13 Facts About Denys Williams

Sir Denys Ambrose Williams, KCMG, GCM was a Chief Justice of Barbados.

Denys Williams served as acting Governor-General of Barbados from 19 December 1995 until 1 June 1996.

Denys Ambrose Williams was born on 12 October 1929 in Barbados.

Denys Williams was one of 10 children of family to George C Williams and Violet Williams.

Denys Williams studied at Combermere School and Harrison College in Barbados, won a Barbados Scholarship in 1949 and went on to study law at Oxford University, subsequently being admitted to the English Bar at the Middle Temple in London.

Denys Williams then returned to the West Indies, spending some time working for the West Indies Federation based in Trinidad, before returning to Barbados in 1955 and being admitted as a Magistrate.

In 1966, Denys was appointed a judge, at the time the youngest judge in the Commonwealth at the age of 37, and subsequently became Chief Justice of Barbados.

In 1987, Queen Elizabeth II awarded the knighthood to Denis Denys Williams, which was a great honour and significant event for him.

Sir Denys Williams retired as Chief Justice on 10 October 2001.

At the time of his retirement, Sir Denys Williams had been the longest serving judge in the Commonwealth, having given 34 years of his life to the judicial service of Barbados.

Sir Denys Ambrose Williams was an honorary member of the Canadian Bar and served as Commissioner of the National Insurance Scheme in Barbados until June 2014.

Denys Williams was a member of the Rotary Club of Barbados and served as Chief Scout of the Boy Scouts of Barbados for several years.

Sir Denys was married to Carmel, Lady Williams, and they were the parents of six children: Denise, Fiona, Shaun, Clare, Roslyn, and Simon, and five grandchildren.