John Wilson Hays [commonly known as J. Wilson Hays] was born in Wingate, County Durham, England on 19 May 1885. He was articled to Henry Thomas Gradon (1855-1915) in Durham City and later worked as his assistant. In 1908 he set up his own practice in Wingate.
During World War One Hays served in the Army during World War One and attained the rank of Captain. Following the war he resumed his practice and in 1919 was appointed architect to Easington Rural District Council. From c.1921 to 1937 he was in partnership with George Hall Gray (1892-1983) as Hays & Gray in South Shields.
Hays was elected an Associate of the Royal Institute of British Architects (ARIBA) in 1918 and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1924. He died in Durham on 16 November 1973
The plans and business and personal correspondence of J. Wilson Hays has been deposited at Durham County Record Office [Record ref: D/WH. National Register of Archives ref: NRA 35438 Hays]
Architectural projects by Hays included the Weslyan Methodist Churches at Trimdon & Bowburn, the Primitive Methodist Church at Kelloe, the Presbyterian Church at Willington, Wheatley Hill stores, small country houses and business premises in Kimbleworth, S.E. Durham, the Bakelite factory at Aycliffe in County Durham and the Cassop Methodist Church.
Much of Hays later work (post 1955) was for Blackhall Collery. Hays last recorded project was for the alteration and repair of the Methodist Church in Wingate (1960-61).
Projects undertaken by Hays in partnership with Gray included Murton Co-operative stores (1921), Sacriston Memorial Institute (1922), housing schemes for Brandon and Byshottles Urban District Council, Tanfield Urban District Council, Willington Urban District Council and Durham Rural District Council, houses on Ragworth Estate, Stockton (1921-22) and open-air schools in North Shields (1924).