Henry John Williams

Henry John Williams (8 February 1841 – 1 April 1919) was an English Anglican priest and activist for humanitarianism, animal rights and vegetarianism. He was the founder of the Order of the Golden Age, an international animal rights society.

The Reverend Henry John Williams
Portrait of Williams from obituary
Born	(1841-02-01)1 February 1841 Whatley, Mendip, England
Died	1 April 1919(1919-04-01) (aged 78) Aspley Guise, England
Occupation(s)	Priest, activist
Known for	Founding the Order of the Golden Age
Spouse	Cecelia Frances D'Arblay Croft ​ ​ (m. 1871)​
Relatives	Howard Williams (brother)
Religion	Anglicanism
Church	Church of England
Offices held	Rector of Kinross

Biography

Henry John Williams was born on 8 February 1841 in Whatley, Mendip.^[1] He was the son of Margaret Sophia (née Taunton) and Hamilton John Williams,^[1] an Anglican priest.^[2] Williams had six brothers, including Howard Williams, the author of The Ethics of Diet, a history of vegetarianism.^[3][4]

In 1878, Williams was inspired by his brother Howard to become a vegetarian.^[5] He later published the pamphlet A Plea for a Broken Law, which made a case for vegetarianism from a theological point of view.^[6]

In 1881, he founded the international animal rights society known as the Order of the Golden Age, which was formally established in 1882. Due to a lack of funds, the organisation was inactive until 1895, when Williams, Sidney H. Beard, and others revived the society from its dormancy.^[7] Williams wrote for the Order's journal, The Herald of the Golden Age.^[8][9]

Williams served as the rector of Kinross,^[10] was the honorary president of the Scottish Vegetarian Society,^[11] and a member of the Humanitarian League's Humane Diet department.^[3]

Williams died on 1 April 1919 in Aspley Guise.^[1] His brother Howard authored an obituary, which was published in the May 1919 edition of The Vegetarian Messenger and Health Review.^{[5][note 1]}

Personal life

Williams married Cecelia Frances D'Arblay Croft in Newport Pagnell in 1871.^[1][13]

Selected publications

• A Plea for a Broken Law

Notes

1. Howard's obituary gives Williams' year of birth as 1838 and his age at death as 81.^[5] However, other sources, including censuses, give his year of birth as 1841.^[1][12]