Josiah Williams

Josiah Williams was the coroner at Angledool for 36 years. He was born on 29 August 1865 in Araluen, New South Wales to parents John and Jane. He was married twice, to Mary Ann Pollack in 1892 and Jessie Fox in 1922.

Williams mined for opal at Lightning Ridge in the early 1900s alongside Sid Magner (the Angledool postmaster) and Charlie Nettleton.

In 1908, Williams was swindled out of goods to the value of £3 by F. Hamblin Thomas, a doctor from Queensland who was traveling through the area.

Williams ran a coach building business at Angledool. In 1925, Williams submitted tender to build a bridge over the Narran River at Angledool, which was accepted at £4,259 (about $415,000 in today’s money).

Williams was on the Board of Management for the Angledool Hospital, and later was president of the Rathmines Progress Association.

Josiah Williams passed away on 30 August 1934 in Toronto, New South Wales.

• Josiah Williams @ Find a Grave.

Article: Research by Russell Gawthorpe and Leisa Carney, edited by Russell Gawthorpe. LRHS research compiled by Len Cram and Barbara Moritz. Sources: ‘Offences not otherwise described’, New South Wales Police Gazette and Weekly Record of Crime, 26 August 1908, p. 306; ‘Bridge at Angledool’, Barrier Miner, 18 March 1925, p. 4; ‘Death of Old Araluen Native’, History of Lightning Ridge 1900’, Claude Williams, 1967, State Library of New South Wales, ref. 921446; The Braidwood Review and District Advocate', 18 September 1934, p. 6; History of Angledool, Pat Cross, 1997, p. 2.