Dr Kenneth Alan Williams, known to all as Bill, was born in Brentford and educated at Mercers School and Chelsea Polytechnic, and it was at the latter that he learned to row, eventually becoming Captain of University of London Boat Club (Chelsea Polytechnic being affiliated to the University).

He joined Thames in 1929, proposed by his brother Ronald and seconded by Freddie Page.

He won the Thames Cup in 1934 and reached the final of the Wyfold in 1946.

He served on the Committee in the following roles:

1930-1935 Committee member
1936-1940 Honorary House Steward
1940-1945 One of the Commission of three which ran the club during wartime
1945-1950 Committee member
1950-1955 Joint Honorary Secretary
1956 Captain
1957 Deputy Captain
1958-1961 Committee member
1961-1982 Vice President
1973-1977 Chairman

He was a regular coach of Thames crews as well as those of Queens College, Cambridge and the Royal Engineers.

At different times he served on the Council of the Amateur Rowing Association, was Chairman of the Thames Amateur Rowing Council, and was Chief Examiner of Umpires.

He was a founder member of Eyre Club, President of Remenham Club, and Master of the Argonauts Masonic Lodge.

He did a great deal of highly valuable work with the club records. He produced several articles on club history for the Thames Journal, and his extensive notes form the basis for much of Geoffrey Page's 'Hear the Boat Sing: the history of Thames Rowing Club and Tideway Rowing'. He was also a keen amateur photographer and took many photos of club crews and events.

He passed the ARIC (Associate Royal Institute of Chemistry) examinations in 1923 and gained full BSc Honours in 1926. He was an analytical chemist, specialising in edible fats and oils, and rose to become Principal of the firm ER Bolton. He was President of the Society for Analytical Chemistry in 1955-6.