41 Navy Street - Robert Wilson and Louise Miles Wilson House

Captain Robert Wilson (1806-1888) was a mariner and sailor.

Upon the death of her husband, a linen manufacturer in Ireland, Mrs. Wilson brought her ten children to Upper Canada in 1817. In 1820, at the age of fourteen, Robert started his career as a mariner. He was master of the second schooner launched from the Oakville shipyards of William Chisholm, the "Lady Colborne", in 1830. The first home he built in Oakville was on land purchased in 1832 at 23 King Street. In 1862 he built a home on Dundas Street, now Trafalgar Road, which became known as Mariner's Home. Captain Robert Wilson aided many black slaves to escape across the Lake to freedom in Canada. In recognition and gratitude for this, those he helped would gather annually at Mariner's Home. He built this home in 1883 but only lived here five years.

Captain Wilson and his home were included in Lawrence Hill's book "Any Known Blood" and a Project Bookmarks Canada plaque has been erected across Navy Street to commemorate this real site in Mr. Hill's book.