Robert Cary GILSON [1185]

  General Notes:

Robert Cary. Gilson - College: TRINITY Entered: pens. at TRINITY, June 8, 1882. S. and h. of Henry Robert, of Park Place, Worksop, Notts. B. [Apr. 2], 1863, at Boston, Lincs. School, Haileybury. Matric. Michs. 1882; Scholar, 1884; B.A. (Class. Trip., 1st Class, Pt I, 1884; Pt. II, 1886) 1886; M.A. 1890. Fellow, 1889. Assistant Master at Haileybury School, 1887-90; at Harrow, 1890-1900. Head Master of the Schools of King Edward VI, Birmingham, 1900-29. President of the Association of Headmasters, 1908; Chairman of the Headmasters' Conference, 1909-10, 1922-3 and 1928-9. Lived latterly at Pulborough, Sussex, where he died Feb. 18, 1939. Brother of the above. (Haileybury Sch. Reg.; Who was Who; Scott, MSS.; Schoolmasters' Directories; The Times, Feb. 20, 1939.)Cambridge University Alumni, 1261-1900

Julius Jottings No 4 Jan 1901.
Robert Carey Gilson has lately been appointed headmaster of King Edward's School, Birmingham

Obituaries.
Mr Cary Gilson.
An Appreciation.
L.S.A. writes:
May an old Harrow pupil of Cary Gilson's be permitted to add a few words of affectionate tribute to the obituary notice which appeared in The Times? Of the great years of his Headmastership of King Edward's School I only know at second-hand, though no one connected with Birmingham could be unaware of the remarkable influence he exercised not only upon the school itself but upon Birmingham education as a whole. But I can will recall my surprise and excitement, as a schoolboy, at discovering in a newly arrived "composition specialist" a teacher who was interested, not merely in the Latin elegiacs or Demosthenic prose, but in everything under the sun, and contrived to make one share his interest. I was actually his pupil only in two subjects, the Classics at Harrow and mountaineering in the Lake Country and afterwards in the Alps. I learned much from him in both fields, but even more in all the opportunities for talk which school life and the mountains afforded. There must be many who can look back upon such talks, illuminated by his happy and unpedanticomniscience, as memories standing out brightly from distant years.
The Times Tuesday, February 21, 1939, pg 16; Issue 48235; col E.

Obituaries
MR. Cary Gilson
Major C.V.L.Lycett writes:
May I as a pupil for 9^1/2 years under Cary Gilson at Birmineham, add a word of appreciation. To a young boy the most enduring impression of him was a majestic figure sweeping through Big School in the evening to take' prayers. He had an imposing presence and a truly magnificent voice, and his rendering of the prayers in the Common Prayer-book have endowed them in my memory, and I am sure in the memory of many another of his pupils with a magic which will endure for my whole life. As I grew older and got to know him better and sat under him in class I was enthralled by his wide knowledge on all subjects, his ability to correlate facts from all sources, and his power of throwing light on passages in the classics.
But above all I think his greatest service to the school he loved was the high moral tone which he inspired throughout. He ever set in front of us ideals of clean living, scholarship, and sportsmanship, which pervaded the whole school and which have remained with his old Pupils ever since. His death comes as a great shock, but I am proud to feel that once I sat at his feet.
The Times, Wednesday, Feb 22, 1939; pg. 16;

Obituaries
Mr. R. Cary Gilson.
A Great Birmingham Headmaster.
Mr R. Cary Gilson, headmaster of the Schools of King Edward in Birmingham from 1900 to 1929, died at Quilters Roundabouts, Sussex, on Saturday, at the age of 75.
Born at Boston, Lincolnshire, in 1863, son of Mr H. R. Gilson. Robert Cary Gilson left the Fen country at an early age. In 1878 he went to Haileybury, where he remained for four years, being Captain of the school in his last year. He was awarded his First XV covers for Rugby football and he recalled that in those days some of the games were played with as many as 60 a side, after the fashion described in "Tom Brown's Schooldays". In 1882 he went up as a scholar to Trinity College Cambridge, and began reading Classics and Mathematics. After a time he gave up Mathematics and in 1884 took a First Class in Part I of the Classical Tripos. In 1885 he read Science and in the next year took a First Class in Part II of the Classical Tripos with distinction in Ancient Philosophy and in Pure Scholarship. In 1889 he was elected a Fellow of Trinity. For a time he was Classical Lecturer at Newnham. He was an enthusiastic devotee of mountaineering and was elected a member of the Alpine Club in 1891. In 1887 when reading for the Bar, he received an invitation from the headmaster of Haileybury to fill a temporary position in his old school. There he confessed his career was altered by the accident of falling in love with a profession. His recollection of the three years spent at Haileybury, where he was sixth form master, where of the happiest. In 1890 he was invited by the late Dr J.E.C. Welldon to go to Harrow and his composition master, a position which brought with it a free timetable but a great deal of work. He was the obvious person to take another master's form, and during this time at Harrow he took every form in the school. In 1900 he was appointed headmaster of King Edward's School Birmingham. Mr Cary Gilson was a great headmaster, who continued a line of great headmasters. Under his guidance the record of the University distinctions gained by pupils - including two Senior Wrangleships in successive years, and equally brilliant achievements in the field of Classics - has not been surpassed. Cary Gilson will also be long remembered as having preserved the school's traditions an individuality in spite of financial rearrangements due to the War. The income of the foundation came to be supplemented by the municipality, but the character of the school was unchanged. He was president of the Incorporated Association of Headmasters in 1908, and chairman of committee of the Headmasters Conferences of 1909-10, 1922-23, and 1928-29.
Outside his work Gilson interested himself in higher education in the city of Birmingham generally. From 1904 to 1913 he was chairman of the Higher Education Subcommittee of the city. In 1890 he married Emily Annie, eldest daughter of Surgeon Major Isaac Newton, of Broadlands, Cheltenham. She died in 1907. There was one daughter and one son of the marriage. The son was killed in action in July 1916. Mr Cary Gilson married secondly in 1909 Marianne Caroline, youngest daughter of Mr John Dunstall of Rochester, and by her had two sons and a daughter.
The Times Monday Feb 20, 1939, pg 14; Issue 48234; col B.
Robert was a Master at Harrow, Headmaster of King Edwards School Birmingham, Scholar and Fellow of Trinity College Cambridge. President of the Headmasters Assn 1908.

  Research Notes:

Obituaries
Mr. R. Cary Gilson.
A Great Birmingham Headmaster.
Mr R. Cary Gilson, headmaster of the Schools of King Edward in Birmingham from 1900 to 1929, died at Quilters Roundabouts, Sussex, on Saturday, at the age of 75.
Born at Boston, Lincolnshire, in 1863, son of Mr H. R. Gilson. Robert Cary Gilson left the Fen country at an early age. In 1878 he went to Haileybury, where he remained for four years, being Captain of the school in his last year. He was awarded his First XV covers for Rugby football and he recalled that in those days some of the games were played with as many as 60 a side, after the fashion described in "Tom Brown's Schooldays". In 1882 he went up as a scholar to Trinity College Cambridge, and began reading Classics and Mathematics. After a time he gave up Mathematics and in 1884 took a First Class in Part I of the Classical Tripos. In 1885 he read Science and in the next year took a First Class in Part II of the Classical Tripos with distinction in Ancient Philosophy and in Pure Scholarship. In 1889 he was elected a Fellow of Trinity. For a time he was Classical Lecturer at Newnham. He was an enthusiastic devotee of mountaineering and was elected a member of the Alpine Club in 1891. In 1887 when reading for the Bar, he received an invitation from the headmaster of Haileybury to fill a temporary position in his old school. There he confessed his career was altered by the accident of falling in love with a profession. His recollection of the three years spent at Haileybury, where he was sixth form master, where of the happiest. In 1890 he was invited by the late Dr J.E.C. Welldon to go to Harrow and his composition master, a position which brought with it a free timetable but a great deal of work. He was the obvious person to take another master's form, and during this time at Harrow he took every form in the school. In 1900 he was appointed headmaster of King Edward's School Birmingham. Mr Cary Gilson was a great headmaster, who continued a line of great headmasters. Under his guidance the record of the University distinctions gained by pupils - including two Senior Wrangleships in successive years, and equally brilliant achievements in the field of Classics - has not been surpassed. Cary Gilson will also be long remembered as having preserved the school's traditions an individuality in spite of financial rearrangements due to the War. The income of the foundation came to be supplemented by the municipality, but the character of the school was unchanged. He was president of the Incorporated Association of Headmasters in 1908, and chairman of committee of the Headmasters Conferences of 1909-10, 1922-23, and 1928-29.
Outside his work Gilson interested himself in higher education in the city of Birmingham generally. From 1904 to 1913 he was chairman of the Higher Education Subcommittee of the city. In 1890 he married Emily Annie, eldest daughter of Surgeon Major Isaac Newton, of Broadlands, Cheltenham. She died in 1907. There was one daughter and one son of the marriage. The son was killed in action in July 1916. Mr Cary Gilson married secondly in 1909 Marianne Caroline, youngest daughter of Mr John Dunstall of Rochester, and by her had two sons and a daughter.
The Times Monday Feb 20, 1939, pg 14; Issue 48234; col B.

  Other Records

1. Census: England, 31 Mar 1901, King Edwards School Headmasters House St Martin Birmingham. Robert is recorded as head of house married aged 37 a School Headmaster born Boston LIN.
There are also 5 servants in the house

2. Census: England, 2 Apr 1911, Marston Green nr Birmingham. Robert is recorded as head of the house of 14 rooms married aged 48 Headmaster of King Edwards School Birmingham born Boston LIN
There were 5 servants in the household.

Robert married Emily Annie NEWTON [1186] [MRIN: 372], daughter of Surgeon Major Isaac NEWTON [10608] and Unknown, in Mar 1890. (Emily Annie NEWTON [1186] was born about 1866 in India and died on 26 Apr 1907 in Harrow MDX.)

Robert next married Marianne Caroline DUNSTALL [10888] [MRIN: 3617], daughter of John DUNSTALL of Rochester [250] and Caroline MUMFORD [9736], in 1909. (Marianne Caroline DUNSTALL [10888] was born about 1878 in Rochester KEN and died in 1977 in Evesham WOR.)