The Kensington and Chelsea Virtual Museum has a photo of the Wilsons' home in Sydney Place captioned with: "During his visits to England Hungarian composer Bela Bartok regularly stayed with Freda and Duncan Wilson at their home at 7 Sydney Place. He even performed a private concert here in March 1922 and over the years taught Duncan to play the piano." Elsewhere we read that these visits occurred from 1922 through to 1937.
We initially thought that the Sir Duncan Wilson mentioned here was Sir (Archibald) Duncan Wilson but in 2022 Julia Boyd pointed out that that ADW was only born in 1911 and then we noticed that his wife was Elizabeth, not Freda.
English Heritage identifies the real Wilson, who has an obituary in Nature, 7 April 1945: "SIR DUNCAN WILSON who, until his resignation in 1940 was chief inspector of factories, died suddenly on March 2 in his seventieth year. On leaving Eton he entered Magdalen College, Oxford, where he took his degree with first-class honours in natural science, and although his life-work has mainly been in administration, yet his scientific training proved a very valuable asset. ... He had many interests outside his work and was an excellent amateur musician."
Our colleague Andrew Behan states that the National Portrait Gallery website for this man was updated on 30 July 2021 by a Stephen Jefferson who wrote:- 'Duncan Randolph Wilson CVO CBE KT. Born Banner Cross Hall, Ecclesfield Bierlow, Sheffield. Youngest son of George Wilson, Managing Director of Cammells, and Clara Maria Prangley. Nephew of Sir Alexander Wilson Bt, chairman of Cammell Laird. Educated Eton and Magdalen College, Oxford. First Class honours in Natural Sciences. Lecturer Magdalen College 1898-1903. Inspector of Factories 1904. Deputy Chief Inspector 1930 and Chief Inspector of Factories 1932-1940. Both his father and uncle were born in modest circumstances to George Wilson, flax spinner, in Markinch, Fife. Befriended under circumstances unknown by the Cammell family of Sheffield both rose to be captains of industry. Duncan Randolph Wilson married 1915 Winifred Noel Lee. At his death after making provision for his widow he left his assets principally to the Civil Service Benevolent Fund and the Princess Louise Hospital for Children. He had no issue.'
Andrew Behan goes on to state that the post nominal letters 'KT' in the preceding paragraph would indicate that he was a Knight of the Thistle. This was not the case. He was created a Knight Bachelor and there are no post nominal letters used for this honour. Also the location of Banner Cross Hall is not in Ecclesfield Bierlow, but is in Ecclesall Bierlow,
Duncan Randolph Wilson was born on 27 December 1875, the ninth of the ten children of George Wilson (1829-1885) and Clara Maria Wilson née Prangley (1835-1909). His birth was registered in the 1st quarter of 1886 in the Kensington Registration District, Middlesex (now Greater London). He was baptised on 21 June 1886 in All Saints Church, Ecclesall, Sheffield, West Riding of Yorkshire, where in the baptismal register his family is shown as living in Banner Cross, Ecclesall and that his father was a manufacturer.
His nine siblings were: George Prangley Wilson (1857-1949); Arthur Prangley Wilson (1858-1943); Charles Montague Wilson (1860-1882); Archibald Duncan Cammell Wilson (1863-1872); Herbert Edward Wilson (1864-1951); Clara Mabel Wilson (1866-1962); Alexander Mills Wilson (1868-1953); Dorothy Isobel Mary Wilson (1872-1964) and Mary Sybil Wilson (1878-1956).
In the 1881 census he is shown as Duncan Wilson, aged 5 years and having been born in Sheffield, Yorkshire. He was living at Banner Cross Hall, Ecclesall Bierlow, Sheffield, together with his parents and three of his siblings: George Prangley Wilson - an assistant manager for an Iron & Steel Works; Dorothy Isobel Mary Wilson and Mary Sybil Wilson, together with a governess, a lady's maid, a cook, a coachman, a groom, a footman, two housemaids, a nurse, an under nurse, a kitchen maid and three laundresses. His father was described as a Justice of the Peace and an Iron & Steel Master employing 4,861 men.
When the 1891 census was undertaken he was recorded as Duncan R. Wilson, aged 15 years and born in London. He was still living at Banner Cross Hall, Chapel-on-le-Frith Road, Ecclesall Bierlow, Sheffield, with his widowed mother and three of his siblings: Clara Mabel Wilson; Dorothy Isobel Mary Wilson and Mary Sybil Wilson, together with a butler, a maid, a cook, a footman, a nurse, two housemaids and a kitchen maid. Both his mother and his eldest sister, Clara Mabel Wilson were described as living on their own means.
On 14 June 1898 he was initiated as a freemason in the Apollo University Lodge No.357 that met at the University Masonic Hall, Frewin Court, Oxford, Oxfordshire. In the United Grand Lodge of England's records he was shown as an undergraduate residing at Magdalen College, Oxford.
The London Gazette of 23 September 1904 shows that he was appointed as an Inspector of Factories and Workshops on 21 September 1904 and on 13 February 1906 he joined the St Mary Magdalen Lodge No.1525 that met at the Regent Masonic Hall, Café Royal, Regent Street, London and was listed as an Inspector of Factories living at 109A Whitehall Court, London.
Electoral register from 1910 to 1914 give his place of abode as 44 Whitehall Court, London and when he completed his 1911 census return form he described himself as aged 35 years, single and an H.M. Inspector of Factories (Civil Service), living in a three roomed property at 44 Whitehall Court, London, SW, with his 19-year-old niece, Kathleen Eleanor Wilson (1891-1968).
On 15 February 1915 he married Winifred Noel Lee (1892-1977) in St Philip's Church, Kensington, London, where in the marriage register he is shown as aged 35 years, a bachelor and a civil servant, living at 44 Whitehall Court, London, whilst his wife was described as aged 22 years and a spinster residing at 78 Warwick Gardens, Kensington, the daughter of James Lee, an accountant.
Electoral registers from 1918 to 1939 show him at Sydney Place, London, SW7. The registers from 1923 also list at this address his wife who was shown as Freda Wilson. From 1932 his wife was listed as Freda Noel Wilson.
He is recorded as having travelled aboard the RMS Scythia of the Cunard Line leaving Liverpool, Lancashire (now Merseyside) and arriving in New York, USA, on 16 June 1924. He returned to the UK, arriving on 20 August 1924 in Southampton, Hampshire, having boarded the RMS Empress of France of the Canadian Pacific Line in Quebec, Canada, as a 1st class passenger. The ship's manifest listed him as a civil servant, aged 48 years and that his proposed address would be 7 Sydney Place, London, SW7.
The London Gazette of 28 September 1928 showed that he was to be appointed as a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) and described him as:- 'Duncan Randolph Wilson, Esq., M.A., Secretary of the Industrial Fatigue Research Board, Medical Research Council' and he was shown in the London Gazette dated 3 June 1935 as being appointed as a Commander in the Royal Victorian Order (CVO).
The 1939 England and Wales Register confirms his date of birth as 27 December 1875 and shows him as an Inspector of Factories living at Catts Cottage, Sevenoaks, Kent, with his wife who was listed as Lady Freda Wilson and whose occupation was given as unpaid domestic duties, together with a needlewoman and two female domestic servants.
He died, aged 69 years, and probate records show him as 'Sir Duncan Randolph Wilson, K.B., C.V.O., C.B.E., of Catts Cottages, Underriver, near Sevenoaks, Kent, died 1 March 1945 at Stockport, Cheshire. Probate 25 June 1945 to Midland Bank Executor and Trustee Company Limited, John Carr Lieutenant-Colonel H.M. Army and Vera Dart spinster. Effects £50,194-1s-11d.' His death was registered in the 1st quarter of 1945 in the Stockport Registration District, Cheshire (now Greater Manchester).
There is a discrepancy over the date of his death. The National Portrait Gallery and the Nature entries give it as 2 March 1945 whereas the Probate Register shows it as 1 March 1945. We have chosen to give him the one extra day of life and have used 2 March 1945.
He and his wife are shown as 'Sir Duncan and Lady Wilson' on the information plaque attached to the boundary railings of 1-24 Malvern Court, Old Brompton Road, London, SW7, about 4 yards north east of the statue of Bela Bartok.
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