George Washington Wilson

Alvah, Banffshire, Scotland, 1823 - 1893

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About MeBorn in the parish of Alvah, Banffshire "on or about" 7 February 1823, his father George Wilson was a soldier and farmer and his mother Elspet Herd was also from farming stock. He was educated at Forglen School near Turriff by the schoolmaster Rev. John Webster, and he left school in 1835.

George served an apprenticeship as a carpenter, working in trade from 1835 to 1846. In 1846 he travelled to Edinburgh to gain an education in art. He then moved to London for further studies in 1849, returning to Aberdeen the same year to develop a career as a painter of miniatures. He moved to premises on Crown Street in 1852 advertising himself as "artist and photographer". This portrait studio offered sitters a choice between traditional painting and the new art of photography. A natural entrepreneur, George was instrumental in bringing the medium of photography to the masses.

Based on his reputation as a pioneering photographer, Queen Victoria and Prince Albert first commissioned George Washington Wilson to photograph the construction of
their castle at Balmoral in 1854, with George adopting the title "Under the Immediate Patronage of Her Majesty". Six years later George was officially appointed by Queen Victoria as 'Photographer Royal'.

In 1857 he published No. 1 of his "Aberdeen Portraits", one of the earliest uses of photomontage. In 1858 he took his first "instantaneous" photograph and expanded to larger premises at Glenburnie Distillery in 1861. Demonstrating considerable commercial flair, George recognised the potential of photography in providing tourists with photographic souvenirs of their travels. Inspired by factory production methods, by 1864 he was making and selling over half-a-million photographic prints a year. It was not only in Britain that he was a pioneer of photography. Using a portable darkroom, George travelled the world taking photographs, capturing the lives of both royal and ordinary people from South Africa to Australia.

G. W. Wilson & Co. was formed in 1872 and granted royal warrant "By Special Appointment" in 1873. They expanded further to new premises in St Swithin Street in 1876 and by 1887 he entered into partnership with his sons, retiring in 1888 from business. In 1893 G. W. Wilson & Co. Ltd formed.

Family

In 1842, George's first son Alexander Johnstone Wilson was born, whose mother Isabela Johnstone did not marry George. He married Maia Ann Cassie, daughter of a Banffshire innkeeper in 1849. Their first daughter Mary Jean Wilson was born in 1850, with three further daughters and four sons being born. In 1865 the family moved from their home on Crown Street to a newly built house at Queen's Cross.

Died - March 9 1893, aged 70 years.

Following the death of George, the business found itself in financial difficulties. As a consequence, the Queen's Cross house and some personal effects were sold, and a new family home was established in Carden Place. In 1897 the Crown Street properties were sold and five years later G. W. W. & Co. Ltd. went into liquidation. A new company was formed, G. W. Wilson & Co. This did not survive long and in 1908 the company's assets were sold off by auction.

Additional InfoImage Attribution: ABDAG003974 - George Washington Wilson, by Sir George Reid, 1879

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