George Williams

WILLIAMS, GEORGE
(July 2, 1933 – April 12, 2023)
Ocean Going Captain
Tug Master & Pilot, Northland Harbour Board

By Greg Williams.

George Williams, was born in Suva Fiji in 1933 to parents George Hutchins Williams and Mavis Goodfellow. His Grandfather, Captain Frank Armstrong Williams, already features in this website with a colourful contribution to the life and times of Fiji.

Fiji was an idyllic place for a young boy to grow up. He loved fishing and sailing and along with brothers Ian and Ron, and sisters Beverly and Judy he took part in the pioneer days of the Royal Suva Yacht club.

Brothers George and Ron Williams

Following in his Grandfather’s footsteps George set off for a life at sea.

He worked on the missionary vessel John Williams V as owned by the London Missionary Society (LMS). Pay was not good but he gained valuable experience and often made more than his wages by catching fish and selling them on return to Suva. At 18 yrs took up a free birth on a yacht and sailed to New Zealand.

In New Zealand he continued his life at sea and worked his way up to ocean going Captain (1965) with the Union Steam Ship company.

He was working on the merchant vessel Kaitawa in 1966 and was lucky to be rostered off when the ship sank off Cape Reinga with the loss of all 29 lives His luck prevailed again when he was rostered off from work on the Wahine when she sank in 1968.

Captain George Williams

George then spent the rest of his working life at the Northland Harbour Board as a Tug Master and Pilot. He took part in the dramatic rescue of crew from Union East in 1975 (the ship eventually sunk whilst being towed back to Whangarei). He often sailed with friends in the Auckland to Suva yacht race and won prizes for the best navigator – using only his old wartime sextant to navigate by the stars.

George and Molly Williams

George married Molly Hutchison – from central Otago. They had 4 children. Mark, Greg, Jonathon and Julia. Sadly Julia the youngest child died in a car accident at just 18 years. George and Molly were deeply hurt by this loss and found some peace in their yearly trips to Fiji where the quiet life and the locals helped them get through. His older brother Ian worked for the Union Steam ship company and along with Beverly and Judy, eventually moved to Australia. Younger brother Ron worked for TEAL (Air NZ) and spent 2 years working in Samoa operating the Solent ZK-AMO Flying Boats that flew between NZ – Fiji –Tahiti – Samoa and Aitutaki on the Coral Route. Ron married Isabella Williams (also born in Fiji) and they transferred to New Zealand.

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Entry By: Greg Williams, Tauranga, New Zealand.