Hugh Ross Williamson (1901–1978)

Book in a series called Harrap's Children's Bookshelf Series. Very colourful cover design and presentation copy to Peta Simmons, prize for attendance at Frieth Church Sunday School, Christmas 1965. Saints included are St Helen, St Columba, St Aidan, St Cuthbert, St. Audry, St. Swithun. (St Swithun loved most being among ordinary simple people. He also ruled the Church in the diocese of Winchester. It was on the verge of his grave being moved from the churchyard to a much better tomb in the cathedral in Winchester, when the rain started and did not stop for many days. Swithun therefore had his wish obeyed and now 'to-day there is the saying that if it rains on St Swithun's Day there will be rain for forty days after', pages 36/37. Also in the book are St Edward the Confessor, St Thomas of Canterbury, St Hugh of Lincoln and St Thomas More… (more)

2788 The Day They Killed the King, by Hugh Ross Williamson (read 7 Oct 1995) The 'day' referred to is 30 Jan 1649, the day Charles II's head was chopped off. The book is quite well-done, even though it is without a bibliography and the preface indicates that the author makes up his mind as to what happened when the evidence is conflicting. The last chapter tells of the trial and horrible execution of one of the regicides on Oct 13, 1660: Thomas Harrison. It is said one of his sons emigrated to Virginia and from him is descended the two Presidents of the United States named Harrison. This was a good book. (I later found out that all of Thomas Harrison's children died in infancy--so this 'fact' apparently was made up by the author based on incorrect 'evidence'.)… (more)

2796 Enigmas of History, by Hugh Ross Williamson (read 29 Oct 1995) This tells of interesting things in history, though one can hardly say the author proves what he asserts. There are seven stories. One deals with George IV and suggests that while Caroline was married to him Caroline had a son by a German prince and said son did not die till 1849 and should have--by reason of the irrebuttable presumption of George IV's paternity--have succeeded George IV as king. The next account suggests that Henry VIII was not Queen Elizabeth's father. The third account asserts James I was homosexual and was poisoned. The fourth tries to determine who Charles II's executioner was. The last two accounts deal with the Man in the Iron Mask (he theorizes said man was the real father of Louis XIV) and the Diamond Necklace. I am not sure how valuable reading this book was but the author interests me. He is dead, but even our local public library has a couple of his novels still on its shelves.… (more)