William Grey-Wilson

Sir William Grey-Wilson (7 April 1852 – 14 February 1926) was a British colonial administrator. He served as Governor of St Helena from 1887 to 1897, Governor of the Falkland Islands from 1897 to 1904 and Governor of the Bahamas from 1904 to 1912. He was made a Knight of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1904 and a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1918.

Early life and education He was born William Wilson, the son of Andrew Wilson, Inspector-General of Hospitals, Honorable East India Company and his wife Catherine Grey. Through his mother, Wilson was the grandson of Edward Grey, Bishop of Hereford and the great-grandson of Charles Grey, 1st Earl Grey. Wilson was educated at Cheltenham College.

Career In 1874, Wilson became private secretary to his maternal uncle, Sir William Grey, the Governor of Jamaica. From 1897 to 1904, he served as Governor of the Falkland Islands.

Grey-Wilson was appointed Governor of the Bahamas on 7 May 1904. He served in the role until 1912. He was knighted KCMG in 1904 and KBE in 1918. At the time of the latter appointment, he was serving as the Chairman of the Central Committee for Patriotic Organisations.

Awards and honours

In 1891, Grey-Wilson was made a companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.

In late 1926, a prize for inventors was named in his honour and awarded to the best inventor at the International Exhibition of Inventors at the Westminster.

Personal life and death Grey-Wilson was known for his home inventions, including a contraption to allow chickens to let themselves into a coop and an automatic door system to remotely admit guests to his house. in Ospedaletti, Italy while on a trip to San Remo with Sir John Bromhead Matthews. He was 73.

Grey-Wilson was survived by his wife, Margaret, the only daughter of Robert Glasgow Brown, whom he had married in 1884