John Bilson was born on 23 September 1856 in Newark-on-Trent, Nottinghamshire[1] and educated at Wesley College, Sheffield.
[2] He trained in architecture under William Botterill from 1873 to 1877, and joined the practice as a partner in 1881.
he was also honoured by the Société française d'archéologie (French) in 1926.
"[6] John Bilson also wrote an article for the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica on Romanesque and Gothic Architecture in England.
[7][8][9] Photographs attributed to Bilson are held by The Courtauld in the Conway Library of art and architecture, and are currently being digitised.