Sat 24 May 2008
I’ve been looking for information about author Alan Williams (son of Emlyn) for a while now but haven’t come up with much until I found your very informative blog just now. I know his brother Brook passed away a couple of years ago, so I’ve been wondering if Alan is still alive.
I would really like to get in touch with him. Do you have any leads I could follow? I’d be very grateful. Thank you.
Best wishes,
Susan
The link above leads to an installment of the online Addenda to the Revised Crime Fiction IV, which contained an entry for Williams. He was born in 1935, with no known year of death. In fact, there’s very little information about him available online. The short bio I wrote for him in the Addenda entry is about all I could come up with.
Al Hubin, when I asked him, said in reply that he’d discovered much the same thing, which was nothing:
Alan Williams is curiously absent from standard author reference works. I suppose it’s possible he’s in one edition or another of Authors and Writers Who’s Who but he’s not in the couple that I have. His death is not recorded in findmypast.com, which only means he didn’t die in England/Wales in the period 1984-2006…
Not much help, I’m afraid.
Al
And at this point in time, this is as far as we’ve gotten. Assistance, if any, would be welcome.
[UPDATE] 07-14-08. I’m over a week delayed in posting this, but today’s better than tomorrow, at least. I heard from one source who’d prefer to stay anonymous, but who had a lot to say about Alan Williams and his career, none of it substantial enough to put online.
I passed the information on to Susan, though, who replied with thanks. She also added: “I heard from a distant relative who says he is still with us.” She’s now trying to see if she can speak to him, “if I’m lucky enough to do so.”
More later, it may be, if things work out the way she hopes.
November 28th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Like Susan (who wrote you May 24) I’ve been trying to find information on Alan Williams. I knew him briefly while he was staying on the island of Corfu (1971 or 72). Every evening he would join us in the village tavern and read to us what he had written while getting very drunk, after which he would wander upstairs to write. There were times we had to help him up the stairs. We worried about his health and I’ve been concerned that the drinking may have done him in, especially since I’ve been able to find only old books authored by him on the internet. If you still have the information you sent Susan, could you forward it to me as well? I hope the “distant relative” is correct and he is still alive.
May 30th, 2009 at 5:02 pm
Hi,
I’m working freelance for German National Public Radio and would LOVE to do a radio documentary on Williams, maybe on behalf of his 75th birthday in 2010, as he seems to have a fascinating biography – do you know when EXACTLY he was born? And do you have any info how to get in touch with him or any persons related to him?
Thanks a lot in advance,
Christian
May 30th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
Joyce & Christian
I’ve forwarded your inquiries on to Susan. I hope she’s made some progress in finding either him or a member of his family.
— Steve
October 28th, 2010 at 2:52 pm
Williams has a Wikipedia page
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Williams_(novelist)
I strongly suspect that wikipedia editor Smrw, who added information about his children, is his daughter Sophie.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Smrw
She has a talk page where people can leave comments, though I see that she hasn’t used the account since 2009.
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=User_talk:Smrw
December 10th, 2010 at 5:53 am
Hello all,
I’ve got a post up about Alan Williams and his novel Gentleman Traitor here: http://existentialennui.blogspot.com/2010/12/lewes-bookshop-bargain-gentleman.html
December 13th, 2010 at 3:46 pm
Nick
A very interesting review!
— Steve
February 10th, 2011 at 3:12 pm
I could get in touch with my dad for you if you send me a mail.
Owen.global@gmail.com
January 16th, 2013 at 5:58 am
I would love to hear information of Owen Williams as I was his childminder from 1978 until 1981 and often wondered how his was gettin on, my boys and I had lovely times with Owen and Alan, who was one of the loviest people I have ever met.
Helen Dickson
May 23rd, 2014 at 5:57 pm
I met Alan in Corfu when I was a rep in Cavos Corfu . A lovely gentleman. I’m afraid when asked if I had read anything by Emlyn Williams I had to say no . Alas I am still not that well read.
May 4th, 2015 at 5:06 am
Alan Williams ext sister in-law is still alive, her surname is now Smith, she has an on-line Art business based in Scotland, she was a very good friend of Eliz Taylor, she will know about Alan being an ex-wife of his brother Brook, find her maybe get answers!
August 3rd, 2015 at 5:35 pm
i am Alan’s second ex-wife and mother of Owen and Laura and now there are two grandchildren. We all live in London, as well as Sophie his daughter by Maggie who died about eight years ago. Alan lives alone and is not at all well, but can still be clever and humorous at times.
August 3rd, 2015 at 6:52 pm
Antonia
Thank you for the update about Mr Williams and the news about your family. I appreciate your stopping by, and I’m sure many of his readers do, too.
June 22nd, 2016 at 11:13 am
Hi Antonia,
Are you able to put me in touch with Alan or his children? I am a distant relative researching my family tree and Alans great great grandfather was also my great great grandfather. I’m looking to share old photos. If they’re interested in knowing more about the family from Wales do let me know.
Best,
Daniel Hughes
dan_hughes08@hotmail.co.uk
June 3rd, 2017 at 4:07 am
My sister Geraldine Dexter (born 1946 and died in 2007) was in a relationship with Alan in 1972-1973. They shared many adventures together including that holiday in Corfu and Alan’s trip to Russia when he was trying to obtain the Gulag manuscript. Such wild times – I wonder if he remembers.
September 16th, 2018 at 7:00 am
Thinking of Alan today as heard friend Dudley had died . Last address and phone number at 59 St Anne’s Rd .Remember taking Owen and Laura to cinema in Chelsea when he lived near old St Stephens hospital .
I believe he is still alive and would like to get in touch with him if possible
August 16th, 2019 at 10:49 am
I am trying to write a biographical note on the Dutch art historian Arnold(us) Noach, father of Alan’s second wife Maggie and grandfather of Sophie Williams.
Arnold taught me at Leeds University, introduced me to his secretary, whom I married. Arnold was godfather to our son, the jazz saxophonist, Jules Lawrence.
I would very much like contact with Alan or with Sophie who just may have some further information about her grandfather.
I have ‘feelers’ out in Netherlands and at Leeds University, but Arnold led a nomadic and rather mysterious, compartmentaised life and his later life was scarred by his time in the Dutch restistance during WW2. Any contacts would be most welcome.
Scotford Lawrence.
scotford.lawrence@care4free.net
August 17th, 2019 at 2:53 am
I’m just intrigued why he stopped writing in 1982. It seems unusual for an author to just jack it in.
May 12th, 2020 at 11:11 pm
Unfortunately, Alan Williams succumbed to the coronavirus and died 21 April 2020 in London. (Birth date 28 August 1935).
May 13th, 2020 at 6:44 am
Sad news, David. Thanks for letting us know.
June 5th, 2020 at 12:55 pm
Just heard from a friend of David Leitch that dear Alan died in April .So sad to heat that news.
Remember Alan taking me to see his father Emlyn .Still such a handsome figure .
Fond memories of times with Alan .Very comical so lots of laughter .often too outrageous .
Thank you Alan glad to have known you .
July 2nd, 2020 at 6:01 am
I was sad to hear of the death of Alan Williams as I had been hoping for years to be able to meet him to ask about his time in Algiers for a book I am researching. I’d be most grateful if his former wife and/or children would in due course be kind enough to talk briefly to me in case there are any memories or other information I might still obtain.