Charles William Wilson
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Sir Charles William Wilson (1836-1905) K.C.B., K.C.M.G., F.R.S., D.C.L., LL.D., M.E. was a Major General.
Charles Wilson was born in Liverpool and was educated at St. David's, Liverpool Collegiate. He then went to work for the Ordnance Survey of Jerusalem. While Wilson was in Palestine the Palestine Exploration Fund was founded. In November 1865, Wilson and his group landed in Beirut and surveyed their way south into Palestine. From January to April of 1866, Wilson carried out survey work in Palestine. He was appointed to the Ordnance Survey of Scotland and, in 1867, acted as Assistant Commissioner on the Borough Boundary Commission. In 1867 he became a member of the Committee of the Palestine Exploration Fund. In 1868, he volunteered to take part in the Ordnance Survey of Sinai, along with H. S. Palmer. He was awarded the Diploma of the International Geographical Congress in 1871, and in 1872, he was elected to the Council of the Society of British Archaeology. In 1874 he became a Fellow of the Royal Society. On returning to England he became Director of the Topographical Department at the War Office and Assistant Quartermaster‑General in the Intelligence Department. In 1876 he received a C.B. for the organisation of the Department. He then headed the Ordnance Survey of Ireland and also served on the Royal Commission for the Registration of Deeds and Insurances for Ireland in 1878. He was appointed British Commissioner on the Serbian Boundary Commission. From 1879 to 1882, he served as Consul‑General in Anatolia. In the summer of 1882 he took part in Sir Garnet Wolseley's expedition to Egypt to suppress the rebellion of Colonel Arabi. In 1884, Wilson was Chief of the Intelligence Department on Wolseley's expedition to relieve Gordon at Khartoum. On his return to Britain, Wilson was appointed Director of the Ordnance Survey in Ireland and was Director‑General of the Ordnance Survey from 1886 to 1894. From 1895 until his retirement in 1898 he was Director‑General of Military Education.
