Temple Williams (1899-1985) gained expertise in the antique trade whilst working as a Director of the London based antique dealers H Blairman & Sons from 1939 before establishing his own antique dealing business in Haunch of Venison Yard, off New Bond Street, in Mayfair, London in 1955. Temple's father was a ship broker and senior partner in the firm of Spillman & Company in the 1920s.
Temple’s wife, Joan (married 1951), joined the business in the mid-1950s, and their daughter Caroline joined in 1981; Temple Williams died on 17th December 1985; his estate was granted probate at £70,851. The firm developed a reputation for trading in high quality English early 19th century Regency period antique furniture, something that he appears to have been introduced to whilst at H Blairman & Sons, who were also well-known for an interest in Regency design after the Second World War. Williams was a leading figure in the British antiques trade and was elected President of the British Antique Dealers’ Association (BADA) in the 1960s.
