When he first came to Australia from Wales at the age of 16, David Williams was broke and had little formal education.
When he died in 1994, almost 70 years later, he was a millionaire with a first-class honours degree, a masters degree and a PhD. He had also been blind for 43 years.
Dr Williams will be remembered through the recently-opened David Williams Building at the University of Queensland's Kings College thanks to a $1.5 million bequest to his old college.
With some of the best views of the Brisbane River on the St Lucia campus, the new accommodation wing will house 29 senior students and postgraduates.
Dr Williams became a Kingsman in 1934 when the University had just 1149 students and the College's accommodation was a now-demolished building at Kangaroo Point but his study was cut short by the advent of World War II.
On his return, his blindness, which was attributed to a vitamin C deficiency as a prisoner of war in Changi, gradually worsened while farming a 650-acre property on the Darling Downs. He was totally blind by 1951.
But Dr Williams was not about to let a disability stop him doing what he wanted.
With the help of Braille writers in Brisbane, Dr Williams returned to the University and studied for his bachelor of arts, graduating in 1954. His masters was awarded in 1956 and a year later, after winning a scholarship, he set sail with his wife and young son to complete a PhD at London University.
At the time Dr Williams, who received both the 1957 Gowrie Trust and the 1957 Major Patrick Hore-Ruthven Memorial scholarships, said he believed he was the first "blind Australian PhD from an English University".
"Coming to London University was a great responsibility," he said.
"The University had 40 readers for me when I arrived and, later, friends and other students took over.
"With a lot of help from a lot of people I've managed to get my degree ? now, I must try to make use of it."
He returned to a position as lecturer at the University of Queensland before retiring to concentrate on his growing portfolio of stocks and shares. It was discovered after his death that he was responsible, under a pseudonym, for a number of bursaries offered to Kings College students.
In opening the David Williams Building, University Chancellor Sir Llew Edwards said Dr Williams was known for giving "freely of himself as well as his money".
Master of the College Reverend John Patton said Dr Williams was "a remarkable man" and a great friend of the College.
He said Dr Williams had served on the College Council and was president of the Old Collegians Association for more than 20 years.
Mr Patton said it was hoped the David Williams Building would attract postgraduate students to allow the residents to "more truly reflect the University population".
"It is an endeavour to provide our younger students with the benefits of more contact with more mature students both academically and personally," he said.
"The dedication and opening of this building is therefore a very important occasion."
For further information contact Reverend John Patton (telephone 3871 9600).
