Zephaniah Williams
| Zephaniah Williams | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Born | 1795 near Argoed, Sirhowy Valley, Monmouthshire, Wales |
| Died | 8 May 1874 Launceston, Tasmania |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Education | self-educated |
| Occupation | Mineral Agent |
| Years active | 1839 |
| Known for | Chartism |
| Criminal penalty | Transportation |
| Criminal status | Pardoned |
Zephaniah Williams (1795 – 8 May 1874) was a Welsh coal miner and Chartist campaigner, who was one of the leaders of the Newport Rising of 1839. Found guilty of high treason, he was condemned to death, but his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in today’s Tasmania. Eventually he was pardoned, and his discovery of coal on that island earned him a fortune.
Williams was born near Argoed, Sirhowy Valley, Monmouthshire, Wales, with much of his childhood spent near the then village of Blackwood, also living for some periods in Caerphilly and Nantyglo. He was fortunate enough not only to have a fair amount of schooling, and becoming literate in both English and Welsh, but also having the character to be self-educated, particularly studying geology.
At the age of 25 he married Joan, then living for some time in Machen and having a son Llewellyn. Daughters Jane and Rhoda were born in 1825 and 1827 respectively.
At the age of 33 he came to Sirhowy, as a free thinking rationalist, with strong radical views, rather than one of religious conviction. Apparently, stories said that he spat every time the name of Christ was mentioned.
He became a coal miner or collier and later a Master Collier at Blaina and innkeeper, keeping the Royal Oak at Nantyglo, from where he used to pay his colliers.
He was a free thinking man in religious matters and the local Working Men's Association met at his home. At the Coach and Horses in Blackwood, Zephaniah Williams met John Frost - a magistrate and supporter of the cause.
It was at this time only natural that such a man would emerge as a natural leader during the Chartist movement in south east Wales.
He was subsequently prosecuted for his part in the Chartist Newport Rising at Newport, Monmouthshire on 4 November 1839.
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