Thomas Wilson

(b. Aug. 24, 1703, Bishopscourt, Isle of Man – d. April 5, 1784, Bath, Somerset, England )

Gender: M

Thomas Wilson (1701-1784) was the son of the Thomas Wilson, Bishop of Sodor and Man. He was Rector of St Stephen Walbrook in London, but resided mainly in Bath. In 1774 he invited the historian Catharine Macaulay to move into his house with her young daughter. Wilson was a 73-year old widower while Macaulay was 45 and had been widowed for eight years. Wilson went as far as to adopt her young daughter, Catharine Sophia, as his child; he transferred the freehold of his house to Macaulay, and left her a large legacy in his will. On 2nd April 1777, Wilson organised a celebration for Macaulay’s birthday at which six odes were recited in her honour; these were then collected and published to much public ridicule. Five months later, Wilson erected a statue of Macaulay in the chancel of St Stephen Walbrook, causing deep offence to the parishioners. A year later, Macaulay married William Graham, a Scottish naval surgeon who was 25 years her junior; this was regarded as scandalous, and lampoons were circulated that suggested Macaulay had married only to indulge physical passions which the elderly Dr Wilson was incapable of satisfying. Wilson struck her out of his will and started a lawsuit for the recovery of the house, but his reputation never recovered.

Also known as:

Thomas Wilson

Mentioned in 1 letters

Title	EMCO ID
Letter from Elizabeth Montagu to Elizabeth Carter	1160

Please note that all dates and location information are provisional, initially taken from the library and archive catalogues. As our section editors continue to work through the material we will update our database and the changes will be reflected across the edition.

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