Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.
Gift of daughter Karen Laufer
Born in 1912 in Shire Oaks, Pennsylvania, Thomas L. Williams studied photography at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. After graduation, Mr. Williams enlisted in the Navy shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor during World War II and was stationed at Camp Peary, where he started the base's photography laboratory. While at Camp Peary, he shot many photographs for Colonial Williamsburg, who hired him shortly after World War II to start their photography section. After nine years at Colonial Williamsburg, Mr. Williams became the photographer for William & Mary, a position he held for 35 years. While at William and Mary, Mr. Williams photographed various events at the College, including Charter Day and Commencement ceremonies, the inauguration of Davis Y. Paschall as president of William & Mary, and the celebrations during Homecoming Weekend.
Thomas L. Williams collection, Special Collections Research Center, William & Mary Libraries
Thomas L. Williams Papers
University Archives Photograph Collection
The collection includes photographs, negatives, slides, film, postcards, ephemera, correspondence and artifacts belonging to Thomas L. Williams, photographer for William & Mary for 35 years. He was also a photographer for Camp Peary and Colonial Williamsburg prior to working for William & Mary.
Before publishing quotations or excerpts from any materials, permission must be obtained from the Curator of Manuscripts and Rare Books, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Addition includes photographs, correspondence, negatives, and newspaper articles from Thomas L. Williams. Photographs includes scenes of Colonial Williamsburg and the campus of William & Mary.
Files include photographs of Williamsburg, Virginia, William & Mary, as well as personal family photographs taken by Thomas L. Williams from the 1940s-1960s. Other papers include clippings documenting events in Williamsburg and correspondence.
Included in the folder of people of note visiting Williamsburg are those labeled as follows:
Menderez, Sec. of Defense of Turkey Visited 7/13/58
President Dwight D. Eisenhower with Virginia Governor Thomas Stanley
Vera Vague of Rob Hope Show WWII
Jack Niklaus 9/67
President Lyndon B. Johnson
King of Belgium 5/31/59
President Richard Nixon with W&M President Paschal
President Dwight Eisenhower
Grand Opening Day with Queen Elizabeth 1957
President Gerald Ford
President Rockefeller
Debbie Reynolds
King Hussein of Jordan Visits Jamestown
Governor Mills Godwin
King of Morocco Visits
Lord Mayor of London at Colonial Williamsburg
King Baudouin of Belgium May 1959
Prince Phillip with Governor Stanley