The death of John Hays WILSON
A feeling of almost consternation has been caused in public circles in Liverpool this week by the death of J. H. WILSON. J.P, Chairman of the Water Committee and member of Great George Ward.
It became known on Monday that Mr WILSON was suffering from a severe cold, caught at Tarbock races, the effects of the chill was complicated by a recurrence of an old malarial attack which he received when travelling through Italy some years ago, he was not thought to be in danger and his death announced on Monday evening came very unexpectedly.
Mr WILSON was principal of an eminent firm of Brassfounders and engineers, and was first returned for councillor in Great George Ward in 1859.
His most conspicuous services are rendered in his connection with the Vyrnwy Water scheme where he expended great business and engineering skills, giving to Liverpool the most precious gift of pure water.
When elected chairman of the Water Committee 10yrs ago, consumption was increasing and resources were approaching exhaustion, authorities attempted to regulate the supply and demand of water by varying the hours of distribution and carrying out house to house inspections of waste, but, these endeavours were ineffective. Mr WILSON announced a policy of waste prevention, condemning the bulk of house fittings in Liverpool and substituting appliances of an approved pattern. He boldly cast aside all the traditions of waterworks engineering and controlled by a meter, determined to discover the ultimate destination of all the water flowing into it. Out of his experiments in less than 3yrs there grew a system extended to the entire borough. The total saving of water amounted to 35,000,000 gals per wk, an annual value of over £58,000
The Vyrnwy Scheme was not recommended by any of the engineers consulted by the Corporation, Mr WILSON was the first to discern its advantages, and was the first and most ardent in urging its adoption.
Though not a strong party politician, he was in the discharge of all his public duties governed by strong Liberal principles. He dreaded secret committees and any unnecessary suppression of information about public affairs. “Take the public in your confidence” was his expression.
Many hearts will long feel sad as they miss his friendly greeting, his genial presence, buoyant energy, cheerful voice and healthy tone, But if he has gone his work remains an enduring monument of honourable and eminent service to the community to which he belonged.
Liverpool Journal, May 14th 1881
Funeral of Mr J. H. WILSON. J.P.
The remains of Mr WILSON were interred at Halewood Church, never before seen here where such a multitude of people to pay their last respects, special trains were run on the Cheshire lines and from Central station and Huskisson Dock station for the public and the large numbers of his working men. Nothing could afford greater testimony of the respect inspired by the deceased than the spectacle of so many gathered together in the lonely church.
His grave was a new one at the front of the church. It had been beautified by his own gardeners, complete lined with moss, and fringed at the top with violets and primroses, near the top was worked in violets the touching inscription, “Remember me”.
There was a retinue of carriages formed at Lee Hall, Gateacre, home of the deceased, including the carriage of the Mayor, his Worship unable to attend on Doctors orders was represented by Councillor John HUGHES.
The men from the deceased works [350] lined the streets leading to the cemetery as the cortege passed. The hearse was followed by the deceased carriage [empty] then four carriages of chief mourners.
Ist carriage [Mr T. ROYDEN‘S];-
Mr T. WILSON, Mr W. WILSON, Mr H. WILSON [Brothers of the deceased], Mr T. B. ROYDEN Brother-in-Law.
2nd carriage :-
Mrs CAREY, Mr H. COHART and Mr G. WILSON nephews, Mr J. ROYDEN Brother-in-Law.
3rd carriage :-
Mr PHILLIPS Brother-in-Law, Mrs T. WILSON, Mrs W. WILSON and master WILSON.
4th carriage :-
Mr CAREY Brother-in-Law, Mrs T. B. ROYDEN, Mr T. ROYDEN Jnr, and Mr J. ROYDEN Jnr nephews.
Mayor’s carriage :-
Mr J. HUGHES, Dr MARSH, Alderman NICHOL, Mr W. B. BOWRING.
The following parties sent private carriages
Sir A. B. WALKER, Mrs W. CROSFIELD, Miss BAHR, Miss RODICK, Mrs JAMES, Alderman Bernard HALL, A. B. FORWOOD, WEIGHTMAN, RIGBY and JENNINGS, Messers MORTON SPARKS, E. K. MUSPRATT, H. CUNNINGHAM, S. S. BACON, W. N. BROWN, E. BANNER, W. ROME, W. CLIFF, W. H. SHERLEY, C. Chapel GILL, John BINGHAM, Thomas BARKER, FARNWORTH, W. OULTON, W. LITHERLAND, BATEMAN, Thomas MOSS, J. A. PICTON, D. JARDINE, Henry TATE, C. T. BOWRING, J. BUSHBY, J. S. CLAYTON, Anthony BOWER, O. H. WILLIAMS, A. CULSHAW, Chls MC IVER Jnr, T. H. ISMAY, J. H. STOCKS, R. H. SAMUEL, Healey T. P. E. THOMPSON, Aaron BROWN, Harold CUNNINGHAM, Edward MORGAN, R. VINING, Alexander ECCLES, Daniel CLARK, W. RADCLIFFE, John HUGHES, Dr WOOD, Dr TATTERSALL.
Present at the funeral.
Aldermen, WEIGHTMAN, RIGBY, BOYD and JENNINGS.
Councillors, J. B. SMITH, Anthony BOWER, R. D. HOLT, W. S. GRAVES, T. BROCKLEBANK Jnr, W. J. LUNT, J. DAVIES, T. E. STEPHENS, Joseph BALL, Dr CROSS, S. R. GUION, P. D. CARTON, S. B. JACKSON, B. LEWIS, T. HUGHES, R. MC DOUGALL, J. MILES, H. C. HAWLEY, H. VAUGHAN, W. RADCLIFFE, Thomas HOLDER and Owen H. WILLIAMS.
The Rev’s J. W. DIGGIE, N. F. Y. KEMBLE, J. F. HAWSON, and Father NUGENT.
Messers ;-
T. D. HORNBY, John PATTERSON, W. OULTON, Thomas MOSS, A. W. CHALMERS, Jas BARROW, R. WILSON, W. MEADE-KING, C. J. CORBALLY, Donald KENNEDY, James MONTGOMERY, Owen WILLIAMS, Philip EBERLE, H. J. COOK, J. F. ROGERS, W. D. HOLT, T. C. LEETE, A. GARNETT, H. GREENWOOD, R. VINING, J. A. KEAN, Wm CROSFIELD, James MC NEILEDGE, H. S. BANNER, J. HARRISON, S. S. BACON, T. P. E. THOMPSON, Henry TATE, Wm CLIFF, E. BANNER, Wm ROME, L. W. HEINTZ, Michael BELCHER, J. A. FORREST, James FAIRHURST, G. PEET, L. S. LITTLE, D. CAMPBELL, Joseph SHEPHERD, Walter PIERCE, George BROWN, J. MAITLAND, George MASON, G. H. ROBERTSON, T. B. BANNER, C. F. BOSOMWORTH, J. G. BROWN, H. M. MOLYNEUX, A. PITT Jnr, OGSTON, C. SHERLOCK, Wm SIMPSON, A. W. RONALD, J. GREGSON, Joseph CASSON, T. KENNING, Bradley PASS, Edward JONES, W. ANDREWS, D. WAINWRIGHT, Joseph HEADLEY, E. BURGESS, R. THOMAS, R. CROWTHER, H. MC EWAN, T. KENNEDY, Griffith JONES, T. HANMER, Wm THOMAS, Lancaster HARBOARD, James CAMPBELL, R. A. COLTART, Andrew COLTART, R. LONG, J. C. RYLEY, J. A. IRVING, Chls CARTER, F. KEAN, A. CAMPBELL, S. RICHARDSON, H. S. GIBSON, J. B. LEACH, John BOULTON, Peter CONNOR, James MC INTYRE, H. FITZPATRICK, S. C. IBBS, James GILMORE, V. W. JONES, J. BENNETT, Wm EVANS.
Major GREIG, Head constable, Mr T. D. RICH, Head postmaster.
Dr GLAZEBROOK, Dr WOOD, Dr TATTERSALL, Dr SINCLAIR
Major TURNER, Capt W. WALKER, Capt BERRY, Mr James MC COMB, Secretary of the Liberal Association, Dr TAYOR, M. O. H, Mr G. F. LISTER, Dock engineer, Mr A. TWEEDLE, Borough treasurer, Mr J. TAYLOR, Dept Borough treasurer, Mr C. DYALL Curator the Walker Art Gallery, Mr R. W. MANNING and Mr COWELL, Librarian.
Officials of the Water Department.
G. F. DEACON, Water engineer, A. DUNCANSON Dept Water engineer, J. PARRY Asst engineer, J. EVANS Chief clerk, WHITTINGHAM and YATES Superintendents, EWARDS and MUNROW Surveyors, DAVIES Foreman of works, PRICE, TENNANT, GILES, MADELL, JAMES, WITHERS, S. GIBSON, SHONE and CURRIE, also waste water inspectors, turn cocks and others.
From the deceased establishment at Sandhills.
Mr H. MC EWAN partner with the deceased, Mr F. KENNEDY Manager, Mr S. WHARRIE Cashier, Mr H. SMITH Book-keeper, draftsman, clerks and workmen to the number of 350.
General company, Mr FITZPATRICK, Chief inspector of nuisances, Mr Lucas P. STUBBS, Magistrates office, Mr BENYON Keeper of the town hall.
The body was met at the gates of the cemetery by Rev Canon WARR, Vicar of Childwall and Rev Thomas CHAMBERS Rector of Halewood.
The coffin was of polished English oak embellished with elaborate brass mountings, with the simple inscription
JOHN HAYS WILSON
Died May 2nd 1881
Aged 56 years
On Sunday at St Stephen’s church Rev Canon WARR paid respects to Mr WILSON, recollecting his involvement in the life of the village, and when at the summer treat with the children Mr WILSON joined in with all the heartiness of a child.
In the evening Rev WRIGHT recollected that Mr WILSON’S last utterances, addressed to the inhabitants of the city were to inform them to take precautions to preserve their health, by being careful to protect their drinking water from contamination.
Liverpool Journal 21st May 1881
A meeting has taken place at Gateacre at which a movement was inaugurated for the erection of a memorial to the late Mr WILSON. The deceased gentleman first started the Cottage Garden Association in Little Woolton about 10yrs ago. Mr John SCOTSMAN of Holt Hall was elected chairman and Mr John DRYSDALE, steward to Sir A. B. WALKER voted treasurer. It was unanimously resolved to place a tablet to the memory of Mr WILSON in St Stephen’s Church, Gateacre by permission of the Rev Canon WARR and Mr Cornelius SHERLOCK, architect.
Residents of the district intend to place a memorial window in Halewood Church as a memorial to Mr WILSON.
Copyright 2002 / To date