteers to mount investigations of local sites, such as Carzield Roman Fort and the Iron Age forts of Mote of Mark and Tynron Doon. He assumed responsibility for cataloguing the finds and publication of the results.

He was responsible for identifying many previously unknown sites and collecting material from across the region from Luce Sands in the west to Dalton in the east. These included Mesolithic flint tools of the first settlers ranging to late Mediaeval ceramics from the castles and abbeys that characterise the region. In all he has collected over 500 archaeological assemblages. Without this dedicated work, understanding of the prehistorical past in S.W. Scotland would be much less detailed. He became the youngest Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland at the age of 20 in 1963.

Other responsibilities shouldered by him included serving as DGNHAS representative on the Whithorn Trust from 2003 and as a Church of Scotland elder of Lochrutton and later Maxwelltown Churches for 33 years.

After a fracture to the femur in June 2007 he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma cancer. Thereafter he received exemplary care from the dedicated haematology staff at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary and at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow. He achieved remission and valiantly tried to lead a normal life but unfortunately the aggressive nature of his particular myeloma was overwhelming.

In 1970 he married his wife, Pauline, who shared a number of his interests. She and their three children, James, Allan and Sarah survive this devoted family man, whose diligence and dedication has left a remarkable legacy for academe.

"Good Saint Ninian carved his strong faith in stone."
From the school song of St Joseph's College, Dumfries.

M.W.

Articles by this author

James Williams

Kirkcudbright: An Alphabetic Guide to its History (David R. Collin) A Review

Review, History, Parish History, Antiquarian, Recent, Recent (Social), Recent (Literature & Art), Folklore, Genealogy

TDGNHAS Series III, 78 (2004), 148(4.91 MB)

Abstract

This volume is literally an alphabetic index of almost every aspect of the life, times and especially the people of Kirkcudbright. Although mainly covering the town of Kirkcudbright it also ranges over the countryside between Ross Island and Tongland.

James Williams

The Bell Family in Dumfriesshire by James Steuart, Vol 2 of The Records of the Western Marches series, Scotpress, Morgantown, WV26505, USA. A Review

Genealogy, Mediaeval, Recent, Recent (Social), Review

TDGNHAS Series III, 75 (2001), 187(1.92 MB)

Abstract

Review of a reprint of James Steuart's 'The Bell Family in Dumfriesshire' which was orginally published in 1932 as Vol. 2 of the 'Records of the Western Marches' series of this Society. Provides full accounts of all the major branches of the Bell Family i

Alex Anderson and James Williams

Bridgend Bridge, Dundrennan - A Monastic Structure?

Mediaeval, Recent

TDGNHAS Series III, 81 (2007), 71(2.95 MB)

Abstract

Bridgend Bridge at Dundrennan is situated on the branch road to Rerrick Kirk and Orroland and has the appearance of a mediaeval ribbed arch. In order to gain some idea of its age and origin, the writers have examined both the documentary evidence and the

James Williams

Review - The Excavation of a Scottish Lowland Crannog: Excavations at Buiston, Ayrshire 1989-90 by Anne Crone and others

Review, Archaeology (General), Iron Age, Early Mediaeval, Mediaeval, Antiquarian

TDGNHAS Series III, 76 (2002), 168(1.97 MB)

Abstract

Review of the publication by Anne Cone and others of 'The Excavation of a Scottish Lowland Crannog: Excavations at Buiston, Ayrshire 1989-90'. Covers all aspects of the archaeology - including a review of Robert Munro's 19th century excavations. Includes

James Williams

Alfred Truckell MBE, MA, FMA, FSA, FSA Scot (1919-2007)

Obituary

TDGNHAS Series III, 81 (2007), 129(2.95 MB)

Abstract

Obituary of Alfred Edgar Truckell - who was a significant contributor to the success and progress of the Society from the time of his election in 1947. He was President 1974-77; Editor 1951-75 and throughout the period 1947-82 acted as Curator of the Soci

James Williams

Review - The Early Development of Dumfries from William I (1165-1214) till James III (1460-1488) by Inez Debaus

Archaeology (General), Prehistory (General), Mediaeval, Post-mediaeval archaeology, History, Parish History

TDGNHAS Series III, 76 (2002), 171(1.97 MB)

Abstract

Review of a thesis for the degree of Licentiate in Archaeology at the Catholic University of leuven which was the result of practical work in the area under the guidance of A E Truckell. Copy available at the Dumfries Archive Centre

Alex Anderson and James Williams

Kirk Sessions as Bridge Builders – Lochfoot and Twynholm

Parish History, Architecture

TDGNHAS Series III, 83 (2009), 232(WARNING large file size: 5.11 MB)

Abstract

Recent perusal of the Kirk Session Minutes of the Parish of Lochrutton has revealed an interesting record of one of the more unusual functions of that body – the building of a bridge across the Lochfoot Burn in 1740-41. This venture has been compared with a contemporaneous bridgebuilding exercise by the Kirk Session of Tynholm .

James Williams

Notes on Coastal Erosion and Mid 19th Century Antiquaries at Newbie Shore, Annan

Quaternary geology, Prehistory (General), Bronze Age, Recent, Recent (Social), Antiquarian, Field Meeting

TDGNHAS Series III, 77 (2003), 228(1.68 MB)

Abstract

In the 1860s this Society made a number of field excursions to the eroding coastline at Newbie near Annan. These excursions are described from notes in the early printed Transactions and the earliest MS Minute book of the Society. The article is illustrat

James Williams

Transactions and Proceedings 1868-75: The Society’s ‘Missing Years’

Proceedings

TDGNHAS Series III, 84 (2010), 139(3.44 MB)

Abstract

The early history of the society was recorded by Sir Hugh Gladstone in his Presidential Address of 19122 – and indicates that the Society, having commenced in 1862, ran ‘in a prosperous condition till May 1875 when its meetings ceased’ . It was‘re-constituted’ in November 1876 and has continued to the present day. The published transactions do not provide any record of proceedings for the period from 1869 to 1875. In spite of two references by Gladstone there is a perception that nothing happened between 1869 and 1875 – and this apparent hiatus is re-inforced by the existence of two separate series of printed Transactions – from 1862-1869 and then 1876 to the present. The information gap from 1867-9 until 1874-5 can, however, be filled out to some extent by examining the various reports which appeared from time to time in the local press. The collating of these extracts is eased by an understanding that at this time in the Society’s history it was organised around having the first, or Annual General Meeting, of each session during the month of December: this was then usually followed by a further five ‘Winter Meetings’ finishing in May. Thereafter, there normally followed five monthly ‘Field Meetings’ until October. Such of these reports that can be found have been collated and the following pages are a summary of the Society’s activities during those ‘missing years’.