George Washington Wilson - Gloucester Cathedral - Lady Chapel, looking West.

Gloucester Cathedral originated in 678 or 679 with the foundation of an abbey dedicated to Saint Peter. Gloucester Cathedral has been a place of Christian worship continuously for over 1,300 years, since Osric, an Anglo-Saxon prince, founded a religious house here. At the time of the Norman Conquest in 1066, the monastery was not thriving. In 1072 King William I appointed Serlo, a monk from Mont St Michel in Normandy to be its Abbot. An energetic, charismatic, and devout man, Serlo built up the wealth of the monastery to the point wherein 1089 he was able to start building the magnificent abbey church which so impresses the visitor today. In 1216, Henry III, who had succeeded to the throne at the age of only nine, was crowned here. Major building works in the 13th century included a first Lady Chapel and new Tower and refectory. In 1327, King Edward II who had died in Berkeley Castle (in suspicious and, traditionally, gruesome circumstances) was buried here. A shrine-like monument was erected over the tomb of the dead king. After Henry VIII ordered the monasteries to be dissolved, the abbey buildings became Gloucester Cathedral, the seat of the Bishop of Gloucester in 1541. Under Oliver Cromwell, there was a move to demolish the cathedral building altogether (it was saved by the intervention of the mayor and burgesses of the City of Gloucester). The cathedral consists of a Norman nave (Walter de Lacy is buried there), with additions in every style of Gothic architecture. It is 420 feet (130 m) long, and 144 feet (44 m) wide, with a fine central tower of the 15th century rising to the height of 225 ft (69 m) and topped by four delicate pinnacles, a famous landmark. Throughout the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries they have carried out repairs and conservation work rather than rebuilding or remodeling the building. The Star-Spangled banner, music for the United States national anthem, was probably composed in the Cathedral, which predates the United States. The music was originally composed as a drinking humor song within Gloucester city.

George Washington Wilson (7 February 1823 - 9 March 1893) was a Scottish photographer and a pioneering figure in the field of photography. Born in the north-east of Scotland, Wilson first worked as a miniature painter before turning to photography in the 1850s. He played a major role in the development and popularisation of photography in Scotland. Wilson set up his own photographic studio in Aberdeen in 1853 and gained a reputation for his ability to produce high quality images. He became famous for his landscape photographs, capturing the scenic beauty of Scotland. His work often included landscapes, architecture and portraits. One of his notable contributions to photography was his use of the collodion wet plate process, a technique in which glass plates were coated with a chemical solution just before exposure, resulting in clearer and sharper images. Wilson's technical expertise and artistic vision contributed to the growth of photography as both an art form and a commercial enterprise. In addition to his photographic activities, George Washington Wilson was involved in local politics and was elected Lord Provost of Aberdeen in 1883. He continued his photographic endeavours throughout his life and his studio, "G. W. Wilson & Company", became well known, producing a wide range of photographs that were distributed and sold internationally. George Washington Wilson died on 9 March 1893, but his legacy lives on through his contributions to the field of photography and the lasting impact of his images, which continue to be treasured for their artistic and historical value.