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Sir William Hughes Wilson - Orpen 1919
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Wilson family of Frescati
James Wilson married Constant Grace Martha Hughes
born 11 Jul 1832 2 Oct 1861 born 2 Oct 1843
Belfast The Grove Stillorgan
died 12 Aug 1907 died 13 Mar 1931
Longford Kensington, London
James Wilson born 11 Jul 1832 in Belfast youngest son of William Wilson of Currygrane,
Longford and Larkhill, Rathmines and his wife Rebecca Dupre Mackay. James Wilson of 17
Longford Terrace, Monkstown married Constant Grace Martha Hughes on 2 Oct 1861 at
Stillorgan Parish Church. Grace was the eldest daughter of James Freeman Hughes and
Martha Redfern of The Grove, Stillorgan. He was a JP and DL for Co Longford and a high
sheriff in 1864. They lived at Frescati, Blackrock from 1870 to 1889 and by 1901 they were
living at Currygrane, Longford. James died on 12 Aug 1907 in Longford and Constant
died at the 13 Mar 1931 at the home of her son in law H G Powell in London. She was
buried at Liddington Parish churchyard.
1 James Mackey (Jemmy) Wilson eldest son born 7 Jan 1863 at Longford Terrace was
educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Dublin. He married Amy Alice Goldie-
Taubman on 27 Sep 1894 at the private chapel of the Nunnery, Douglas, Isle of Man.
Amy was the daughter of Sir John Senhouse Goldie Taubman, speaker of the House
of Keys in the Island of Man and his wife Amy Ross. James was a JP and land agent
and they were living at Currygrane, Co Longford in 1901. In was appointed a DL in
1907 after the death of his father. The moved to England in early 1922. The house at
Currygrane was looted and burned to the ground on 17 Aug 1922. James put in a
claim for 50K and was awarded £16,926. James died on 8 Sep 1933 at Ashurst, Sussex.
1 Brigid Senhouse C Wilson only child born 1908 in Marylebone, London married
Kenneth W Blackburne in May 1935 at St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge. Kenneth
was the son of Rev Harry Blackburn, Dean of Bristol.
2 Henry Hughes Wilson second son born 5 May 1864 at Longford Terrace, Monkstown
was educated at Marlborough. He entered the Royal Irish Regiment and transferred to
the Rifle Brigade. He served with the Burma Brigade and in the South African war. A
Burmese sword left him with a prominent scar on his face above his left eye and Henry
enjoyed regaling the story of how a letter addressed to the ugliest man in the British
Army managed to reach the correct recipient.
Henry married Cecil Mary Wray on 3 Oct 1891 at Christ Church, Kingstown, Dublin.
Cecil was the youngest daughter of George Cecil Gore Wray, a land agent and his wife
Charlotte Margaret Waller of Ardnamona, Donegal. The couple had no children. She
was a supporter in the cause of Southern Loyalists. He served as Commandant of the
Staff College, Camberley, and then as Director of Military Operations at the War Office. In
1913 he was promoted major general and began to get embroiled in political matters. He
was promoted field marshal in July 1919 and created a baronet the following month. He
was painted by William Orpen in 1919 but according to Orpen he was not impressed by
the sketches. However they do seem to have some sort of relationship. orpen paid a special
tribute to Sir Henry after his death and related a story about his sense of humour. During
the Peace Conference in Paris, William was visiting a friend at Claridge's in Paris when he
was informed that Sir Henry had taken William's chauffeur driven car. The driver found it
impossible to stand up to him and took him to the requested destination about a mile away.
He then told the driver to return to Claridge's and to give Sir William the following message;
'tell Orpen that a fellah called Rakeface Wilson took his car for a joy ride'. Sir Henry retired in
early 1922 and accepted an Ulster unionist offer of a seat, and was elected unopposed for
the United Kingdom constituency of North Down. He was mown down on his doorstep at
36 Eaton Square on the 22 Jun 1922. The absurdity of this is that he was an Irishman,
although an ardent Unionist, and his killers were two English born IRA men both crippled
from having fought with the British army during WW1. Lady Wilson vented her anger at
politicians after his death and was much criticised as she wanted the army council to
arrange the funeral rather than politicians. He was the second MP to be assassinated
after Spencer Perceval in 1812.
The Free State Army were ordered to bomb the Four Courts which started the Civil War.
There are suggestions that his assassination was ordered by Michael Collins, whether that
is true or not cannot be proved but Collins was dead two months later and the killing of
Wilson was considered to be one of the triggers in the war of Independence. The British
government were outraged by the murder and this was considered to be one of the
reasons that the Four Courts was attacked and subsequently destroyed. Henry was buried
at St Paul’s cathedral, London after a state funeral. He left 11K in personal estate. Reginald
Dunne and Joseph O’Sullivan were convicted of his murder and were executed on
12 Aug 1922 at Wandsworth Gaol (they had initially been identified as James Connolly and
John O’Brien).
Lady Wilson died on 14 April 1930 at her residence at 45 Horton Street, London. She
received no pension after her husband’s death, and she found it necessary to sell the
furniture and her husband’s effects to make her home at Grove end, Bagshot, Surrey
which had been purchased when they first married. She was a Lady of Grace of the order
of St John of Jerusalem. She left 13K in personal estate, 1K of which was to be dedicated
to an oil painting of her husband.
3 Florence Grace Wilson born 8 Aug 1865 died at 28 Longford Terrace, Monkstown on
16 Dec 1869.
4 Arthur John de Courcy Wilson born 10 Jan 1867 at Longford Terrace, Monkstown was
the nephew of George Orr-Wilson of Dunardagh. He attended Haileybury School in
Hertford. He married Norah Paine on 8 Sep 1892 at Trinity Church, Folkestone. Norah
was the youngest daughter of Hammon Paine of The Paragon, Blackheath, Folkestone.
Arthur died 22 Jan 1920 at Madrasfield Grange, Worcestershire.
5 Cecil William Wilson born 5 Jun 1870 at Frescati, Blackrock joined the 60th Riffles and
attained the rank of major. He lived at Lyddington Manor in Swindon and died same
place on 7 Apr 1937. He was buried at Liddington churchyard with his mother.
6 Ada Dupre Martha Wilson born 26 Dec 1872 at Frescati, Blackrock married Henry
George Powell on 10 Sep 1894 at Ballinalee Church, Co Longford. Henry was with the
Loyal (sic) North Lancashire Regiment and the second son of Captain Graham Powell,
Queen’s and Southwold, Suffolk.
7 Eileen Geraldine Edith Wilson born 12 Jun 1877 at Frescati, Blackrock married Llewelyn
Alberic Emilius Price-Davies, VC, DSO on 8 Aug 1906 at Clonbroney Parish Church, Co
Longford. Llewellyn was a captain in the King’s Royal Rifles and the son of Louis R Price.
He was quickly promoted to Major General due in no part that his brother in law was
Henry Wilson.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - April 2018
Return to Frescati House page
James Wilson married Constant Grace Martha Hughes
born 11 Jul 1832 2 Oct 1861 born 2 Oct 1843
Belfast The Grove Stillorgan
died 12 Aug 1907 died 13 Mar 1931
Longford Kensington, London
James Wilson born 11 Jul 1832 in Belfast youngest son of William Wilson of Currygrane,
Longford and Larkhill, Rathmines and his wife Rebecca Dupre Mackay. James Wilson of 17
Longford Terrace, Monkstown married Constant Grace Martha Hughes on 2 Oct 1861 at
Stillorgan Parish Church. Grace was the eldest daughter of James Freeman Hughes and
Martha Redfern of The Grove, Stillorgan. He was a JP and DL for Co Longford and a high
sheriff in 1864. They lived at Frescati, Blackrock from 1870 to 1889 and by 1901 they were
living at Currygrane, Longford. James died on 12 Aug 1907 in Longford and Constant
died at the 13 Mar 1931 at the home of her son in law H G Powell in London. She was
buried at Liddington Parish churchyard.
1 James Mackey (Jemmy) Wilson eldest son born 7 Jan 1863 at Longford Terrace was
educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Dublin. He married Amy Alice Goldie-
Taubman on 27 Sep 1894 at the private chapel of the Nunnery, Douglas, Isle of Man.
Amy was the daughter of Sir John Senhouse Goldie Taubman, speaker of the House
of Keys in the Island of Man and his wife Amy Ross. James was a JP and land agent
and they were living at Currygrane, Co Longford in 1901. In was appointed a DL in
1907 after the death of his father. The moved to England in early 1922. The house at
Currygrane was looted and burned to the ground on 17 Aug 1922. James put in a
claim for 50K and was awarded £16,926. James died on 8 Sep 1933 at Ashurst, Sussex.
1 Brigid Senhouse C Wilson only child born 1908 in Marylebone, London married
Kenneth W Blackburne in May 1935 at St Paul’s Church, Knightsbridge. Kenneth
was the son of Rev Harry Blackburn, Dean of Bristol.
2 Henry Hughes Wilson second son born 5 May 1864 at Longford Terrace, Monkstown
was educated at Marlborough. He entered the Royal Irish Regiment and transferred to
the Rifle Brigade. He served with the Burma Brigade and in the South African war. A
Burmese sword left him with a prominent scar on his face above his left eye and Henry
enjoyed regaling the story of how a letter addressed to the ugliest man in the British
Army managed to reach the correct recipient.
Henry married Cecil Mary Wray on 3 Oct 1891 at Christ Church, Kingstown, Dublin.
Cecil was the youngest daughter of George Cecil Gore Wray, a land agent and his wife
Charlotte Margaret Waller of Ardnamona, Donegal. The couple had no children. She
was a supporter in the cause of Southern Loyalists. He served as Commandant of the
Staff College, Camberley, and then as Director of Military Operations at the War Office. In
1913 he was promoted major general and began to get embroiled in political matters. He
was promoted field marshal in July 1919 and created a baronet the following month. He
was painted by William Orpen in 1919 but according to Orpen he was not impressed by
the sketches. However they do seem to have some sort of relationship. orpen paid a special
tribute to Sir Henry after his death and related a story about his sense of humour. During
the Peace Conference in Paris, William was visiting a friend at Claridge's in Paris when he
was informed that Sir Henry had taken William's chauffeur driven car. The driver found it
impossible to stand up to him and took him to the requested destination about a mile away.
He then told the driver to return to Claridge's and to give Sir William the following message;
'tell Orpen that a fellah called Rakeface Wilson took his car for a joy ride'. Sir Henry retired in
early 1922 and accepted an Ulster unionist offer of a seat, and was elected unopposed for
the United Kingdom constituency of North Down. He was mown down on his doorstep at
36 Eaton Square on the 22 Jun 1922. The absurdity of this is that he was an Irishman,
although an ardent Unionist, and his killers were two English born IRA men both crippled
from having fought with the British army during WW1. Lady Wilson vented her anger at
politicians after his death and was much criticised as she wanted the army council to
arrange the funeral rather than politicians. He was the second MP to be assassinated
after Spencer Perceval in 1812.
The Free State Army were ordered to bomb the Four Courts which started the Civil War.
There are suggestions that his assassination was ordered by Michael Collins, whether that
is true or not cannot be proved but Collins was dead two months later and the killing of
Wilson was considered to be one of the triggers in the war of Independence. The British
government were outraged by the murder and this was considered to be one of the
reasons that the Four Courts was attacked and subsequently destroyed. Henry was buried
at St Paul’s cathedral, London after a state funeral. He left 11K in personal estate. Reginald
Dunne and Joseph O’Sullivan were convicted of his murder and were executed on
12 Aug 1922 at Wandsworth Gaol (they had initially been identified as James Connolly and
John O’Brien).
Lady Wilson died on 14 April 1930 at her residence at 45 Horton Street, London. She
received no pension after her husband’s death, and she found it necessary to sell the
furniture and her husband’s effects to make her home at Grove end, Bagshot, Surrey
which had been purchased when they first married. She was a Lady of Grace of the order
of St John of Jerusalem. She left 13K in personal estate, 1K of which was to be dedicated
to an oil painting of her husband.
3 Florence Grace Wilson born 8 Aug 1865 died at 28 Longford Terrace, Monkstown on
16 Dec 1869.
4 Arthur John de Courcy Wilson born 10 Jan 1867 at Longford Terrace, Monkstown was
the nephew of George Orr-Wilson of Dunardagh. He attended Haileybury School in
Hertford. He married Norah Paine on 8 Sep 1892 at Trinity Church, Folkestone. Norah
was the youngest daughter of Hammon Paine of The Paragon, Blackheath, Folkestone.
Arthur died 22 Jan 1920 at Madrasfield Grange, Worcestershire.
5 Cecil William Wilson born 5 Jun 1870 at Frescati, Blackrock joined the 60th Riffles and
attained the rank of major. He lived at Lyddington Manor in Swindon and died same
place on 7 Apr 1937. He was buried at Liddington churchyard with his mother.
6 Ada Dupre Martha Wilson born 26 Dec 1872 at Frescati, Blackrock married Henry
George Powell on 10 Sep 1894 at Ballinalee Church, Co Longford. Henry was with the
Loyal (sic) North Lancashire Regiment and the second son of Captain Graham Powell,
Queen’s and Southwold, Suffolk.
7 Eileen Geraldine Edith Wilson born 12 Jun 1877 at Frescati, Blackrock married Llewelyn
Alberic Emilius Price-Davies, VC, DSO on 8 Aug 1906 at Clonbroney Parish Church, Co
Longford. Llewellyn was a captain in the King’s Royal Rifles and the son of Louis R Price.
He was quickly promoted to Major General due in no part that his brother in law was
Henry Wilson.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - April 2018
Return to Frescati House page