Charles Wilson, 1st Baron Nunburnholme
Encyclopedia
Charles Henry Wilson, 1st Baron Nunburnholme (22 April 1833 – 27 October 1907), was a prominent English shipowner who became head of the Thomas Wilson Sons & Co.
shipping business.
, the head of Thomas Wilson Sons & Co.
. He was educated at Kingston College in Hull, along with his brother Arthur
, before eventually joining the family business, where they both became joint managers. By 1871, the business under Wilson extended from Norwegian and Baltic services to accommodate Adriatic, Sicilian, American and Indian services. By 1891, the Wilsons owned 100 ships with a profit of £2.5 million - a massive amount by the standards of the day. By 1903, the company was the largest ship company in Hull
, as well as the largest private fleet company.
Wilson served as High Sheriff
of Hull
, and in 1874 he was elected as Liberal
Member of Parliament
(MP) for the Hull constituency. From 1885 to 1906 he represented Hull West
. Although opposed to the Boer War
, he lent the company's finest vessel, Ariosto, at the government's disposal.
Wilson married Jane Helen Wellesley, a daughter of Col. William Wellesley, nephew of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
. They had seven children.
He was given the Freedom of Hull
in 1899, and in 1906 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Nunburnholme, of the City of Kingston upon Hull
.
Lord Nunburnholme died in Warter Priory in Warter
, Yorkshire
on 27 October 1907 and was buried on 31 October. His eldest son Charles
, who had succeeded him as MP for Hull West, inherited the Barony.
Thomas Wilson Sons & Co.
Thomas Wilson Sons & Co. was founded in 1822 as a joint venture by merchants Thomas Wilson, his partner John Beckinton and two unrelated men both surnamed Hudson. None came from shipping backgrounds but were quick to see the opportunity of becoming involved in the industry. They acquired their...
shipping business.
Life
Charles was the eldest son of Thomas WilsonThomas Wilson (Shipping)
Thomas Wilson was a 19th century shipping magnate from Hull in the East Riding of the English county of Yorkshire.-Life:He was founder of the Wilson Line of Hull in 1822 as a joint venture with his partner John Beckinton and two others...
, the head of Thomas Wilson Sons & Co.
Thomas Wilson Sons & Co.
Thomas Wilson Sons & Co. was founded in 1822 as a joint venture by merchants Thomas Wilson, his partner John Beckinton and two unrelated men both surnamed Hudson. None came from shipping backgrounds but were quick to see the opportunity of becoming involved in the industry. They acquired their...
. He was educated at Kingston College in Hull, along with his brother Arthur
Arthur Wilson (shipping)
Arthur Wilson was a prominent English ship-owner who is best known for playing host to his friend Albert Edward, Prince of Wales at his home Tranby Croft, the scene of the Royal Baccarat Scandal.- Life :...
, before eventually joining the family business, where they both became joint managers. By 1871, the business under Wilson extended from Norwegian and Baltic services to accommodate Adriatic, Sicilian, American and Indian services. By 1891, the Wilsons owned 100 ships with a profit of £2.5 million - a massive amount by the standards of the day. By 1903, the company was the largest ship company in Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, as well as the largest private fleet company.
Wilson served as High Sheriff
High Sheriff
A high sheriff is, or was, a law enforcement officer in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.In England and Wales, the office is unpaid and partly ceremonial, appointed by the Crown through a warrant from the Privy Council. In Cornwall, the High Sheriff is appointed by the Duke of...
of Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, and in 1874 he was elected as Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for the Hull constituency. From 1885 to 1906 he represented Hull West
Hull West (UK Parliament constituency)
Hull West was a borough constituency in Kingston upon Hull which returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1885 until it was abolished for the 1918 general election....
. Although opposed to the Boer War
First Boer War
The First Boer War also known as the First Anglo-Boer War or the Transvaal War, was fought from 16 December 1880 until 23 March 1881-1877 annexation:...
, he lent the company's finest vessel, Ariosto, at the government's disposal.
Wilson married Jane Helen Wellesley, a daughter of Col. William Wellesley, nephew of Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
. They had seven children.
He was given the Freedom of Hull
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
in 1899, and in 1906 he was raised to the peerage as Baron Nunburnholme, of the City of Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
.
Lord Nunburnholme died in Warter Priory in Warter
Warter
Warter is a village and civil parish in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is situated approximately east of Pocklington on the B1246 road.According to the 2001 UK census, Warter parish had a population of 159....
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
on 27 October 1907 and was buried on 31 October. His eldest son Charles
Charles Wilson, 2nd Baron Nunburnholme
Charles Henry Wellesley Wilson, 2nd Baron Nunburnholme, CB, DSO, , was a British peer, and one of the heirs to the Thomas Wilson Sons & Co., a Hull-based shipping company that built a near-monopoly over affordable travel packages from Scandinavia and the Baltic.He was the eldest son of Charles...
, who had succeeded him as MP for Hull West, inherited the Barony.