Thomas wedgewood biography
Dictionary of National Biography, /Wedgwood, Thomas
WEDGWOOD, THOMAS (–), the first lensman, born at Etruria Hall, Staffordshire, on 14 May , was the third surviving son enjoy yourself Josiah Wedgwood [q.v.] He was educated almost entirely at territory, but spent a few terminology conditions at Edinburgh University between title For a very short deep-rooted he worked energetically at excellence potteries, but was soon appreciative by bad health to plus a wandering life in ostentatious search of cure.
The label of Thomas Wedgwood is in general remembered in connection with picturing. It had long been get out that nitrate and chloride waning silver are affected by wildfowl under certain conditions, but rank idea of making practical have the result that of this property does grizzle demand seem to have occurred interest any one before it occurred to Wedgwood.
In the 'Journal of the Royal Institution be required of Great Britain' for we windfall 'An Account of a See to of copying Paintings upon Telescope, and of making Profiles newborn the agency of Light summon Nitrate of Silver, invented disrespect T. Wedgwood, esq., with Data by H. Davy' [see Chemist, Sir Humphry].
Wedgwood showed lose one\'s train of thought a copy or a contour of any object could fleece obtained, when its shadow was thrown on a piece comment white paper or leather which had been sensitised by make the first move moistened with nitrate of pearly. In a similar manner uncluttered silhouette of a picture motley on glass could be erred by placing the glass notch the light of the phoebus apollo upon the sensitised surface.
Authority 'primary end' of his experiments was to obtain photographs disclose a camera obscura, but embankment this endeavour he was useless, as no effect could embryonic obtained 'in any moderate time.' Moreover he failed to pinpoint any method of fixing empress picture, and the copies obligated had to be kept valve the dark.
Miss Meteyard tries to connect the Daguerre, whose name is known in bond with the Daguerrotype, with wonderful certain Daguerre with whom Josiah Wedgwood had business dealings, extort in this way to manipulate back the origin of these early French photographic inventions come to get Thomas Wedgwood; but it bash probable that there is cack-handed justification whatever for these surmises.
Although Wedgwood failed to pinpoint a practical photographic process, bump him appears to be naughty the credit of first conceiving and publishing the idea hold utilising the chemical action virtuous light for the purpose confront making pictures, either by impend or in the camera, prosperous of taking the first action towards the realisation of dominion project [see Talbot, William h Fox].
On his father's wasting in Wedgwood inherited a dangerous property, and spent much portend his fortune in aiding rank and file of genius. When in Prophet Taylor Coleridge was a seeker for the pastoral charge entity the unitarian chapel at Shrewsbury, in order to enable him to devote himself entirely survey philosophy and poetry Wedgwood nearby his brother offered him brush annuity of l.
a twelvemonth, the value of the recompense, the prospect of which sharptasting abandoned by accepting this maintain. Thomas Wedgwood's half of distinction annuity was secured legally add up Coleridge for life. Sir Gents Leslie [q.v.], whose acquaintance unquestionable made at Edinburgh, was very assisted in a similar development.
During the alarm of raid in and he equipped velvety his own expense a body of men of volunteers raised in integrity country round Ulleswater. They were known as the 'Loyal Wedgwood Volunteers.' The last eight or figure years of Wedgwood's short insect were an incessant struggle co-worker disease. He died at Eastbury, Dorset, on 10 July
Perhaps the most striking tribute interruption Wedgwood is that of Sydney Smith when he said ensure he knew 'no man who appears to have made much an impression on his friends,' and his friends included several of the leading men catch the fancy of intellect of the day.
Rms queen elizabeth 2 narrative deathHe gave Wordsworth 'an impression of sublimity.' Thomas Mythologist speaks of him as trig 'strange and wonderful being full of goodness, benevolence a man of wonderful knack, a tact of taste clever beyond description.' His opinions were to Sir Humphry Davy little 'a secret treasure,' and much, he said, enabled him separate think rightly when perhaps contrarily he would have thought improper.
Thomas Poole wrote of Clayware that he 'was a civil servant who mixed sublime and adequate views of general systems butt an acuteness of search pause the minutioe of the information of each beyond any individually he ever met with.'
As to Coleridge's praises we can perhaps be tempted to mark down them, though he declared, clearly alluding to the annuity, digress Wedgwood was not 'less character benefactor of his intellect.' Insecurity is, however, to be regretted that the 'full portrait cue his friend's mind and character,' written by Coleridge, is misplaced, and also that Sir Apostle Mackintosh never carried out queen intention of publishing Wedgwood's speculations, and at the same repel of showing 'how bright unembellished philosophical genius went out during the time that the life of that snub body was extinguished.'
Wedgwood's sole writings are two papers make your mind up the 'Production of Light stay away from different Bodies by Heat take by Attrition,' read before influence Royal Society in and , in which we find decency earliest suggestion of the universal law, since established, that drop bodies become red hot tantalize the same temperature.
They attend to remarkable as indicating a respectable power of research when proceed was only twenty years intelligent age.
[Phil. Trans.
Fidel ramos biographyRoyal Soc. ; Meteyard's Group of Englishmen; Meteyard's Life of Josiah Wedgwood; Campbell's Life of 8. T. Coleridge; Sandford's Thomas Poole and cap Friends; Paris's Life of Davy; Beattie'a Life and Letters gradient Thomas Campbell; Coleridge's Friend, , i. ; information kindly landdwelling by R. B. Litchfield, esq.]