Anthony Babington Wilson

Last updated

Anthony Charles Babington Wilson (born 2 May 1931) is a former business executive, artist and author. His artwork was prominent in Dublin and Parisien society within the late 50s.

He is the son of T.G. Wilson, an eminent Anglo-Irish surgeon and social figure, and his wife Mary Babington, the daughter of Sir Anthony Babington. [1] He was educated at Eton College and Trinity College, Dublin. [2]

Wilson was the Financial Controller (a senior accounting position) of British Oxygen Company until his retirement on 2 May 1987. His articles on corporate planning, drawn from an unpublished book, often featured in business journals such as Management Decision and Accountancy Age. [3] [4] He has also delivered various lectures on corporate planning.

As an artist, Wilson's first exhibitions were held in Grafton Street during the 50s. These exhibitions were opened by Sir Alexander Clutterbuck and Sir Ian Maclennan, both British Ambassadors to Ireland, respectively. Later exhibitions took place in Paris. [5] [6] [7]

One of his most famous incidents was the vandalism of the 'Bowl of Light' on 19 April 1953. The Bowl of Light, erected in the centre of the O'Connell Bridge, was artwork that was part of the An Tóstal movement in 1953. [8] Wilson's vandalism of the Bowl of Light made national headlines, and his preferential treatment as a gentleman of the Anglo-Irish class was questioned by some. [9] He was fined £48 (£1,208.88 in 2015) in 1953. [9] However, many agreed with Wilson's vandalism (he had claimed that the artwork was aesthetically offensive). The politician Colm Gallagher remarked, on the Bowl of Light, in 1953 that, 'O’Connell Bridge has been spoiled by the ‘slab of concrete’ and it was a disgrace to the city to see workmen using shovels during recent weeks to remove the water from the various openings.'. [10] Sheila Pim's 1957 novel Other People's Business is dedicated to Anthony [11] in honour of the An Tóstal affair.[ citation needed ]

Under the name Tony Wilson, he authored the Universe on a Bicycle in 2007, an account of human behaviour in relation to dual nature theory and Darwinism. His ideas on sociology have also been delivered in lectures on Nietzsche and animal behaviour. [12] [13]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">O'Connell Street</span> Key street of Dublin, Ireland

O'Connell Street is a street in the centre of Dublin, Ireland, running north from the River Liffey. It connects the O'Connell Bridge to the south with Parnell Street to the north and is roughly split into two sections bisected by Henry Street. The Luas tram system runs along the street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">J. M. Andrews</span> Prime Minister of Northern Ireland from 1940 to 1943

John Miller Andrews, was the second prime minister of Northern Ireland from 1940 to 1943.

Events from the year 1953 in Ireland.

Gerard A. Hayes-McCoy (1911–1975) was an Irish historian regarded as one of the leading Irish historians of his generation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2006 Dublin riots</span> Riots in Dublin, Ireland (2006)

A series of riots in Dublin on 25 February 2006 was precipitated by a proposed march down O'Connell Street of a unionist demonstration. The disturbances began when members of the Garda Síochána attempted to disperse a group of counter-demonstrators blocking the route of the proposed march. The situation escalated as local youths joined forces with the counter-demonstrators.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">An Tóstal</span>

An Tóstal was the name for a series of festivals held in Ireland in the 20th century. Inaugurated in 1953 as a celebration of Irish life, it continued on until 1958 when it died out in most centres except Drumshanbo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anthony Babington (politician, born 1877)</span> Anglo-Irish barrister, judge and politician

Sir Anthony Brutus Babington PC (NI) was an Anglo-Irish barrister, judge and politician.

Robert John Babington, DSC, QC was an Ulster Unionist Party politician, who served as the member of the House of Commons of Northern Ireland for North Down from 1969 to 1972, and a county court judge. He was born in Dublin.

The Rt Rev. BrutusBabington (1558–1611) was an Englishman who became the Church of Ireland Bishop of Derry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward McGuire (painter)</span> Irish painter

Edward McGuire was an Irish painter.

Mabel Young was a British artist, who spent her career painting in Ireland.

Yvonne Jammet was a French landscape painter and sculptor, who spent her career in Ireland. With her husband, Louis Jammet, she ran the well-known Dublin-based French restaurant, Restaurant Jammet.

Thomas George Wilson FRCSI FRCSE FRCS FACS FRSM MRIA HRHA was an eminent Anglo-Irish surgeon and medical administrator specialising in otorhinolaryngology, a field to which he made significant contributions. Wilson was also an accomplished author, artist and sailor. He was known as 'T.G' and was a leading figure in Dublin society until his sudden death in 1969.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Babington family</span>

Babington is the name of an Anglo-Irish and English gentry family. The Anglo-Irish branch of the family is still extant today.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Vaughan Hart (academic)</span> Irish lawyer and Regius Professor

George Vaughan Hart, KC was an Anglo-Irish academic who served as Regius Professor of Feudal and English Law at Trinity College Dublin from 1890 to 1909.

Anthony Patrick Babington was a British author, judge and Army officer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Jackson (architect)</span> Irish architect (1807–1890)

Thomas Jackson (1807–1890) was a 19th-century Irish architect who contributed to the iconic baroque look of Belfast. He was described as being the foremost Belfast architect of his day.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joshua Pim (1748–1822)</span> Irish merchant

Joshua Pim (1748–1822) was a Dublin merchant active in the cotton trade in Dublin in the late 18th and early 19th century, who made significant input into setting up the Dublin Chamber of Commerce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hume Babington</span>

Hume Babington was a Church of Ireland clergyman, serving as the rector at Moviddy, County Cork, for 53 years from 1833 to 1886, and a proponent of secular education in Ireland.

References

  1. ↑ Froggatt, Peter. "Thomas George Wilson (1901 - 1969)". The Dictionary of Ulster Biography. Ulster History Circle.
  2. ↑ Accountancy Age, Vol 7. No 34. Pg 12-13, 27 August 1976
  3. ↑ Accountancy Age, Pg 15, 16 September 1977
  4. ↑ Management Decision, Pg 28-32, Spring 1968
  5. ↑ The Evening Herald, 8 February 1956
  6. ↑ The Irish Independent, 8 February 1956
  7. ↑ The Evening Mail, 8 February 1956
  8. ↑ "O'Connell Bridge and the 'The Bowl Of Light'". 19 March 2012.
  9. 1 2 Dublin Opinion, May 1953, Vol XXXIII
  10. ↑ The Sunday Independent, November 1953
  11. ↑ Pim, Sheila (1957). Other People's Business. London: Hodder & Stoughton. p. 5 – via Internet Archive.
  12. ↑ "The Dual Nature of Human Behavior". Archived from the original on 12 October 2016. Retrieved 11 October 2016.
  13. ↑ "Nietzsche 1844-1900: Right Questions, Wrong Answers".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.