Harold Williams

Harold John Williams MBE (3 September 18935 June 1976) was an Australian baritone and music teacher. Born in Sydney, he had a career in England and his native country, performing in opera, oratorio and concerts and giving radio broadcasts.

Early years Williams was born on 3 September 1893 at Woollahra, a suburb of Sydney, the third child of Owen Williams, a Victorian-born plumber, and his Scottish wife Isabella, née Wylie. Leaving Woollahra Superior Public School at 14, Harold worked as a messenger-boy, then as a railway stores clerk. He sang with the Waverley Methodist Church choir as a boy soprano and later an amateur baritone; but he found that 'football and cricket were the most absorbing affairs of my life'. He played for Waverley Cricket Club (1906–15) and Rugby Union as a wing-three-quarter with the Eastern Suburbs team, representing New South Wales against New Zealand in August 1914.

On 24 July 1915, during World War I, Williams enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF). Before leaving Australia, he became engaged to Miss Doris Price, another member of the Waverley Methodist Church choir. He was sent to Europe aboard the troop transport Argyllshire in May 1916, having been made a corporal with the 9th Field Ambulance section. During the voyage, his delivery of ballads became popular fare with his fellow soldiers at shipboard entertainments. After military training in England, he was promoted to sergeant and sent to France with his unit in November 1916, seeing action at Armentières. In January 1917, he was transferred at General William Birdwood's request to an entertainment unit, known as the 'Anzac Coves'. He then rejoined the 9th Field Ambulance in March, saw action at Passchendaele and Messines, and was appointed regimental quartermaster-sergeant. and delivered weekly humorous pieces. This link continued long after he had left the concert stage — a commitment totalling more than 20 years. He did, however, leave the ABC program temporarily in 1946 to return to Britain for the inaugural Edinburgh Festival, held in 1947.

In 1952, Williams rejoined the Conservatorium staff in Sydney at the request of an old acquaintance, the conductor/composer Eugene Goossens, who was now the Conservatorium's director. He once said that he had 'never overcome the onslaught of nervousness' when on stage during his career. Although he had some notable pupils, he was not a strikingly successful teacher of voice production; further, he knew almost nothing of the lieder repertoire and had little strength in non-English languages.

Williams continued to sing in opera and concerts until his voice failed him during a Melbourne performance of Elijah in December 1953. He also appeared in the film The Story of Gilbert and Sullivan in 1952. He belonged to the Savage Club and took a house at Selsey, Sussex, played village and club cricket, and reputedly never missed a Test match; his friends included the Australian cricketers Alan Kippax, Stan McCabe and Bill O'Reilly.

He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 1966 and retired from musical endeavours in 1972.

Survived by twin daughters, Williams died in 1976 at the age of 82 in the Sydney suburb of Gordon, and was cremated.