Charles Wilson

Professor Charles Henry Wilson, CBE (16 April 1914 - 1 August 1991) was an English bursar and writer, best known as the author of 'The History of Unilever, Volume I, II and III' and 'Anglo-Dutch Commerce in the 18th Century'.

Early life and education

Charles Henry Wilson was born at Market Rasen, Lincolnshire on 16 April 1914. He was educated at Aston School, and later attended Jesus College Cambridge where he studied History and English. In 1938 Wilson was elected to one of the first research fellowships that Jesus College offered. In 1941, he wrote 'Anglo-Dutch Commerce in the 18th Century’. During the Second World War, he served in the Royal Naval Volunteer Rescue and later in the Admiralty.

He was married twice and had a daughter by his first wife.

Career

On returning to Cambridge in 1945 Wilson spent nearly a decade as a successful Bursar of Jesus College. It was during these years that he wrote some of his best works including 'The History of Unilever, Volume I and Volume II' which Unilever commissioned him to write in July 1947. Between 1965 and 1979 Wilson was a Professor of Modern History at Cambridge, where he continued to write, including 'The History of Unilever, Volume III' (1968). In 1964 he was given an honorary degree of Doctor of Literature from Groningen UniversityCite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name (see the help page).. He became a fellow of the British Academy in 1966. He was also one of the first professors of the European University Institute in Florence in 1976.

Wilson was elected a fellow of the British Academy in 1966, and appointed CBE in 1981. Other appointments include Chairman of the Carl Rosa Opera Company.

He died in Sydney in 1991 at the age of 77.

References

- Unilever International, Issue 17, Autumn 1964, p. 36.

- GB1752.EFL/IC/4/1 (1947). 'Draft history of the Icilma Co. Ltd' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/PLC. 'Unilever PLC' - Collection

- GB1752.UNI/GF/LG/1/1/988 (1948 - 1954). 'Unilever PLC legal file "History of Company" 1948 - 1954' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/GF/CR/5/20/4 (1980). 'Jubilee Book' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/GF/CR/5/20/1 (1930-1976). 'Unilever, Charles Wilson Company History' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/GF/CR/5/19/40 (c. 1860 - 1964). 'People, Personalities, Public Occasions' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/GF/CR/5/7/97 (1980). 'Unilever Companies,Fifty years of Unilever (book) ceremony' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/GF/CR/5/4/239 (1971). 'Portrait, Wilson, Professor C.' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/GF/CR/5/4/189 (1968-1974). 'Portrait, Wilson ,Professor Charles' - Item

- GB1752.UNI/CO. 'Co-Ordinations' - Collection

- GB1752.UNI/BD/SC/3/78 (1970-1980). 'File Special Committee papers: 'Correspondence - Dr Woodroofe / Prof Charles Wilson'' - Item

- GB1752.UNI. 'Unilever' - Collection

- GB1752.UAC/1/11/5/1/5 (1972). 'UAC Public Relations Department: Statistics of African Production' - Item

- GB1752.SDC/47/6/1 (1988). 'Transcript of an interview with Doreen Wedderburn' - Item