Ethel Maude Wilson

Ethel Maude Wilson born Ethel Maude Sayer (23 November 1876 – 12 October 1959) was a British advertising manager and managing director of A. J. Wilson in 1926.

Life Wilson was born in Stoke Newington in 1876. She was one of at least eight children born to Emma Elizabeth Mahala (born Sandford) and William Sayer who was a builder and decorator. Ethel could type, but she taught herself sign language so that she could interpret her boss's ideas. Because of her role as hearing assistant she was able to gain access to meetings that were usually men only. And because of her business skills, she became the business's company secretary when the company went public in 1899.

In 1926 she was in the public eye when she became the managing director of A. J. Wilson which at that time had 200 staff. The company ceased to exist soon after 1928 when Arthur retired.

She and Arthur were living in Leamington when he died in 1945. She died in 1959 in Boscombe.