Rev. Theodore Percival "Percy" Wilson (1819 – 8 August 1881), generally known as T. P. Wilson, was an Anglican priest and author known for his pioneering, albeit brief, work in

Adelaide Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...

History

Wilson was born in England, a son of Thomas Wilson, solicitor and later mayor of Adelaide and his wife Martha Wilson, née Greenell (1790 – 29 January 1858), whose sister Mary Anne Greenell was the mother of Alfred Russel Wallace. His parents and his four younger siblings emigrated to South Australia aboard ''Duke of Roxburghe'' in 1838. Wilson completed his master's degree at Brasenose College, Oxford, and was ordained a priest of the Church of England. He was sent out to Tasmania, where in 1845 he accepted a call to take over the newly built

St John's Church, Adelaide St. John's is an Anglican church at the south-east corner of the City of Adelaide dating from 1841. The first building was demolished in 1886 and its replacement opened in 1887. The first church In 1840 the first Anglican church building, Trin ...

, but instead returned to England on account of his wife's illness (but see reference below). He was sent out to South Australia by the barque ''Derwent'', arriving in December, 1847 in company with the

Augustus Short Augustus Short (11 June 1802 – 5 October 1883) was the first Anglican bishop of Adelaide, South Australia. Early life and career Born at Bickham House, near Exeter, Devon, England, the third son of Charles Short, a London barrister, offs ...

, Lord Bishop of Adelaide, and Dr. Hale. He was appointed first Head Master of St Peter's College, at that time held in a small room behind Trinity Church, and also acted as Bishop's Chaplain, and in 1849 incumbent of MacGill and Walkerville churches. The college moved to its current location in 1850, and in 1851 Wilson resigned over differences with the school's governors. He served for some 15 months as incumbent of St John's Church, then returned to England at the end of 1852. He was appointed curate of Bardsley in 1854, and, at some unspecified date, "a living" near Shrewsbury. His last posting was as vicar of

Pavenham Pavenham is a small village and civil parish on the River Great Ouse in the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, England, about north-west of Bedford. Village amenities consist of St Peter's Church, a pub, Village hall, tennis Club, Cricket Clu ...

Bedfordshire Bedfordshire (; abbreviated Beds) is a ceremonial county in the East of England. The county has been administered by three unitary authorities, Borough of Bedford, Central Bedfordshire and Borough of Luton, since Bedfordshire County Council ...

, where he died.

Other interests

*Wilson is known for at least one work of art, an historic sketch of the Hotel Brighton dated 5 November 1850, the day of his marriage. *Wilson was a confirmed teetotaler and almost certainly preached on the subject. Back in England, he entered a competition hosted by the

Band of Hope Hope UK is a United Kingdom Christian charity based in London, England which educates children and young people about drug and alcohol abuse. Local meetings started in 1847 and a formal organisation was established in 1855 with the name The Uni ...

, who were looking for a popular novel to promote their cause. Wilson's entry, ''Frank Oldfield'', set partly in England and partly in South Australia, won the £100 prize, and was published to some critical acclaim.

Family

Wilson married Barbara Sophia Cameron (born 1818, the fifth daughter of the Rev. Charles Richard Cameron, Rector of Swaby, Lincolnshire) at

Kensington, South Australia Kensington is a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia in the City of Norwood, Payneham & St Peters council area. Unlike the rest of the city, Kensington's streets are laid out diagonally. Second Creek runs through and under part of the suburb, wh ...

on 5 November 1850. They had one daughter and five sons, Charles Thomas Wilson (born in Adelaide 14 October 1851) and Rev. Theodore Cameron Wilson (1857–1940) of Christ Church,

Paignton Paignton ( ) is a seaside town on the coast of Tor Bay in Devon, England. Together with Torquay and Brixham it forms the borough of Torbay which was created in 1998. The Torbay area is a holiday destination known as the English Riviera. Paignt ...

among them. The similarly named Theodore Augustus Greenell Wilson (1831 – 31 August 1908), a prize-winning student at Saint Peter's College 1848–1850 and State government official, was a younger brother. See Thomas Wilson for details of other siblings. Theodore Percival Cameron Wilson (25 April 1888 - 23 March 1918), the "brilliant young school-teacher poet" who was killed at the front in WWI, was a son of Theodore Cameron Wilson (above). His ''Magpies in Picardy'' was published posthumously by The Poetry Bookshop.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, T. P. 1819 births 1881 deaths Australian Anglican priests Australian temperance activists