John Bracebridge Wilson (13 September 1828 – 22 October 1895) was headmaster of Geelong Grammar School in Victoria, Australia.

History

Wilson was the only son of Rev. Edward Wilson, rector of Topcroft, Norfolk, England. He matriculated in 1848, when he attended St John's College, Cambridge, securing his B.A. in 1852. He then decided to try his fortune in the distant colonies, boarding the ''Guy Mannering'' for Melbourne, Victoria, arriving in November 1857. He found employment with the fledgling

Geelong Grammar School Geelong Grammar School is a private Anglican co-educational boarding and day school. The school's main campus is located in Corio on the northern outskirts of Geelong, Victoria, Australia, overlooking Corio Bay and Limeburners Bay. Establ ...

, founded by the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

in 1855, and was soon third master under head master

George Vance George Oakley Vance (25 May 1828 – 1910) was the Dean of Melbourne from 1894 until his death. The son of William Ford Vance, who had been the vicar of Coseley, Vance was born in London and educated at King's College School, London and Lincoln ...

. The school failed financially, as a result of mismanagement, and closed its doors in June 1860. Determined to retain the students, Wilson rented temporary premises to operate as a private "High School", and was so effective that when the reconstituted Geelong Grammar opened in February 1863 Wilson was appointed head master, a position he held for the rest of his life. Wilson was a dedicated naturalist, and known as a marine biologist, elected in 1882 a Fellow of the Linnean Society. His death followed a brief illness; an unostentatious funeral service attended by many hundreds of past and present students was followed by burial at the Eastern Cemetery. His will stipulated that no more than £10 should be spent on the burial.

Family

Wilson married Oriana Maria Rowcroft (died in 1911) at Geelong on 7 April 1863. She was a daughter of Horatio Nelson "Horace" Rowcroft (1806–1878), editor of the

Geelong Advertiser The ''Geelong Advertiser'' is a daily newspaper circulating in Geelong, Victoria, Australia, the Bellarine Peninsula, and surrounding areas. First published on 21 November 1840, the ''Geelong Advertiser'' is the oldest newspaper title in Victo ...

1867–1869, and brother of Charles Rowcroft. They had two daughters: *Oriana Mary "May" Bracebridge-Wilson married Albert Finchett Garrard on 27 June 1894. *Maud Knyvet Bracebridge-Wilson married Alban Cyril Morley on 9 October 1900. Rev. H. Shaw Millard, headmaster of

Newcastle Grammar School Newcastle Grammar School may refer to: * Newcastle Grammar School, New South Wales, Australia * Royal Grammar School, Newcastle upon Tyne, England {{Disambiguation ...

, was a cousin and close school friend while at Cambridge. Lieutenant-General Sir Archdale Wilson (1803–1874) was an uncle.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Bracebridge 1828 births 1895 deaths Australian headmasters Australian naturalists Fellows of the Linnean Society of London Heads of schools in Victoria (state)