# Denys Williams > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Denys_Williams > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Denys_Williams.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denys_Williams > Source revision: 1349323181 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|Barbadian politician}} {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = [The Honourable](/source/The_Honourable) Sir | name = Denys Williams, | honorific_suffix = [KCMG](/source/Knight_Commander_of_the_Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George) [GCM](/source/Order_of_Barbados) | office = Acting [Governor-General of Barbados](/source/Governor-General_of_Barbados) | monarch = [Elizabeth II](/source/Elizabeth_II) | prime_minister = [Owen Arthur](/source/Owen_Arthur) | term_start = 19 December 1995 | term_end = 1 June 1996 | predecessor = Dame [Nita Barrow](/source/Nita_Barrow) | successor = Sir [Clifford Husbands](/source/Clifford_Husbands) | birth_date = {{birth date|1929|10|12|df=y}} | birth_place = [British Windward Islands](/source/British_Windward_Islands) (present day [Barbados](/source/Barbados)) | death_date = {{death date and age|2014|08|7|1929|10|12|df=yes}} | death_place = [Bridgetown](/source/Bridgetown), Barbados | spouse = Carmel Williams }} '''Sir Denys Ambrose Williams''', [KCMG](/source/Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George), [GCM](/source/Order_of_Barbados) (12 October 1929 – 7 August 2014) was a [Chief Justice of Barbados](/source/Chief_Justice_of_Barbados). He served as acting [Governor-General of Barbados](/source/Governor-General_of_Barbados) from 19 December 1995 until 1 June 1996.{{cite web|url=http://rulers.org/rulb1.html#barbados|title=Countries Ba-Bo|publisher=Rulers.org|accessdate=7 August 2014}}{{cite web|url=http://www.nationnews.com/articles/view/former-chief-justice-passes-away|title=Former Chief Justice passes away|publisher=nationnews.com|accessdate=16 May 2016}} ==Biography== {{unreferenced section|date=June 2016}} === Early life and education === Denys Ambrose Williams was born on 12 October 1929 in Barbados. He was one of 10 children of family to George C. Williams and Violet Williams. He studied at [Combermere School](/source/Combermere_School) and [Harrison College](/source/Harrison_College_(Barbados)) in Barbados, won a Barbados Scholarship in 1949 and went on to study law at [Oxford University](/source/Oxford_University), subsequently being admitted to the [English Bar](/source/English_Bar) at the [Middle Temple](/source/Middle_Temple) in London. === Career === He then returned to the [West Indies](/source/West_Indies_Federation), spending some time working for the [West Indies Federation](/source/West_Indies_Federation) based in [Trinidad](/source/Trinidad), before returning to [Barbados](/source/Barbados) in 1955 and being admitted as a [Magistrate](/source/Magistrate). Holding the post of Barbados' Chief Parliamentary Counsel, Denys Ambrose Williams in cooperation with [Sir Roy Marshall](/source/Roy_Marshall_(academic)) draft the constitution of Barbados, before Barbados gained [independence in 1966](/source/Barbados_Independence_Act_1966). Also in that period he was one of the member of team accompanying first Prime Minister [Errol Barrow](/source/Errol_Barrow) to the Independence conference in London. In 1966, Denys was appointed a judge, at the time the youngest judge in the [Commonwealth](/source/Commonwealth_of_Nations) at the age of 37, and subsequently became [Chief Justice of Barbados](/source/Chief_Justice_of_Barbados). In May 1992, he declared illegal the government's decision to cut wages in the public sector by eight percent. This decision was upheld unanimously by the [Judicial Committee of the Privy Council](/source/Judicial_Committee_of_the_Privy_Council) in London, England. In 1981, he presided over the [extradition](/source/extradition) of the notorious robber [Ronald Biggs](/source/Ronnie_Biggs), ruling that Biggs could not be extradited to another country because the [Parliament of Barbados](/source/Parliament_of_Barbados) had not ratified the extradition treaty with the UK. In 1987, [Queen Elizabeth II](/source/Elizabeth_II) awarded the [knighthood](/source/knighthood) to Denis Williams, which was a great honour and significant event for him. From 1995 to 1996, he held the post of acting [Governor General of Barbados](/source/Governor-General_of_Barbados). Sir Denys retired as [Chief Justice](/source/Chief_Justice_of_Barbados) on 10 October 2001. At the time of his retirement, Sir Denys had been the longest serving judge in the Commonwealth, having given 34 years of his life to the judicial service of Barbados. Sir Denys Ambrose Williams was also an honorary member of [the Canadian Bar](/source/Canadian_Bar_Association) and served as Commissioner of the National Insurance Scheme in Barbados until June 2014. He was also a member of [the Rotary Club](/source/the_Rotary_Club) of Barbados{{Cite web|date=15 January 2012|title=Chief Justice joins ranks|url=https://www.nationnews.com/2012/01/15/chief-justice-joins-ranks/|access-date=19 December 2021|website=www.nationnews.com|language=en-US}} and served as [Chief Scout](/source/Chief_Scout) of the [Boy Scouts of Barbados](/source/Barbados_Boy_Scouts_Association) for several years.{{Citation needed|date=May 2024}} In July 2012, Sir Denys, along with former Governor-General [Sir Clifford Husbands](/source/Clifford_Husbands) were conferred as Honorary Chief Scouts. ==Personal life== Sir Denys was married to Carmel, Lady Williams, and they were the parents of six children: Denise, Fiona, Shaun, Clare, Roslyn, and Simon, and five grandchildren.{{cite web|url=http://www.lyndhurstfuneralhome.com|title=Obituary|publisher=lyndhurstfuneralhome.com|accessdate=16 May 2016}} Sir Denys Ambrose Williams died on 7 August 2014 at his home in Rockley, [Christ Church](/source/Christ_Church%2C_Barbados), Barbados, at the age of 84. His body was interred at the Coral Ridge Memorial Gardens, The Ridge, Christ Church, [Barbados](/source/Barbados), on Wednesday, 13 August 2014. == Awards == * Was awarded the [Gold Crown of Merit](/source/Gold_Crown_of_Merit) (GCM).{{Cite web|last=admin|date=8 August 2014|title=PM's Statement On The Passing Of Sir Denys Williams|url=https://gisbarbados.gov.bb/blog/pms-statement-on-the-passing-of-sir-denys-williams/|access-date=19 December 2021|website=GIS|language=en-US}} * [Knight Bachelor](/source/Knight_Bachelor) in the 1987.{{Cite web|date=8 August 2014|title=Late Sir Denys 'an intellectual titan'|url=https://www.nationnews.com/2014/08/08/late-sir-denys-an-intellectual-titan/|access-date=19 December 2021|website=www.nationnews.com|language=en-US}} * [Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George](/source/Order_of_St_Michael_and_St_George) (KCMG) in 1993. ==References== {{reflist}} {{s-start}} {{s-gov}} {{s-bef|before=Dame [Nita Barrow](/source/Nita_Barrow)}} {{s-ttl|title=[Governor General of Barbados](/source/Governor-General_of_Barbados)|years=1995–1996}} {{s-aft|after=Sir [Clifford Husbands](/source/Clifford_Husbands)}} {{s-end}} {{Governors-General of Barbados|state=collapsed}} {{authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Denys}} Category:1929 births Category:2014 deaths Category:Barbadian judges Category:Barbadian knights Category:Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Category:Governors-general of Barbados Category:Chief justices of Barbados Category:Alumni of the University of Oxford Category:Members of the Middle Temple --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Denys Williams](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denys_Williams) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denys_Williams?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.