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WILSON, WILLIAM CRANWILL
- Born: 1853/54 Died: 1918
Engineer and architect, of Dublin. According to the 1911 census, William Cranwill Wilson was born in Adare, Co. Limerick, in 1853 or 1854. He was educated at the Wesleyan School, Dublin, and attended the Metropolitan School of Art. He was a pupil of JAMES RAWSON CARROLL for five years and then spent a further seven years as Carroll's assistant. He next joined the staff of the Commissioners of Irish Lights under WILLIAM DOUGLASS. H is tasks included the preparation of plans for the Bull Rock lighthouse. From 1888 he assisted JOHN CHALONER SMITH on the City of Dublin Junction Railway between the Amiens Street and Westland Row railway termini; it was he who was reponsible for designing the Doric masonry supports for the viaduct which carries the line across the Liffey. In 1889 he joined the engineering staff of Dublin Corporation, eventually holding the position of engineer to the city's estates and finance committee. With SPENCER HARTY he designed the corporation's Fish and Vegetable markets, opened in 1892. In 1905 he applied unsuccessfully for the post of City Architect.(1) His employers in the corporation appear to have recognized his artistic bent; when Sir Charles Cameron was presented with the freedom of the city in 1911, it was Wilson who designed the bronze and Irish marble casket which contained the certificate.(2) He died at home in Malahide on 20 July 1918,(3) survived by his English-born wife, Helene, whom he had married circa 1893, and their daughter, Winefred.)
ICEI: elected associate member, 6 December 1905.(4)
RIAI: proposed for membership, September 1899, by CHARLES JAMES MCCARTHY and GEORGE COPPINGER ASHLIN , seconded by JOHN HOWARD PENTLAND , WILLIAM HENRY BYRNE and LAURENCE ALOYSIUS MCDONNELL , but not passed.
Address: 5 St James's Terrace, Malahide, <=1896->=1911; Raheny Hill Road, Malahide, at time of death.(5)
See WORKS.
References
All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from IAA, RIAI office archives (Acc. 93/136), membership forms 1878-1909 (extremely fragile), ICEI membership applications, III, 225, and from the obituary of Wilson in IB 60, 12 October 1918, 401.
(1) Irish Times, 5 Dec 1893.
(2) Information formerly available on http://indigo.ie/~kfinlay/cameron/cameron8.htm (page no longer available in 2008).
(3) Weekly Irish Times, 27 Jul 1918.
(4) TICEI 33 (1905-1906), ?.
(5) See note 3, above.
4 work entries listed in chronological order for WILSON, WILLIAM CRANWILL
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| Building: | CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, LIFFEY VIADUCT |
| Date: | 1884p |
| Nature: | WCW 'designed the handsome masonry supports which carry the Loop Line viaduct and harmonise so excellently with the graceful outlines of Gandon's Custom House'. |
| Refs: | Obituary in IB 60, 12 Oct 1918, 401 |
| Building: | CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, ARRAN STREET EAST (& MARY'S LANE), FISH & VEGETABLE MARKET |
| Date: | 1890 |
| Nature: | Designed new market with Spencer Harty. Contractor: Wm. Connolly & Son. |
| Refs: | IAA, PKS B23/02; IB 34, 15 Dec 1892, 262; obituary in IB 60, 12 Oct 1918, 401 |
| Building: | CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, KING STREET SOUTH, NO. 027 (S.T. ROBINSON) |
| Date: | 1906 |
| Nature: | New premises (motor garage), for S.T. Robinson |
| Refs: | IB 48, 3 Nov 1906, 888 |
| Building: | CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, LORD EDWARD STREET, NO. 021-25 (MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS) (PROPOSED) |
| Date: | 1913 |
| Nature: | Competition entrant; his designs 'a very strikingly fine example of happy architectural composition'. |
| Refs: | Obituary of WCW in IB 60, 12 Oct 1918, 401 |