Joseph Geary Wilson

Joseph Geary Wilson was born in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, the youngest son of George Wilson. He trained as an engineer, becoming an associate of the Institution of  Electrical Engineers on 26 Apr 1900 while working in Northern Ireland. His address from 1909 to 1916 was given as the British Westinghouse Works at Trafford Park, who made various items for war service including 400 petrol-electric light railway engines. After wartime service in the RAF, he became a graphic designer for the Rootes company, who had repaired aero engines during the war, but afterwards first distributed then manufactured motor cars, buying up various British marques such as Karrier, Sunbeam, Talbot and Humber. He is recorded as being at the Len Engineering Works in Maidstone in 1921, the original site of Rootes works.

On 13 May 1926 he married Mary Hilda Waddell, of Edinburgh, who had been an ambulance driver during the First World War. Their daughter Mary Geary was born at “Sunrise” on 28 July 1927. They were well off, with homes in Burgess Hill, Sussex and Park Lane, London. Generally they holidayed in Scotland, fishing, shooting and playing golf. Mary would go on to many things, including being responsible for founding the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

He was appointed Captain of the Brora Golf Club in 1927 and remained so until 1939 when he and his wife were appointed life members.

In 1939 at the time of registration, he was at his home Greenlands, on Keymer Road with his family and an Air Raid Warden for Burgess Hill Urban District Council.

In 1946 JG Wilson became a Director of the Sutherland Tweed Association Limited alongside the Duke and Duchess of Sutherland and others.