Person DS/UK/1464 Wilson; Charles (1831-1906); Jesuit Priest Wilson Charles 1831-1906 Jesuit Priest Male Born 24 December 1831, Jamaica. Entered the English Province of the Society of Jesus 31 July 1850. Final vows in the Society of Jesus 2 February 1866. Died 8 October 1906, Stonyhurst.

Fr Kennedy was born in Jamaica, 24 December 1831, of Protestant parents. His father managed a sugar plantation in Jamaica, and stayed there until his death. He had married a Miss Kennedy, daughter of another sugar planter, and had five children, of whom Charles was the eldest. Charles was sent over to England at the age of seventeen, and was placed in a Protestant school in Brixton, c1849, by Mr and Mrs Prestage (Charles’ aunt and uncle), who had undertaken as guardians to oversee his education. He was then transferred, along with his brothers, to Sint-Truiden, in Belgium, where he formed a gradual familiarity with the general religious life and habits of a Catholic country. In Piccadilly, where he lived with his guardians, he naturally attended services at Farm Street Church and came under religious instruction of Fr Lythgoe and Fr James Brownbill, till they were received into the church. Wilson seems to have made his noviceship at Tronchiennes, entering 31 July 1850, and then in 1852 to have passed over to the Seminary at Stonyhurst, where he spent two years studying rhetoric, giving one year to physics and the fourth year to philosophy. As early as 1856 he was in Maltar teaching grammar for two years, and in 1858 he began the study of theology at Vals in the South of France. Towards the end of that year he returned to England, and stayed for the next three years at St Beuno’s. His health broke down before completing the long course, and though he was allowed to go in for his examination ‘ad gradum’, he willingly accepted the position of Spiritual Coadjutor. After ordination in 1861, he acted as ‘missionarius excurrens’ to Denbigh, where he caught the measles while attending the sick during an epidemic. It proved to be a very serious attack and laid him up for a considerable time. In September 1862 he was master of grammar at Beaumont, where he remained until 1864 when he made his tertianship at Laon. Two years after this he passed on to the degree of Spiritual Coadjutor. In the meantime, he was appointed in 1865 Prefect of Studies and Minister of the house at the Collegium Inchoatum in Charlotte Street, Glasgow. In 1866 he was transferred, along with the College, to the school buildings on Garnet Hill. However his connection with St Aloysius’ ceased at this date, and he received hurried summons to leave at once for the foreign mission of Demerara, leaving on the very day that the order came. For twenty years he was employed in active missionary life in British Guiana. In 1883 he was obliged to recruit his strength by passing a few months of rest in his native island of Jamaica. Having recovered from the chief effects of his fatigue, he returned to Demerara in 1884, but had to return to Jamaica for health reasons, and was not to return. In July 1885 he came back to England. He was soon sent to Pontefract to take the place of Fr Walter Clifford, absent through ill-health, and after that was transferred to Rhyl for one year. From there he spent two years at Holywell, and then moved to Bedford Leigh in 1890, where he remained during the next five years. In 1895 he was sent to Manresa as Minister, but the year after was employed in giving the Exercises, and placed for a short time in charge of the parish. From that date he continued to live on at Manresa , with deteriorating health. In 1905 he retired to end his days at St Mary’s Hall, Stonyhurst. His death took place 8 October 1906 at the age of 75. International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) 2nd edition - ICA 2004 ISBN 2-9521932-2-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 Yes CURIA\mallen 12/05/2021 CURIA\mallen 12/05/2021 f606048e-d865-49f5-af05-9ee81a9e246d