Castlehill School, Edinburgh from the south

Robert Wilson (9 September 1834 – 1 July 1901) was architect for the

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian ...

Board of Education and responsible for a high percentage of the city's schools. He is also noteworthy for involvement in several institutions aimed at improving the life of the poor and destitute in the city.

Life

Typical Edinburgh School Board detailing, Bruntsfield School

Broughton Road Primary School, true colours

He was the son of Patrick Wilson (architect) and Catherine Peddie. His mother died in 1843 when Robert was only eight. In 1849 he began working with his father at 2 Queen Street. He entered the Trustee's Academy (then on Picardy Place) in October 1850 to improve his drawing skills. He moved to

London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...

probably around 1860. In February 1871 his father died and he inherited his office and clients and he returned to Edinburgh. The office remained at 2 Queen Street. Robert then lived at 1 Craigie Terrace. Following the

Elementary Education Act 1870 The Elementary Education Act 1870, commonly known as Forster's Education Act, set the framework for schooling of all children between the ages of 5 and 12 in England and Wales. It established local education authorities with defined powers, autho ...

(coming into force in 1872) he was entrusted with the design of all new city schools. From 1893 he employed the highly talented

John Alexander Carfrae John Alexander Carfrae (1868–1947) was a Scottish architect of particular note in the field of innovative school design. He was considered one of the best architects of his generation, but his works were rather limited as he was constrained t ...

who added yet another dimension to Edinburgh school design. Following Wilson's death in 1901, Carfrae took over this role in its entirety. He married Isabella Gunn (d.15.8.1911) and they lived together on Blacket Place in

. They were Baptists, and Wilson was Vice-President of the Baptist Union of Scotland. They are buried together in the Grange Cemetery on the southmost line of stones in the western extension.

Principal Works (all in Edinburgh)

His philanthropic works include the design, building and operation of the Free Breakfast Mission on Fishmarket Close, and also close involvement with Carrubbers Close Mission, the Medical Mission on the Cowgate and the operation of the Destitute Sick Society. *

Dean Village Dean Village (from ''dene'', meaning 'deep valley') is a former village immediately northwest of the city centre of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is bounded by Belford Road to the south and west, Belgrave Crescent Gardens to the north and below the ...

School (1874) *Cambridge Street School (1879) *North Canongate School, now the "Canongate Venture" (1879) *St Leonards School (1879) *Abbeyhill School (1880) *Clarebank School (1880) *Villa, 5 Tipperlinn Road (1881) *Marchmont Road School (1882) *North Merchiston School (1882) *

Leith Leith (; gd, Lìte) is a port area in the north of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith. In 2021, it was ranked by ''Time Out'' as one of the top five neighbourhoods to live in the world. The earliest ...

Baptist Church (1884) *Edinburgh Sabbath Free Breakfast Mission, Fishmarket Close (1885) *Granton School (1885) *South Bridge School, Infirmary Street (1885) *Edinburgh School Board Offices (1886) *Milton House School and janitor's house,

Canongate The Canongate is a street and associated district in central Edinburgh, the capital city of Scotland. The street forms the main eastern length of the Royal Mile while the district is the main eastern section of Edinburgh's Old Town. It began ...

(1886) *Castlehill School (1887) *Heriot's Trust School, St Bernard's Crescent (1887) * London Street School (1887) *Torphichen Street School (1887) * Sciennes School (1889) *Reconstruction of Alnwickhill Industrial Home for Fallen Women (1890) *Colinton Cottage Homes (original block) (1891) *Bonaly School, Thorburn Road (now an old people's home) (1891) *South Morningside School (1891) After 1893 Wilson seems to have taken a back seat as regards design, and Carfrae effectively takes over long before his official appointment in the role.Dictionary Of Scottish Architects: J A Carfrae

References

*Buildings of Scotland, Edinburgh by Gifford McWilliam and Walker *Dictionary of Scottish Architects: Robert Wilson *Who's Who in Architecture {{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Robert 1834 births 1901 deaths People associated with Edinburgh 19th-century Scottish architects Architects from Edinburgh Alumni of the Edinburgh College of Art