Charles Adolphus Williams, MBE (23 December 1927 – 2 September 2006) was an English professional

footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby lea ...

who was one of the first

black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

players in British football after the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Bourne, Stephen
Obituary
''

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'', 4 September 2006. Later he became Britain's first well-known black

stand-up comedian Stand-up comedy is a performance directed to a live audience, where the performer stands on a stage and delivers humorous and satirical monologues sometimes incorporating physical acts. These performances are typically composed of rehear ...

.Obituary
''

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'', 4 September 2006. He became famous from his appearances on

Granada Television ITV Granada, formerly known as Granada Television, is the ITV (TV network), ITV franchisee for the North West of England and Isle of Man. From 1956 to 1968 it broadcast to both the north west and Yorkshire on weekdays only, as ABC Weekend TV, ...

's '' The Comedians'' and ATV's '' The Golden Shot'', delivering his

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, "me old flower" in his broad

Yorkshire accent Yorkshire dialect, also known as Yorkshire English, Broad Yorkshire, Tyke, or Yorkie, is a grouping of several regionally neighbouring dialects of English spoken in Yorkshire. Yorkshire experienced drastic dialect levelling in the 20th cent ...

Early life and football career

Williams was born in Royston, a small mining village in

Barnsley Barnsley () is a market town in South Yorkshire, England. It is the main settlement of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley and the fourth largest settlement in South Yorkshire. The town's population was 71,422 in 2021, while the wider boroug ...

south Yorkshire South Yorkshire is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England. It borders North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire to the north, the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north-east, Lincolnshire ...

. His father, also Charles, had come to

Britain Britain most often refers to: * Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales * The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...

in 1914 from

Barbados Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...

Obituary
''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...

'', 4 September 2006. and enlisted in the

Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...

. After the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, his father settled in Royston, where he sold groceries from a horse and cart, and married a local woman, Frances Cook. His father had been forced to give up his job as a

greengrocer A greengrocer is a person who owns or operates a shop selling primarily produce, fruit and vegetables. The term may also be used to refer to a shop selling primarily produce. It is used predominantly in the United Kingdom and Australia. In the ...

as a result of

trench foot Trench foot, also known by #Names, other names, is a type of immersion foot syndromes, foot damage due to moisture. Initial symptoms often include tingling or itching which can progress to numbness. The feet may become erythema, red or cyanosis, ...

acquired in France and depended on

National Assistance National Assistance was the main means-tested benefit in the United Kingdom from 1948 to 1966. It was established by the National Assistance Act 1948 ( 11 & 12 Geo. 6. c. 29) and abolished by the Ministry of Social Security Act 1966, which establ ...

. After leaving school aged 14 (when, according to his autobiography ''Ee-I've Had Some Laughs'', his father died), Williams worked at Upton Colliery during the

, a

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. He played football for the

colliery Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground or from a mine. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extra ...

team, before turning professional and signing for

Doncaster Rovers Doncaster Rovers Football Club is a professional association football club based in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, England. The team currently competes in EFL League One, the third level of the English football league system after winning the 202 ...

in 1948, having also considered

York City York City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of York, North Yorkshire, England. The team competes in the National League, the fifth level of the English football league system, as of the 2024–25 seas ...

and

Nottingham Forest Nottingham Forest Football Club is a professional association football club based in West Bridgford, Nottinghamshire, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Founde ...

, aged 19. A

centre-half In the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to stop attacks during the game and prevent the opposition from scoring. Defenders fall into four main categories: centre-backs, full-backs, sweepers ...

, he played for the first team in 1950 and became the first Black player to represent Doncaster Rovers when he made his debut in a home game against Tranmere Rovers on 3 May that year. He then remained in the reserves until 1955, when he became an established first team player for four years. He played 171 times for Rovers in total, but scored only one goal, in a Second Division game away to

on 24 March 1956. In his own words, "I was never a fancy player, but I could stop them buggers that were." He ended his career with Skegness Town in the

Midland League The Midland Football League, officially known as the Capelli Sport Midland Football League since January 2025 for sponsorship reasons, is an English football league that was founded in 2014 by the merger of the former Midland Alliance and Midl ...

. He married twice. He was first married to Audrey Crump on 1 April 1957. They had two children. He later married a second time, to Janice, who survived him.

Showbusiness career

Following his retirement from football in 1959, Williams tried his hand as a singer in local

working men's club Working men's clubs are British private social clubs first created in the 19th century in industrial areas, particularly the North of England, Midlands, Scotland, Northern Ireland and South Wales Valleys, to provide recreation and education ...

s, but it was his comic chat between the songs that was best received, so he decided to move into comedy full-time. He eventually became Britain's first well-known black television comedian. He came to prominence from 1971, when he began appearing regularly on '' The Comedians''. The show broadcast stand-up routines from relatively unknown but often very experienced club comedians, including Frank Carson, Mike Reid and

Bernard Manning Bernard John Manning (13 August 1930 – 18 June 2007) was an English comedian and nightclub owner. He gained a high profile on British television during the 1970s, appearing on shows such as '' The Comedians'' and '' The Wheeltappers and Shun ...

. The novel combination of a black man with a

and his first-hand experience of life in the British

working class The working class is a subset of employees who are compensated with wage or salary-based contracts, whose exact membership varies from definition to definition. Members of the working class rely primarily upon earnings from wage labour. Most c ...

made him unmistakable. Williams' comedy was often at his own expense, particularly his colour. He used to respond to heckling by saying: "If you don't shut up, I'll come and move in next door to you". Like other popular comedians of his era, his comedy included jokes about " Pakis" and " coons". Nevertheless, in the 1970s he was a role model for a new generation of British black comedians, such as

Lenny Henry Sir Lenworth George Henry (born 29 August 1958) is a British Jamaicans, British-Jamaican comedian, actor and writer. He gained success as a Stand-up comedy, stand-up comedian and impressionist in the late 1970s and early 1980s, culminating in ' ...

and Gary Wilmot, when almost all others were white. He reached the pinnacle of his comedy career in the early 1970s. In 1972, he spent a six-month season at the

London Palladium The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in Soho. The theatre was designed by Frank Matcham and opened in 1910. The auditorium holds 2,286 people. Hundreds of stars have played there, many wit ...

; presented his own show, ''It's Charlie Williams'', on Granada Television; was a subject on '' This Is Your Life'', when he was surprised by

Eamonn Andrews Eamonn Andrews, (19 December 1922 – 5 November 1987) was an Irish radio and television presenter, employed primarily in the United Kingdom from the 1950s to the 1980s. From 1960 to 1964 he chaired the Radio Éireann Authority (now the RTÉ ...

at the Batley Variety Club; and appeared at the

Royal Variety Performance The ''Royal Variety Performance'' is a televised variety show held annually in the United Kingdom to raise money for the Royal Variety Charity (of which King Charles III is life-patron). It is attended by senior members of the British royal ...

. In 1973, he presented a one-off special ''Charlie Williams Show'' on

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, and published an

autobiography An autobiography, sometimes informally called an autobio, is a self-written account of one's own life, providing a personal narrative that reflects on the author's experiences, memories, and insights. This genre allows individuals to share thei ...

, ''Ee-I've Had Some Laughs''. He was popular enough at this time to be featured as the star of his own one page comic strip in

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's '' Shiver and Shake'' comic at this time. He was also the host of ATV's popular

game show A game show (or gameshow) is a genre of broadcast viewing entertainment where contestants compete in a game for rewards. The shows are typically directed by a game show host, host, who explains the rules of the program as well as commentating a ...

'' The Golden Shot'', along with hostess Wendy King, for a six-month period from late 1973 to early 1974, although he often struggled to hold together a fast-moving live show, and it ultimately had a detrimental effect on his career. In 1976, Williams toured

Rhodesia Rhodesia ( , ; ), officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state, unrecognised state in Southern Africa that existed from 1965 to 1979. Rhodesia served as the ''de facto'' Succession of states, successor state to the ...

and appeared before audiences at packed nightclubs in

Salisbury Salisbury ( , ) is a city status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and civil parish in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers River Avon, Hampshire, Avon, River Nadder, Nadder and River Bourne, Wi ...

. At that time, the

white minority rule In political science, minoritarianism (or minorityism) is a neologism for a political structure or process in which a minority group of a population has a certain degree of primacy in that population's decision making, with legislative power or j ...

government of Rhodesia had unilaterally declared independence from Britain, which had severed all ties with the Rhodesian government. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, his brand of humour was becoming old-fashioned and his career was in decline. He caused offence to some, and was praised by others, for defending the

Robertson's Robertson's is a British brand of marmalades and fruit preserves that was founded by James Robertson in 1864. The firm was run as a partnership until 1903, when it was incorporated as a limited company: James Robertson & Sons, Preserve Manufactur ...

Golliwog The golliwog, also spelled golliwogg or shortened to golly, is a doll-like character, created by cartoonist and author Florence Kate Upton, which appeared in children's books in the late 19th century, usually depicted as a type of rag doll. I ...

trade mark A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a form of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination that identifies a product or service from a particular source and distinguishes it from oth ...

and for saying that immigrants to the United Kingdom should conform to the British way of life. He retired after a final tour in 1995.

Recordings

In 1972 and 1973 Williams released two singles, ''That's what I shoulda said'' (1972) and ''Smile'' (1973), released on Columbia. In 1973, he also had an album issued by the label, ''You Can't Help Liking.......Charlie Williams''. In 1974, he released the pop single ''Ta Luv'', on the

Pye Records PYE or Pye Records is an independent British record label. It was first established in 1955 and played a major role in shaping rock 'n' roll and pop music history. The Pye name was dropped in 1980 due to trademark issues, after which it produced ...

label, a song taken from ''

The Good Companions ''The Good Companions'' is a novel by the English author J. B. Priestley. Written in 1929, it follows the fortunes of a Concert Party (entertainment), concert party on a tour of England. It is Priestley's most famous novel and established hi ...

'' musical.

Later life

Williams was appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding valuable service in a wide range of useful activities. It comprises five classes of awards across both civil and military divisions, the most senior two o ...

(MBE) in the 1999 New Year Honours "for charitable services to the community in Yorkshire." He was given a lifetime achievement award at the ''Black Comedy Awards'' in 2000, where it was recognised that he had "broken down barriers". In 2004, he was voted Doncaster Rovers' "all-time cult hero" by viewers of the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

's ''

Football Focus ''Football Focus'' is a BBC television magazine programme launched in 1974, broadcast live on BBC One on Saturday lunchtimes during the football season. The programme, along with '' Final Score'', is a remnant from the former flagship sports show ...

'' programme. Williams suffered from

Parkinson's disease Parkinson's disease (PD), or simply Parkinson's, is a neurodegenerative disease primarily of the central nervous system, affecting both motor system, motor and non-motor systems. Symptoms typically develop gradually and non-motor issues become ...

in his later life, and died on 2 September 2006, aged 78.

References

External links

*
Doncaster Rovers – Famous Players – Charlie WilliamsBlack British History – Charlie WilliamsCharlie Williams Donny Joke BoxBBC Guide to Comedy – The Comedians

{{DEFAULTSORT:Williams, Charlie 1927 births 2006 deaths Black British male comedians Black British comedians Black British sportsmen English people of Barbadian descent Sportspeople of Barbadian descent Comedians from South Yorkshire Deaths from Parkinson's disease in England Doncaster Rovers F.C. players English men's footballers Footballers from South Yorkshire Members of the Order of the British Empire People from Royston, South Yorkshire Sportspeople from the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley Skegness Town A.F.C. players Upton Colliery F.C. players Men's association football defenders 20th-century English comedians 21st-century English comedians English Football League players 20th-century English sportsmen