OLYMPIC MEDAL WINNER, MINING ENGINEER, ROYAL FUSILIER
Situated in the Unconsecrated/East Section of Jesmond Old Cemetery
Arthur James Wilson was born on December 29th, 1886, the youngest son of Henry Bainbridge Wilson and Emily Jane Haggie. Henry Bainbridge, son of James Wilson and Margaret Bainbridge, was a second generation wool hide and skin merchant, which his eldest son, also named Henry Bainbridge, followed as was more often than not customary, being the eldest son. Emily Jane Haggie was the daughter of Robert Hood Haggie, the famous master rope maker, and Elizabeth Knox. Henry and Emily also had three daughters.
Census records from 1891 and 1901 give 7, Osborne Villas, Jesmond as the family home. In the 1911 Census, although Arthur is recorded as being at 11, Osborne Avenue, Jesmond with the rest of his family, his name has a line through it; he could actually be found as a ‘boarder’ at the Census taken at the Old Ship Inn, Newbiggin by the Sea, aged 23 and described as a ‘mining engineer.’
From 1900, Arthur was schooled for four years at Glenalmond College in Perth, which was originally a boys school, where he was a prefect, a regular member of the rugby 15 and also a fine cricketer. After leaving school he went to Camborne School of Mines and it was here that his rugby career turned out to be most successful; he played for the mining school and also represented Cornwall 17 times, playing in the 1908 championships at Redruth, Cornwall, beating Durham 17-3.
Additionally, in 1908, London hosted the summer Olympic Games, based around the old White City Stadium. Rugby featured and Cornwall was chosen to represent Great Britain, where they played against Australia (sadly, the only two teams to take part), who were the eventual victors, with Great Britain taking the silver medal. Arthur, at 21, was the youngest player in the team.
The following year, Arthur won his solitary England cap, playing as a forward in the 11 – 5 win over Ireland at Lansdowne Road. After qualifying as a mining engineer, he lived a somewhat exotic life, working in the mining industry in the Gold Coast Colony (Ghana) and South Africa, and also in India as a tea planter.
When WW1 broke out, Arthur enlisted in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Records show that Private 8074 Arthur James Wilson, serving with the 12th Battalion of the Royal Fusiliers, was killed in the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, Belgium, which was the opening attack of the Third Battle of Ypres, known as Passchendale, taking place from the 31st July to the 2nd August 1917. The CWGC records that Arthur died on 31st July, aged just 29 years of age. Unfortunately, like many who died at Ypres, Arthur has no known resting place but is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium, in the chapel at Glenalmond Church, at the Camborne School of Mines and, of course, on the family grave in Jesmond Old Cemetery.
The Probate records confirm that, Wilson Arthur James of 11, Osborne Avenue, Newcastle Upon Tyne, private Royal Fusiliers died on or since 31 July in Belgium or France. Administration London 23, November to Henry Bainbridge Wilson, hide and skin broker. Effects £4999 9s 5d