James Maurice Wilson

Reverend James Maurice Wilson was the son of Edward Wilson, Vicar of Nocton in Lincolnshire. In 1848, he and his twin brother were sent to King William's College on the Isle of Man, where they were educated until 1853. In 1856, his twin brother died. James went on to study at Sedbergh School, and in 1855 he attended St. John's College, Cambridge. In 1862 he received an M.A. degree, and he was a Fellow there from 1859-1868. From 1859-1879 he was Maths and Science Master at Rugby School, and from 1859-1879 he was Headmaster of Clifton College. In 1868, he published the textbook Elementary Geography. That same year, he married his first wife.

He retired from teaching and became Vicar of Rochdale, progressing through the church until becoming Archdeacon of Manchester in 1890. He continued to be interested in education, and was Hulsean lecturer at Cambridge in 1898; Lady Margaret Preacher at Cambridge in 1900; and Lecturer in Pastoral Theology at Cambridge in 1902.