Alun Williams

{{Short description|Welsh radio presenter}} {{Use British English|date=December 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox person | honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|size=100%|country=GBR|OBE}} | name = Alun Williams | birth_date = {{birth date|1920|8|26|df=yes}} | birth_place = Port Talbot, Wales | death_date = {{death date and age|1992|3|30|1920|8|26|df=yes}} | education = {{ubl|Cardiff University (BA)|University of Wales Trinity Saint David (PhD)}} | occupation = Radio presenter | employer = BBC | spouse = Perrie Hopkin Morris }}

'''David Alun Williams''', OBE (26 August 1920 – 30 March 1992)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/159316|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121011145604/http://ftvdb.bfi.org.uk/sift/individual/159316|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 October 2012|title=BFI Entry|accessdate=3 May 2009}}</ref> was a Welsh radio presenter who became one of the best known voices on BBC radio when he commentated on events such as the Coronation in 1953<ref name="coronation">{{cite web|url=http://www.turnipnet.com/whirligig/radio/coronation.htm|title=BBC radio coverage of The Coronation - 1953|access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref> and sports events including rugby, swimming and the Olympic Games.<ref name="ewe">{{cite web|url=https://ewegottalove.com/notable-welsh-men-and-women/|title=Notable Men and Women of Wales|publisher=Ewegottalove Wales|access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref>

==Life and career== Alun Williams was born in Port Talbot, South Wales, the son of a Presbyterian minister. He was educated at Llandeilo Grammar School, Pontypridd Grammar School and University College, Cardiff. He then served in the Royal Navy, rising from ordinary seaman to become an intelligence officer serving in the Far East.

He began his broadcasting career when he was a student and after working as an outside broadcast assistant became a commentator for the BBC. He introduced many successful radio programmes in the 1950s including ''Welsh Rarebit'' and ''Workers' Playtime'', and went on to present a number of long-running programmes in both English and Welsh on Radio Wales and Radio Cymru including Dewch am Dro, One Good Turn, On the Road, Monday Morning Miscellany, Alun yn Galw and Shw Mai Heno.<ref name="rarebit">{{cite web|url=https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/whirligigtv/welsh-rarebit-t1205.html|title=Welsh Rarebit - 1950's British TV and Radio|access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref>

He was a familiar face on television in Wales and for many years was one of the presenters of Come Dancing.

He was a member of the Gorsedd with the pseudonym 'Crwydryn' (Wanderer) – a reference to the extensive travelling he undertook during his career, touring with the Welsh rugby team and British Lions, presenting Forces' Chance and covering the Olympic and Commonwealth Games.<ref name="rugby2020">{{cite web|url=https://www.therugbypaper.co.uk/all/columnists/35782/rugby-matters-all-our-yesterdays-come-gloriously-alive-again/|title=Rugby Matters: All our yesterdays come gloriously alive again|author=Brendan Gallagher|publisher=The Rugby Paper|date=31 March 2020|access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref>

He was made an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to broadcasting in 1982.

He was married to Perrie Hopkin Morris, daughter of Liberal MP Sir Rhys Hopkin Morris and his wife Gwladys.<ref name="marriage">{{cite web|url=https://biography.wales/article/s2-MORR-HOP-1888|title=MORRIS, Sir RHYS HOPKIN (1888-1956)|publisher=Dictionary of Welsh Biography|access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref><ref name="mp">{{cite web|url=https://biography.wales/article/s2-MORR-HOP-1888|title=MORRIS, Sir RHYS HOPKIN (1888-1956)|publisher=Dictionary of Welsh Biography|access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref>

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Alun}} Category:1920 births Category:1992 deaths Category:Welsh-speaking journalists Category:People from Port Talbot Category:Welsh journalists Category:Welsh radio presenters Category:Welsh cricket commentators Category:BBC sports presenters and reporters Category:Alumni of Cardiff University Category:People educated at Pontypridd High School