Mr. Williamson began his career as a printer before entering public service as King’s Messenger around 1784, first gaining notice for escorting the notorious William Brodie from London to Edinburgh after his capture in 1788. Though Brodie behaved flippantly during the journey, Williamson later recounted the episode with humour, including an ill-judged attempt at shaving his prisoner. Williamson rose to prominence in the 1790s for his energetic enforcement of the law against political reformers, arresting figures such as Muir of Huntershill and Palmer of Dundee, yet he was widely regarded as tactful, humane, and reluctant to use harsh measures, often helping distressed debtors from his own pocket. He accumulated a substantial fortune, lived in Edinburgh with a summer residence at Liberton, and was known for his fine garden. Williamson died in 1823 aged seventy-four, leaving a family that included two sons who followed legal and official careers.
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