James Maurice Wilson
Encyclopedia
Rev. James Maurice Wilson (November 6, 1836 – April 15, 1931) was a British theologian, maths and science teacher, and astronomer
.
on the Isle of Man
from August 1848 to midsummer 1853 (his twin died in December 1856). Their father Edward, vicar of Nocton
in Lincolnshire
, had earlier been headmaster there.
According to his autobiography James Maurice Wilson had a rather unhappy time at King William's College. He later studied at Sedbergh School
.
He entered St. John's College, Cambridge
in 1855, where he was Senior Wrangler in 1859. He received an M.A.
in 1862 and was a Fellow from 1859 to 1868.
from 1859 to 1879 and Headmaster of Clifton College
from 1879 to 1890.
He made astronomical observations (particularly of double star
s) at Temple Observatory at Rugby with his former student George Mitchell Seabroke
. Temple Observatory was named after Frederick Temple
, headmaster of Rugby School, who later became Bishop of Exeter
and Archbishop of Canterbury
.
Wilson was encouraged by Temple to write the textbook Elementary Geometry, which was published in 1868. Up until that time, Euclid's Elements
had remained the standard textbook used in British schools.
With Joseph Gledhill
and Edward Crossley
, Wilson co-wrote Handbook of Double Stars in 1879, which became a standard reference work in astronomy. His astronomical observations seem to have come to an end after he left Rugby and went to Clifton.
While at Clifton, he successfully pushed for the creation of St Agnes Park in Bristol
, as part of a plan to improve the lives of the urban poor.
After his teaching career, he became Vicar of Rochdale
, Archdeacon of Manchester from 1890 to 1905, and Canon of Worcester
from 1905 to 1926 and Vice-Dean of the Cathedral
. He was Hulsean lecturer
at Cambridge in 1898; Lady Margaret Preacher at Cambridge in 1900; and Lecturer in Pastoral Theology at Cambridge in 1902.
He wholeheartedly accepted the theory of evolution and its implications for the literal interpretation of the Bible
. He gave two lectures in 1892 in which he accepted Darwinism and argued that it was compatible with a higher view of Christianity; the lectures were published by the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, which had a few years earlier strongly opposed Darwinian ideas.
In 1921, he served for one year as president of The Mathematical Association
of the UK.
In 1925 he wrote an essay entitled "The Religious Effect of the Idea of Evolution". He wrote a number of books, including Life after Death "with replies by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
" in 1920. In addition to spiritual works, he co-wrote an astronomy book on double stars (mentioned above) and mathematical books on geometry
and conic section
s. He contributed the article "On two fragments of geometrical treatises found in Worcester Cathedral" to the Mathematical Gazette (March 1911, p. 19).
, a proponent of the Manx language
.
In 1883 he married his second wife, Georgina Mary Talbot. Their sons included Sir Arnold Talbot Wilson, who became a British colonial administrator in Baghdad
and was killed in action in World War II
; 2nd Lt. Hugh Stanley Wilson (1885–1915), who died in World War I
and is buried in the military cemetery at Hébuterne
, Pas de Calais; and the tenor Sir Steuart Wilson
. From his notes, Arnold and Steuart published the posthumous James M. Wilson: An Autobiography (London, Sidgwick & Jackson, 1932)
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
.
Early life
He and his twin brother Edward Pears Wilson attended King William's CollegeKing William's College
King William's College is a leading world International Baccalaureate HMC independent school for ages 3 to 18, situated near Castletown on the Isle of Man...
on the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
from August 1848 to midsummer 1853 (his twin died in December 1856). Their father Edward, vicar of Nocton
Nocton
Nocton is a village south of Lincoln in the North Kesteven district of Lincolnshire, England. To the east of the village is Nocton Fen, and a small area known locally as Wasps Nest....
in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, had earlier been headmaster there.
According to his autobiography James Maurice Wilson had a rather unhappy time at King William's College. He later studied at Sedbergh School
Sedbergh School
Sedbergh School is a boarding school in Sedbergh, Cumbria, for boys and girls aged 13 to 18. Nestled in the Howgill Fells, it is known for sporting sides, such as its Rugby Union 1st XV.-Background:...
.
He entered St. John's College, Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in 1855, where he was Senior Wrangler in 1859. He received an M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1862 and was a Fellow from 1859 to 1868.
Career
He was a major figure in the development and reform of Victorian public schools, and promoted the teaching of science, which had until then been neglected. He was Maths and Science Master at Rugby SchoolRugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
from 1859 to 1879 and Headmaster of Clifton College
Clifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
from 1879 to 1890.
He made astronomical observations (particularly of double star
Double star
In observational astronomy, a double star is a pair of stars that appear close to each other in the sky as seen from Earth when viewed through an optical telescope. This can happen either because the pair forms a binary star, i.e...
s) at Temple Observatory at Rugby with his former student George Mitchell Seabroke
George Mitchell Seabroke
George Mitchell Seabroke was an English astronomer.He began his astronomical career at Rugby School, where he was a student...
. Temple Observatory was named after Frederick Temple
Frederick Temple
Frederick Temple was an English academic, teacher, churchman and Archbishop of Canterbury from 1896 until his death.-Early life:...
, headmaster of Rugby School, who later became Bishop of Exeter
Bishop of Exeter
The Bishop of Exeter is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Exeter in the Province of Canterbury. The incumbent usually signs his name as Exon or incorporates this in his signature....
and Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
.
Wilson was encouraged by Temple to write the textbook Elementary Geometry, which was published in 1868. Up until that time, Euclid's Elements
Euclid's Elements
Euclid's Elements is a mathematical and geometric treatise consisting of 13 books written by the Greek mathematician Euclid in Alexandria c. 300 BC. It is a collection of definitions, postulates , propositions , and mathematical proofs of the propositions...
had remained the standard textbook used in British schools.
With Joseph Gledhill
Joseph Gledhill
Joseph Gledhill was a British astronomer. He worked as an assistant at the Bermerside Observatory in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England....
and Edward Crossley
Edward Crossley
Edward Crossley was an English businessman, Liberal Party politician and astronomer.-Biography:Edward Crossley was the eldest son of Joseph Crossley J.P., of Broomfield, Halifax, Yorkshire, of the Crossley carpets dynasty. He inherited his family's carpet manufacturing business from his father...
, Wilson co-wrote Handbook of Double Stars in 1879, which became a standard reference work in astronomy. His astronomical observations seem to have come to an end after he left Rugby and went to Clifton.
While at Clifton, he successfully pushed for the creation of St Agnes Park in Bristol
Bristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
, as part of a plan to improve the lives of the urban poor.
After his teaching career, he became Vicar of Rochdale
Rochdale
Rochdale is a large market town in Greater Manchester, England. It lies amongst the foothills of the Pennines on the River Roch, north-northwest of Oldham, and north-northeast of the city of Manchester. Rochdale is surrounded by several smaller settlements which together form the Metropolitan...
, Archdeacon of Manchester from 1890 to 1905, and Canon of Worcester
Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, England; situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester...
from 1905 to 1926 and Vice-Dean of the Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral
Worcester Cathedral is an Anglican cathedral in Worcester, England; situated on a bank overlooking the River Severn. It is the seat of the Anglican Bishop of Worcester. Its official name is The Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Mary the Virgin of Worcester...
. He was Hulsean lecturer
Hulsean Lectures
The Hulsean Lectures were established from an endowment made by John Hulse to Cambridge University in 1777.The subject of the lectures was originally to be 'The evidence of revealed religion; the truth and excellence of Christianity; the prophesies and miracles; direct or collateral arguments; the...
at Cambridge in 1898; Lady Margaret Preacher at Cambridge in 1900; and Lecturer in Pastoral Theology at Cambridge in 1902.
He wholeheartedly accepted the theory of evolution and its implications for the literal interpretation of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. He gave two lectures in 1892 in which he accepted Darwinism and argued that it was compatible with a higher view of Christianity; the lectures were published by the Society for the Promotion of Christian Knowledge, which had a few years earlier strongly opposed Darwinian ideas.
In 1921, he served for one year as president of The Mathematical Association
Mathematical Association
The Mathematical Association is a professional society concerned with mathematics education in the UK.-History:It was founded in 1871 as the Association for the Improvement of Geometrical Teaching and renamed to the Mathematical Association in 1897. It was the first teachers' subject organisation...
of the UK.
In 1925 he wrote an essay entitled "The Religious Effect of the Idea of Evolution". He wrote a number of books, including Life after Death "with replies by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
" in 1920. In addition to spiritual works, he co-wrote an astronomy book on double stars (mentioned above) and mathematical books on geometry
Geometry
Geometry arose as the field of knowledge dealing with spatial relationships. Geometry was one of the two fields of pre-modern mathematics, the other being the study of numbers ....
and conic section
Conic section
In mathematics, a conic section is a curve obtained by intersecting a cone with a plane. In analytic geometry, a conic may be defined as a plane algebraic curve of degree 2...
s. He contributed the article "On two fragments of geometrical treatises found in Worcester Cathedral" to the Mathematical Gazette (March 1911, p. 19).
Family
In 1868 he married his first wife, Annie Elizabeth Moore, who died after giving birth to their fourth child in 1878. She was a cousin once removed of Arthur William MooreArthur William Moore
Arthur William Moore CVO SHK JP MA was a Manx antiquarian, historian, linguist, folklorist, and former Speaker of the House of Keys in the Isle of Man. He published under the sobriquet A. W. Moore.-Life:...
, a proponent of the Manx language
Manx language
Manx , also known as Manx Gaelic, and as the Manks language, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, historically spoken by the Manx people. Only a small minority of the Island's population is fluent in the language, but a larger minority has some knowledge of it...
.
In 1883 he married his second wife, Georgina Mary Talbot. Their sons included Sir Arnold Talbot Wilson, who became a British colonial administrator in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
and was killed in action in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
; 2nd Lt. Hugh Stanley Wilson (1885–1915), who died in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and is buried in the military cemetery at Hébuterne
Hébuterne
Hébuterne is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:A farming village situated southwest of Arras, at the junction of the D27 and the D28 roads.-Population:-Places of interest:...
, Pas de Calais; and the tenor Sir Steuart Wilson
Steuart Wilson
Sir James Steuart Wilson was an English singer, known for tenor roles in oratorios and concerts in the first half of the 20th century....
. From his notes, Arnold and Steuart published the posthumous James M. Wilson: An Autobiography (London, Sidgwick & Jackson, 1932)