Norma Williams
New Zealand swimmer, swimming administrator and author
About Norma Williams
Lived 1928 – 2017 (aged 88). Norma Williams was a New Zealand swimmer, journalist and sports executive.
Norma Mary Williams (née Bridson, 11 December 1928 – 3 October 2017) was a New Zealand swimmer, swimming administrator and author, who represented her country at the 1950 Empire Games in Auckland.
Biography Born in Auckland in 1928, Williams was educated at Takapuna Grammar School.
At the 1950 British Empire Games she won the silver medal as part of the women's 440 yard freestyle relay. Her teammates in the relay were Winifred Griffin, Joan Hastings and Kristin Jacobi. She also competed in the 110 yards freestyle event, finishing in fifth place.
Williams won six national swimming titles: the 400 yards women's medley in 1948, 1949 and 1950; and the 100 yards women's butterfly in 1949, 1950 and 1951.
She married Clifford Ruscoe Ashe Williams in 1952 and the couple had three children. She also wrote histories to mark the centennials of the New Zealand Swimming Federation in 1990 and the Auckland Swimming Association in 2006.
In the 1977 New Year Honours, Williams was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to swimming.
Williams died on 3 October 2017. She had been predeceased by her husband, Cliff Williams, the previous year.
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Important facts
People in Norma Williams's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Norma Williams's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Norma Williams?
New Zealand swimmer, swimming administrator and author (1928–2017)
When was Norma Williams born?
Norma Williams was born on 11 December 1928 in Auckland.
When did Norma Williams die?
Norma Williams died on 3 October 2017 in Auckland.
What was Norma Williams's occupation?
Norma Williams was a swimmer, journalist and sports executive.
What nationality was Norma Williams?
Norma Williams was New Zealand.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Norma Williams. https://biography.guide/norma-williams/
MLA: "Norma Williams." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/norma-williams/.
Chicago: "Norma Williams." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/norma-williams/.
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