Papers of Sir Mark Wilson

Papers relating to his work in Tanganyika and the Gold Coast. Also, a typed copy of Wilson's diary kept before and during his first tour as a cadet in Tanganyika and as a magistrate in Uganda.

Sir Mark Wilson, Kt. Bach. (1950), was born on the 22 October 1896 in Castlecomer, Kilkenny, Ireland. He was educated at Kilkenny College, Mountjoy School, and Trinity College, Dublin. His academic career was interrupted by a period of military service in the RAF (1918-1919).

Wilson trained to become a Barrister-at-Law at Kings Inns, Dublin, and was called to the Irish Bar in 1924. In November of the same year he joined the Colonial Administrative Service in Tanganyika. In 1926 Wilson moved to Uganda as a District Magistrate, later becoming a Senior Magistrate (1935). During his time in Uganda Wilson also acted as Administrator General on various occasions (1926-1929) and as a Puisne Judge (for periods during 1933 and 1934). Wilson returned to Tanganyika in 1936 as a Puisne Judge (1936-1948). His final posting was in the Gold Coast where he was Chief Justice (1948-1956).

Wilson was also Chancellor of the Uganda Diocese (1934-1936); a member of the Court of Appeal for Eastern Africa (from 1934); Chairman of the Tanganyika War Compensation Claims Tribunal (1939-1946); a member of Makerere College Council (1940-1947); Chairman of the Trade Disputes Tribunal (1943); sole Commissioner of the Arusha-Moshi Lands Commission (1946-1947); Chairman of the Gold Coast Judicial Service Commission (1954-ca.1956); President of the Gold Coast Branch of the International Law Association (1954-ca.1956), and President of the Gold Coast Magistrates' Association (1955-ca.1956). Wilson died on the 10 April 1956.

Bodleian reader's ticket required.

Collection level description created by Marion Lowman, Bodleian Library of Commonwealth and African Studies at Rhodes House.

Administrative/Biographical History compiled with reference to A Biographical Dictionary of the British Colonial Service 1939-1966 by A.H.M. Kirk-Greene (1991).

The library holds a card index of all manuscript collections in its reading room and a handlist is also available for this collection.

Listed as nos. 605 and 995 in Manuscript Collections of Africana in Rhodes House Library, Oxford, compiled by Louis B. Frewer (Oxford, Bodleian Library, 1968).

No reproduction or publication of personal papers without permission. Contact the library in the first instance.