LONG-ESTABLISHED local business has closed a chapter in its history this month.
James Wilson and Son, a property firm based at Main Street, Newcastle, was acquired by Bradley NI, marking a new beginning for that business in Newcastle, but also signifying the ending of an era.
“James Wilson and Son celebrated their 110th year of continuous business within the same family in 2024,” William Wilson, who had been a partner in James Wilson and Son, said.
The history of the Wilson family business began with Andy Tufts, the great-great-grandfather of William Wilson, who ran a business in Castlewellan around the turn of the 20th century.
“Andy Tufts had a posting establishment from Ballyroney to Newcastle, but with the extension of the railway line to Newcastle his business declined,” William said.
Andy’s business had horses and carriages and would help take post between the locations as part of the Royal Mail stage coach business. The business also had a grocery and funeral undertaking business.
Andy’s grandson, James Wilson, was born in 1892. James left school at the age of 14 and a half and did an apprenticeship with a furniture and drapery business, Robb’s of Belfast. He took over the business from his grandfather in 1914.
James put out his first newspaper advertisement that year, stating his business’ many roles as ‘auctioneer and valuator, grocer and general merchant, funeral undertaker and posting establishment’.
James’ business was located at Main Street, Castlewellan, in premises on the site of what is now Manor House Kitchens, William explained.
The Newcastle connection for the family started when James married Sylvia McCoach.
Sylvia’s grandfather, William Radcliffe, had a tailoring shop in Upper Square, Castlewellan. His shop made uniforms for Lord Annesley’s staff and his riding apparel, but it was Sylvia’s mother, Mrs McCoach, who was one of the first postmistresses in Newcastle.
The Post Office that she was in charge of was located at Causeway Road in the town, behind the present Broadway Café, William said.
Throughout the years, the focus of James’ business underwent some changes. The funeral undertaking and posting eventually went by the wayside and the grocer and general merchant part of the business were later sold to the Co-Operative Society, which wanted to establish a shop in Castlewellan.
James decided to focus on a furniture shop downstairs at his Castlewellan premises with the auctioneering and estate agent business taking place upstairs. There was a workshop behind the premises.
“They made furniture in the back of it originally,” William said.
James Wilson’s son, Will Wilson, joined in the family business in 1954, after working for Osborne King and Megran in Belfast. Will was the son mentioned in the title of the business – James Wilson and Son.
Three years later, in July 1957, it was front page news in the Mourne Observer when the Wilson’s of Castlewellan furniture shop opened its new ‘modern showrooms’.
Will Wilson spoke during the opening ceremony.
“Many of you will remember these premises many years ago and perhaps a few may recall the time of my great-grandfather and his mail coaches. Although the premises have changed structurally, I can assure you that I will try and serve the public as well as my forebearers did,” he said at that time.
The 1960s and 1970s brought some changes to the family business, with the furniture business and the estate agents business separating into different premises and a Newcastle office being opened.
‘Even when he was 77, Mr [James] Wilson, still sharp of wit and full of energy, could not bring himself to retire, but opened an estate agency branch office in Newcastle “to keep his hand in the way”,’ his obituary in the Mourne Observer said.
The furniture business was eventually sold on, with the James Wilson and Son business focusing on residential and commercial properties and new developments, lettings and management, agricultural sales and auctions of chattels and property.
James passed away in spring 1982 at the age of 89. His obituary in the Mourne Observer said he was ‘one of the best-known auctioneers in County Down and a leading businessman in Castlewellan’.
He held many other roles during the years in the local community, including as a Justice of the Peace for County Down and a member of East Down Rural Council.
William Wilson, son of Will Wilson, joined the family business in 1989 and was actively involved with all aspects of the business and in particular with sales.
“I studied business studies and then I came back,” William said.
He and Colin Adams, Will Wilson’s son-in-law, became partners in the business in 1999. Colin had been a solicitor with a local law firm before coming to work at James Wilson and Son.
Although other family members helped out with the business over the years, in the final years, it was Will, William and Colin that were the Wilson family members who most associated at the business.
Around the mid-2010s, the business decided to close their Castlewellan office, leaving their main premises in Newcastle.
Will Wilson worked at the business for many years and passed away in December 2023.
“He tried to retire but he never actually got away,” William said.
He said that his father would often come into the office to catch up on things and to visit with staff after he officially retired until the Covid pandemic meant he was unable to do so.
“My father was very well known locally. Everybody knew him,” William said.
William said that his dad had a special interest in history and wrote up a short history of the business for its 100th anniversary.
“He kept a lot of records and things,” he said.
Colin retired from the business in April 2023. William’s own retirement on 31 July 2024 brought to an end the role of the family with this business, as he was the last member of the Wilson family working there.
“In my retirement I look forward to spending more time with my family, playing golf and travelling,” he said.
More local features like this in next week’s Mourne Observer
