Hi Graeme, It would appear that one did not require a university education to become a writer in the mid 1800s, nor were humble origins nesessarily an obstacle. The details following comes from a biography of John Gillies of Bute (b1802-1871) He was the son of crofters,Thomas and Janet Gillies and was at the age of 18, articled under Alexander Irvine (town Clerk, Sheriff's Clerk, Clerk of the Petty Sessions for Buteshire, Comptroller of Customs) After completing his articles, he furthered his business experience in Greenock before returning to Rothesay to set up practice and to take up the post of town clerk 1833-1852. His son, Thomas was similarly trained under him - extremely reluctantly although apparently sucessfully - as he later became a justice of the Supreme Court in New Zealand. Neither had a university education. As John Gillies and his family emigrated to NZ in 1852, it would be interesting to know what happened to his legal firm and whether there was a connection between this family and your Williams other than a coincidence of surnames, occupations and professions. Cheers, Bill