David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn Facts for Kids

Academic positions

Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen
In office 6 June 1997 – 6 January 2013
Preceded by	Sir Kenneth Alexander
Succeeded by	Queen Camilla
Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge
In office 1 January 2002 – 3 March 2008
Preceded by	John Meurig Thomas
Succeeded by	Adrian Dixon

Personal details

Born

David Clive Wilson

14 February 1935 (age 90)
Alloa, Clackmannanshire, Scotland

Nationality

British

Spouse

Natasha Helen Mary Alexander

(m. 1967)

Children

2, including Peter Wilson

Education

Trinity College, Glenalmond

Alma mater

Profession

Colonial administrator, diplomat, sinologist

Chinese name

Traditional Chinese

衛奕信

Simplified Chinese

卫奕信

Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu Pinyin	Wèi Yìxìn
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutping	wai6 jik6 seon3

David Clive Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn, born on 14 February 1935, is a British diplomat and expert on China. He was the 27th Governor of Hong Kong from 1987 to 1992. He also served as the British Monarch's representative to the Church of Scotland's General Assembly in 2010 and 2011.

Early Life and Career
Leading Hong Kong as Governor
- Changing His Chinese Name
Life After Being Governor
Places Named After Him
His Personal Life
His Thoughts on Hong Kong
Awards and Recognition
Images for kids
See also

Early Life and Career

David Wilson was born in Alloa, Scotland, on 14 February 1935. He went to Trinity College, Glenalmond, and then to Keble College, Oxford. He earned a PhD in Chinese history from the University of London in 1973.

From 1960 to 1962, he studied Chinese at the University of Hong Kong. After that, he worked for the British Mission in Beijing. He can speak Mandarin fluently and knows some Cantonese. He spent 10 of his 30 years as a diplomat working in China.

In 1968, Wilson left the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to edit The China Quarterly, a magazine about China. He rejoined the Diplomatic Service in 1974. From 1977 to 1981, he was a political adviser to Sir Murray MacLehose, who was the Governor of Hong Kong at the time.

Later, he became a key person in drafting the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration. This agreement was about the future of Hong Kong. In 1984, he became the first British representative for the group set up by this agreement. When the Governor of Hong Kong, Sir Edward Youde, passed away in 1986, David Wilson took his place on 9 April 1987.

Leading Hong Kong as Governor

Wilson (right) in 1991 with John Yaxley

As Governor, David Wilson faced several big challenges in Hong Kong. One was the financial crash of 1987, known as Black Monday, which hit Hong Kong's stock market hard. Another challenge was the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests in Beijing, which caused concern in Hong Kong.

He also dealt with a growing problem of Vietnamese refugees. This led to a policy in 1988 to send back those who did not qualify as refugees. In 1989, Wilson suggested building a new airport on Lantau Island. This project, called the Rose Garden Project, aimed to replace the old Kai Tak Airport, which was no longer big enough for modern planes.

In December 1991, Britain announced that Wilson would be replaced as governor. Some people in Hong Kong who wanted more democracy had criticized him. He finished his five-year term and left Hong Kong in June 1992. Before he left, he started political changes that allowed 18 members of the Legislative Council to be directly chosen by the people of Hong Kong.

Chris Patten took over from Wilson. Patten was a close ally of the British Prime Minister, John Major.

Changing His Chinese Name

When David Wilson first studied Chinese at the University of Hong Kong, he was given the Chinese name Wei Dewei. The "Wei" part was short for "Wilson," and "Dewei" was a Chinese way to say "David."

However, when he became Governor of Hong Kong, people noticed that his Chinese name sounded very different in Cantonese. Some people said it sounded like "hypocrisy to the extent of danger." Others thought it sounded like "two ghosts knocking at the door," which was considered unlucky for a governor.

So, when he became Governor, David Wilson changed his Chinese name to Wai Yik-Shun. This new name sounds much more like his English name in Cantonese. It also has a better meaning and was made of 33 strokes, which is thought to be a lucky number.

Life After Being Governor

After his time as Governor, David Wilson was given the title Baron Wilson of Tillyorn in 1992. This meant he became a member of the House of Lords, which is part of the British Parliament. He retired from the House of Lords in February 2021.

He became the chairman of an energy company called Scottish Hydro Electric (now Scottish and Southern Energy) from 1993 to 2000. He also served on the board of the British Council and was chairman of the Trustees of the National Museums of Scotland.

From 1997 to 2013, he was the Chancellor of the University of Aberdeen. He also served as Master of Peterhouse, Cambridge, a college at Cambridge University, from 2002 to 2008. From 2008 to 2011, he was the President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

Places Named After Him

The 78-kilometer Wilson Trail in Hong Kong is named after him. This hiking trail has ten parts and runs from north to south.

The Lord Wilson Heritage Trust was also created in December 1992. This trust works to protect and save Hong Kong's historical places and culture.

His Personal Life

David and Natasha Wilson at Cambridge University, March 2013.

David Wilson married Natasha Helen Mary Alexander in 1967. They have two sons, Peter and Andrew.

His Thoughts on Hong Kong

David Wilson has shared his thoughts on events in Hong Kong. During the 2014 protests, he supported the Hong Kong Police, saying their actions were "largely proportionate."

During the 2019 protests, he believed the British government should not interfere. He stated that "we cannot and should not try to tell the Hong Kong Government what to do." He thought the protests started peacefully with young people who cared about their future. However, he noted that violence increased over time. He believed police actions should be looked into, but also that police officers were under great stress.

Some people who wanted more democracy in Hong Kong criticized Wilson. They felt he did not move fast enough to create a fully elected government. They also thought he paid too much attention to China's views when planning for Hong Kong's future after 1997.

Awards and Recognition

Lord Wilson's heraldic banner as Knight of the Order of the Thistle in St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh.

David Wilson has received several important awards and honors:

He became a Knight of the Order of the Thistle (KT) in 2000. This is a very high honor in Scotland.
He was made a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George (GCMG) in 1991. This is a high honor for people who have done great service abroad.
He received honorary degrees from several universities, including the University of Sydney (1991), Chinese University of Hong Kong (1996), and the University of Hong Kong (2006).

Viceregal styles of David Wilson (1987-1992)

Reference style	His Excellency the Right Honourable
Spoken style	Your Excellency

Images for kids

The coat of arms of Lord Wilson of Tillyorn.

David Wilson, Baron Wilson of Tillyorn facts for kids

Contents