John Charles Williams (30 April 1861 – 29 March 1939) was an English Liberal Unionist politician and a noted gardener at Caerhays Castle, Cornwall, where he grew and bred rhododendrons and other plants. An important group of camellia cultivars, Camellia × williamsii, was originally bred by him. He also took an interest in the development of new daffodil cultivars.[1]
He was educated at Rugby School and at Trinity Hall, Cambridge.
In 1882 he acquired the estate of Werrington, then in Devon and since 1974 in Cornwall.[2] He was one of the largest land-owners of north Cornwall having bought more than, mostly in the parishes of St Columb Major, St Ervan and St Issey, in the 1880s.[3] He was elected at the 1892 general election as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Truro, and held the seat until he stood down at the 1895 general election.[4] He was High Sheriff of Cornwall in 1888, and Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall from 1918 to 1936.
. F. W. S. Craig . British parliamentary election results 1885–1918 . 1974 . 2nd . 1989 . Parliamentary Research Services . Chichester . 0-900178-27-2 . 243.