Wilson, Henry (1864–1934). English architect. He worked in the offices of
Belcher, J. O.
Scott, and J. D.
Sedding (whose partner he became and with whom he collaborated on the designs for Holy Trinity Church, Sloane Street, London, where he was responsible for the metal-work, screens, bas-reliefs, and much of the beautiful detail of the interior (1888–
c.1901)). He completed Sedding's
Italianate Renaissance Revival Church of Our Holy Redeemer, Exmouth Market, London (1887–8), where he added the
campanile, and (again with Sedding) designed the Church of St Peter, Mount Park Road, Ealing, London (1889–93), where curvaceous
Gothic forms are used with power and originality.
Wilson's chief claim to fame is as an
Arts-and-Crafts designer of exquisite enamel- and metal-work, jewellery, and sculpture (he was Master of the
Art Workers Guild in 1917 and President of the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society (1915–22)), and had a distinguished career designing church-furnishings, including the decorations (1895–1910) for Edmund Evan Scott's (d. 1895)
Sublime Church of St Bartholomew, Ann Street, Brighton, Sussex (built 1872–4), all of the finest Arts-and-Crafts quality, ample and rich. One of his loveliest creations is the monument to Canon E. D. Tinling (d. 1897) in Gloucester Cathedral. He also designed the sculpted
frieze over the entrance to Leonard
Stokes's Church of All Saints, London Colney, Herts. (1899), and the monument to Bishop William Elphinstone (1431–1514), King's College, Aberdeen. His work was exhibited and greatly admired before the 1914–18 war in Germany, notably by
Muthesius. He published
Silverwork and Jewellery: a text-book for students and workers in metal (1903) which went into further editions (1912, 1966, 1978), and was Editor of the
Architectural Review (1896–1901).
Bibliography
Architectural Review, vi (1899), 276–8;
A. S. Gray (1985);
RIBA Journal (Journal of the Royal Institute of British Architects), ser. 3, xli/10 (24 Mar. 1934), 539;
Service (1977);
Service (ed.) (1975);
T&B (1932)
