Charles Wilson

Charles Graham Wilson (1842 – 21 August 1926) was an Australian politician. Biography Wilson was born at Crossan House near Omagh, around 1842, the eighth of 12 children born to William Wilson and Elizabeth Graham. On coming to Australia, he initially lived at Warwick in Queensland, joining two of his brothers at their property, Ullathorne. He married Irish-born Annie McBride, to whom he became engaged in Ireland, in Sydney in January 1869, traveling from Queensland to meet the boat she arrived on. They were married by one of Wilson's elder brothers, the Rev. William Wilson, a Wesleyan minister. Wilson's sister Catherine was married to Queensland parliamentarian Thomas Johnson and his niece Emily Maud Wilson, daughter of his younger brother Wesley, was married to Sir Robin Edward Dysart Grey, 6th Baronet Grey of Fallodon. Arriving in the Armidale area around 1869, Wilson spent three years managing his uncle John Moore's flour mill, then spent seventeen years as clerk for the Municipality of Armidale. During this time, he established the successful auctioneering firm of C. Wilson & Co. and served as its principal. In the mid 1880's, Wilson commissioned a house for himself and his family in Armidale, Loombra, a large brick Italianate house with stables, which still stands. By 1891, he was "...well on his way to becoming Armidale's largest urban landowner." He and Annie were parents to six children, including Sir Thomas George Wilson (1876 - 1958), an obstetrician, gynaecologist and academic.