Francis Ring

University of Glamorgan

Trustee of the William Herschel Museum. Bath UK

Abstract

The Bath Philosophical Society and its influence on William Herschel’s career

At a time when 18th Century Bath was rapidly expanding, new buildings, and an influx of people made it one of the most popular places outside London. The city became a centre for fashion music learning and architecture on a new scale. It became a centre also for discussion on current affairs, since newspapers were not freely available. Some were fascinated by science though few had a chance to study the new interests of the time. There were travelling teachers who made money by going around the country to give illustrated talks on scientific subjects. It is said that the private hiring of such people was an influential and entertaining way of reaching your friends and contacts. One such was a Dr Desagulier who ran a course on Experimental Philosophy in Bath. His course included optics and he used a Planetarium to demonstrate the motions of the heavenly bodies.

 

In the second half of the 18th century an Agricultural Society had formed to help badly organised farmers to improve the much needed harvests. From this a smaller group agreed to form The Bath Philosophical Society to concentrate on physics and science, which were already becoming a fashionable hobby for the rich or intellectuals of the time. Twenty seven people were invited to join this limited membership, of which William Herschel was one, and Joseph Priestly was another. Through regular meetings often two per week, Herschel became an active member and had an opportunity to publicise his astronomical observations and ideas. Later, after Herschel left Bath, the Society collapsed, and unfortunately no records have survived. There are however, some notes included in the archive of Herschel’s papers published by the Royal Astronomical Society in two large volumes. Many of the papers given first in Bath were subsequently presented in London, and published in the Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society, London.

The German Musician who came to Bath, to fulfil his life as a composer, musician and teacher, left the city as a ground breaking Amateur Astronomer, later to become one of the World leaders in that subject. Undoubtedly, the local Society played a part in the rapid development of this musician turned scientist of special renown.

 

Biographical Details

Frances Ring is Professor in the School of Computing in the Medical Computing Research Group, University of Glamorgan. He was President of the William Herschel Society for 20 years and is a Trustee of the William Herschel Museum. He is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine and the Royal Photographic Society.