Alfred Williams (1877–1930) was a notable English author, best known for his detailed account of industrial life in the early 20th century. Born in South Marston, Wiltshire, Williams left school at the age of 11 to work in agriculture before securing a position at the Great Western Railway factory in Swindon. In his seminal work, 'Life in a Railway Factory' (1915), Williams offers a gritty portrayal of the relentless toil faced by the working class within a vast industrial enterprise at the zenith of Britain's railway era. His literary style combines a keen ethnographic eye with a deeply personal and poetic approach, rendering a vivid tapestry of the sights, sounds, and humanity within the factory walls. The book stands as a significant historical document, shedding light on the realities of labor at a time when industrialization was rapidly reshaping society. Williams' commitment to capturing the essence of working-class life in literature has earned him a modest yet enduring place in the canon of English social history writers. Furthermore, his broader body of work, which includes poetry and other pieces on rural life, emphasizes his versatility and deep connection to the English landscape and its people.