John Bilson was born in Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire, England on 23 September 1856. He was articled to William Botterill (1820?-1903) in Hull from 1873 to 1877 following which he worked as principal assistant to Alexander Henry Kersey (1850-1938). At the same time he also attended the Architectural Association classes in London from 1878 to 1880.
Bilson commenced professional practice in Hull in 1881 in partnership with William Botterill as Botterill, Son & Bilson. He took over the practice when Botterill retired in 1899. Bilson is best known for his secondary schools in the Hull area and for his work the restoration of old churches. He produced little architectural work after 1919 and retired from practice in 1930.
In addition to his work as an architect Bilson was a respected authority on mediaeval church architecture, a subject on which wrote and lectured extensively. He died in Hessle, England on 15 December 1943.
Hymer's College. Hull; Bridlington Grammar School; Bridlington High School for Girls; Pickering Grammar School; new buildings at Grantham, Mansfield, Rossall, and Bromsgrove Schools; Lloyd's Bank, Hull; St. Nicholas' Church, Hull; Memorial Chapel, Warter Church; reparation of Whitby Abbey, St. Mary's Church, Beverley, Howden, Patrington, Hedon, Pocklington, Bolton Percy, Wighall, and other churches; Keldy Castle, Molescroft, Elloughton Dale, and many other houses; vicarages at Hull and Hessle. [Source: Who's Who in Architecture 1914]
Armstrong, Barrie and Armstrong, Wendy. The Arts and Crafts movement in Yorkshire: a handbook. Wetherby: Oblong Creative Ltd., 2013
Buchanan, Alexandrina ‘John Bilson (1856–1943) and the study of Anglo-Norman Romanesque’. Anglo-Norman Studies, 35, 2012, pp. 95–117
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
Goldthorpe, Ian N. Architecture of the Victorian Era of Kingston Upon Hull: 1830-1914: Being a Study of the Principal Buildings Erected in Hull. Beverley: Highgate Publications (Beverley)Ltd., 2005
‘Obituary’. The Archaeological Journal vol. 100, 1943 pp. 232-233
‘Obituary’. The Builder vol. 165, 24 December 1943 p. 507
‘Obituary’. RIBA Journal vol. 51, February 1944 p. 94
Who's Who in Architecture 1914. London: Technical Journals Ltd., 1914