Martin Gwynne Williams 1948-2022

Martin was the Honorary Treasurer of the Trinity Hall Association from 1980 to 1998 and again from 2005 to 2008 during which times he was always a valued and measured contributor to Committee meetings quite apart from keeping the accounts in immaculate order. He was a generous benefactor of the College endowing a number of undergraduate bursaries and a member of the Master’s Circle of benefactors. He enjoyed his many visits to Trinity Hall for the Annual Gathering, dinners of his peer group, benefactors and others. He was a Year Rep from the inception of the scheme until he died during which time he arranged events and coordinated his year with great skill and efficiency, in particular having a large turnout in 2016 being the 50th anniversary since matriculation in 1966. He was also a Governor of his old preparatory school Arnold House.

Martin was educated at Westminster School and came to Trinity Hall like his father Sir David Innes Williams, the founder of  pediatric urology, but studied Economics in which he gained a First Class degree. Whilst not a keen sportsman, Martin did sail and play squash whilst in later years enjoyed country walking. He much enjoyed travel in France and elsewhere. He left The Hall to qualify as an accountant and join the world of corporate finance, at which he was very successful in different roles, firstly with Laurence Prust, then Advent and finally Questor Capital, retiring in 2013. One anecdote comes to mind recounting that whilst his contemporaries at Cambridge went backpacking round the world in their Gap Year, he drove through the Khyber Pass in the back of the British High Commissioner’s official car. At the time Martin was staying with the British High Commissioner’s elder son, who had been a great friend at Westminster. Martin liked to live well at all times. He was also a regular Churchgoer at East Knoyle in Wiltshire, where he lovingly maintained the family home and assisted in maintaining Church services in the absence of a regular Vicar and kept the accounts of the benefice of St Bartholomew. He made sure that his father was well looked after in his later years, visiting him frequently before he died at the age of 93.

Martin had suffered from heart problems for some years and in his last year he bravely contributed to pioneering heart research undergoing new procedures. Throughout this time he remained very positive, planning more memorable holidays such as he enjoyed in the West Highlands, Wales and the West Country. Sadly his heart finally failed him. Martin is survived by his brother Michael, sister-in-law Judith, niece Emma and nephew James and their respective children.