P000905 revised AU-VU:EOAS Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation

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 English AACR2 Anglo-American Cataloguing Rules Person created 1993-10-20 human Gavan McCarthy [P004098] and Helen Cohn updated 2025-10-14 human https://www.eoas.info/biogs/P000905b.htm person Wilson James Thomas FRS AACR2 14 April 1861 2 September 1945 Place of Birth Moniavie, Dumfriesshire, Scotland Place of Death Cambridge, England Anatomist Naturalist James Wilson was a distinguished anatomist who arrived in Australia in 1887 to take up a position of demonstrator in the University of Sydney's new medical school. Within three years he became Challis Professor of Anatomy, a position he held for 30 years. As Professor he founded a school based of the teaching of anatomy as a biological science, with emphasis on dissection and laboratory techniques, and the use of a museum of practical teaching aids. He established an undergraduate course in neuroanatomy, and encouraged postgraduate neurological research. Wilson worked closely with other anatomists on pioneering and authoritative studies of Australian fauna: the embryology of platypus (with James P. Hill), the snout of platypus (with Charles Martin), the musculature of marsupial moles, the dentition of marsupials. Numerous papers were published from this research. Wilson's later work was on the morphology of the calamus region of the human brain. In 1920 Wilson was appointed to the chair of Anatomy at University of Cambridge, from which position he retired in 1943. 1883 1883 Career position - Resident House Surgeon, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh 1883 1883 Education - MB, ChM, University of Edinburgh 1884 1884 Career position - Ship's surgeon in the Far East 1885 1886 Career position - Demonstrator in Anatomy, University of Edinburgh 1887 1887 Career position - Resident Medical Officer, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney 1887 1890 Career position - Demonstrator in Anatomy, University of Sydney 1888 1888 Career event - Original [founding] member, Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science 1890 1920 Career position - Challis Professor of Anatomy, University of Sydney 1893 1900 Career position - Member of Council, Linnean Society of New South Wales 1895 1895 Career position - Chairman, Professorial Board, University of Sydney 1897 1899 Career position - President, Linnean Society of New South Wales 1901 1902 Career position - President, Sydney University Union 1906 1912 Career position - Member of Council, Linnean Society of New South Wales 1908 1908 Career position - President, Pharmacology, Anatomy and Physiology Sections, Australasian Medical Congress 1908 1912 Career position - Chairman, Professorial Board, University of Sydney 1909 1945 Award - Fellow, The Royal Society, London (FRS) 1914 1914 Career position - Local Secretary for Sydney, Section H (Anthropology), British Association for the Advancement of Science Meeting 1916 1919 Career position - Chairman, Professorial Board, University of Sydney 1916 1920 Career position - Fellow of the Senate, University of Sydney 1920 1920 Career position - Dean, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney 1920 1934 Career position - Professor of Anatomy, University of Cambridge 1921 1938 Career position - Executive councillor, Universities' Bureau of the British Empire 1922 1924 Career position - President, Anatomical Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1922 1924 Career position - President, Cambridge Philosophical Society 1926 1926 Award - LLD honoris causa, University of Edinburgh Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (1882 - )

Resident Medical Officer 1887

 The University of Sydney (1850 - )

Challis Professor of Anatomy 1890 - 1920; Fellow of the Senate 1916 - 1920; Dean, Faculty of Medicine 1920

 Linnean Society of New South Wales (1874 - )

President 1897 - 1899

 British Association for the Advancement of Science 84th Meeting (1914)

Local Secretary for Sydney, Section H (Anthropology) 1914

 Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science (1888 - 1930)

Original [founding] member 1888 -

Wikidata

VIAF - Virtual International Authority File

 Wilson, James Thomas (1861-1945)

Trove

 'Wilson, James Thomas', in Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation, Centre for Transformative Innovation, Swinburne University of Technology Wilson, James Thomas Swinburne University of Technology, Centre for Transformative Innovation Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation Journal Article: The Life and Work of James Thomas Wilson Smith, S. A. The Life and Work of James Thomas Wilson 1950 Bulletin of the Post-Graduate Committee in Medicine, University of Sydney 6 1-12 Journal Article: Obituary: James Thomas Wilson Obituary: James Thomas Wilson 1945 Australian Journal of Science 8 2-3 69 Resource Section: Wilson, James Thomas - Ms 35 Wilson, James Thomas - Ms 35 Australian Academy of Science 1994 Listing of Adolph Basser Library holdings Journal Article: J.T. Wilson and the Fraternity of Duckmaloi Morison, P. J.T. Wilson and the Fraternity of Duckmaloi Amsterdam, Netherlands Editions Rodopi B.V. 1997 Clio-Medica 42 487 Book Section: Wilson, James Thomas (1861-1945), anatomist Morison, Patricia Wilson, James Thomas (1861-1945), anatomist Melbourne Melbourne University Press 1990 Australian dictionary of biography, volume 12: 1891 - 1939 Smy-Z John Ritchie 525-527 Journal Article: Environment, Economy and Australian Biology 1890-1939 Schedvin, C. B. Environment, Economy and Australian Biology 1890-1939 1984 Historical Studies 21 11-28 Journal Article: In memoriam: John Irvine Hunter, M.D. Wilson, J. T. In memoriam: John Irvine Hunter, M.D. 1925 Journal of anatomy London 59 349-54 Journal Article: Ideals in medical education Wilson, J. T. Ideals in medical education 1901 Intercolonial medical journal of Australasia 6 9 405-31 Journal Article: Sir Grafton Elliot Smith Wilson, J. T. Sir Grafton Elliot Smith 1938 Obituary notices of Fellows of the Royal Society 2 323-33 Journal Article: Sir Grafton Elliot Smith: a biographical sketch of his earlier career Wilson. J. T. Sir Grafton Elliot Smith: a biographical sketch of his earlier career 1936 Journal of anatomy 66 1-6 Journal Article: James Thomas Wilson, 1861 1945 Hill, J. P. James Thomas Wilson, 1861 1945 1949 Obituary notices of Fellows of the Royal Society 6 18 643-60 Resource Section: Wilson, James Thomas Mellor, Lise; and Wilson, Vanessa Wilson, James Thomas Sydney Faculty of Medicine Online Museum and Archive, University of Sydney 2008 University of Sydney School of Medicine Online Museum Journal Article: Early Australian neuroscientists and the tyranny of distance Geffen, Laurie and Spencer, Nick J. Early Australian neuroscientists and the tyranny of distance 2024 Journal of the history of the neurosciences 33 1 57-72 Journal Article: The curious history of the Talgai skull Allen, Jim The curious history of the Talgai skull 2010 Bulletin of the history of archaeology 20 20 1-12 Journal Article: John Conrad Jaeger 1907-1979 Paterson, M. S. John Conrad Jaeger 1907-1979 1982 Historical Records of Australian Science 5 3 64-88 Edited Book: Centenary Book of the University of Sydney Faculty of Medicine Young, John Atherton, Sefton, Ann Jervie and Webb, Nina Centenary Book of the University of Sydney Faculty of Medicine Sydney Sydney University Press 1984 Book: The Martin spirit: Charles Martin and the foundation of biological science in Australia Morison, Patricia The Martin spirit: Charles Martin and the foundation of biological science in Australia Canberra Halstead Press 2019 James Thomas Wilson - Records Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science James Thomas Wilson - Records MS 035 1883 - 1940 Correspondence from scientific colleagues, including letters from C.J. Martin 1897-1900 and 1921-38, G.E. Smith 1896-1936, T.W.E. David 1918-33, H.S. Carslaw 1924-25, 1937-40, J.S. Haldane 1883-1925 and foreign and Australian scientists concerning the Department of Anatomy, University of Sydney and early 20th century medical science; lectures, addresses, drafts of papers, biographical data and portraits relating to his career at the Universities of Sydney and Cambridge 1883-1940 (Copies of originals held by the University of Sydney Archives) [7 boxes, MS 35]. 0.51 m, 7 boxes James Thomas Wilson - Records University of Sydney, Archives James Thomas Wilson - Records P 162 1815 - 1953 Family records including correspondence from scientific colleagues, including letters from C.J. Martin 1897-1900 and 1921-38, G.E. Smith 1896-1936, T.W.E. David 1918-33, H.S. Carslaw 1924-25, 1937-40, J.S. Haldane 1883-1925 and foreign and Australian scientists concerning the Department of Anatomy, University of Sydney and early 20th century medical science; lectures, addresses, drafts of papers, biographical data and portraits relating to his career at the Universities of Sydney and Cambridge 1883-1940 and other records 1815-1953 [1.4 m, P 162]. 1.4 m Baldwin Spencer - Records Mitchell and Dixson Libraries Manuscripts Collection, State Library of New South Wales Baldwin Spencer - Records ML MSS 29 1880 - 1929 Includes manuscripts by Spencer, 1901-1913; correspondence, 1880-1926 including letters from Edgeworth David, H. Deane, J. J. Fletcher, C. French, W. A. Haswell, C. Hedley, G. C. Henderson, J. P. Hill, G. B. Howes, E. Jenks, J. A. Kershaw, A. Liversidge, A. H. S. Lucas, A. T. Magarey, A. J. North, T. Steel, E. C. Stirling, E. R. Waite, J. A. Watt, J. T. Wilson and C. Winnecke; miscellaneous papers, 1889-1929 consisting chiefly of tributes to Spencer on his retirement, and on his death, with a list of medical and scientific papers by E. C. Stirling. The collection also includes pictorial material. 10 volumes, 1 box, 1 folder James Peter Hill - Records Adolph Basser Library, Australian Academy of Science James Peter Hill - Records MS 055 1896 - 1945 9 letters from various scientists 1906-08; letter from A. Keith 1945; lecture notebook 1896; pictorial material relating to Hill's collecting expeditions in Australia; portrait of and material relating to J.T. Wilson; printed material relating to scientific and medical matters and personalities in Australia; holograph list of Hill's printed papers with dates [8 cm, MS 55]. 0.08 m