Thomas Wilson

Thomas Wilson (11 November 1764 – 17 June 1843) was an English Congregational benefactor of chapels and educational institutions, and a founder member of the Council of University College London from 1825.

Life He was born in Cheapside, the son of Thomas Wilson (1731–1794), a ribbon manufacturer, and his wife Mary Remington, daughter of John Remington of Coventry. He was educated at Newington Green, at Cockburn's Academy. Wilson went into partnership with his father in 1785, having served as his apprentice. In 1819 he lived in Maida Vale, and in 1823 in Highbury Place. From 1829 to 1842 he lived at 45 Burton Street, St Pancras. He was ultimately a man of considerable wealth, with Remington family money after the death in 1813 of an uncle on his mother's side. He was present at Peterloo in 1819 and supported parliamentary reform.

Interests Wilson promoted many causes, principally educational and theological. He was a director of the London Missionary Society; and in 1837 he became one of the founders of the Metropolitan Chapel Fund Association. In 1825 he was a founder member of the Council of London University. Queen Charlotte’s Maternity Hospital moved the same year to an adjacent site, on the corner of New Road and Harcourt Road. "Standing back a little from the road, again on the south side, near Harcourt Street, is the Padddington Chapel, for Congregationalists." In the period 1816 to 1818, after the pastor Henry Townley left to travel to India for the London Missionary Society, Wilson had difficulty finding a permanent replacement for him. Samuel Dyer was ordained at the chapel in 1827, later in the year also sailing for India. The congregation included Elizabeth Barrett Browning, from 1836 to 1846, who appreciated the preaching of James Stratten. The chapel was demolished in 1981.

1819: Claremont Chapel on Pentonville Road. From 1822, John Blackburn was the permanent minister there. The site, part of the former Carnaby Market, was sold to Wilson by William Craven, 1st Earl of Craven. A congregation formed in 1823, but there was no permanent minister until John Leifchild, who was there from 1831 to 1854. The chapel had basement schoolrooms.

Works Select hymns. A supplement to Dr. Watts's Psalms and hymns (2nd edition 1808), as T. W.

Family Wilson married in 1791 Elizabeth Clegg, daughter of the Manchester timber merchant Arthur Clegg. Their children included the barrister Joshua Wilson (1795–1874).

Rebekah (died 1870), eldest daughter, married in 1819 the Rev. James Stratten of the Paddington Chapel. Eliza (died 1878), married in 1823 at St Mary's Church, Islington the Rev. John Addison Coombs, who had been ordained minister at the Independent Chapel, Chapel Street, Salford in 1820.

John Remington Mills was Wilson's nephew. He was the son of Samuel Mills of Russell Square and Mary Wilson, sister of Thomas Wilson.

Legacy A memorial to Wilson stands in Abney Park Cemetery in Stoke Newington, London. It is in the Yew Walk.