Henry Highton
Encyclopedia
Henry Highton was an English schoolmaster and clergyman, Principal of Cheltenham College
, known also as a scientific and theological writer.
, the eldest son of Henry Highton. He spent five years at Rugby School
, under Thomas Arnold
, and matriculated at The Queen's College, Oxford, 13 March 1834. After leaving school, he continued on close terms with Arnold. Highton proceeded B.A. in 1837 (M.A. in 1840), obtaining a first-class in classics, and was Michel fellow of his college in 1840–1. At this period he was tutor to Henry John Stephen Smith
, and curate of St Ebbe's Church, Oxford.
He was assistant-master at Rugby School from 1841 to 1859, and principal of Cheltenham College from the latter date till 1862. On 23 December 1874 he died at The Cedars, Putney
, where he had resided for several years. He married a daughter of James Paxton.
's Life of Arnold.
In 1842 Highton offered some advice as to the recovery of the "Israelitish nationality" in a printed letter addressed to Sir Moses Montefiore. An evangelical Christian, Highton saw signs of an imminent return of the Jews to Palestine
.
In 1849 he published some sermons; in 1851 a ‘Catechism of the Second Advent;’ and in 1862 a revised translation of the New Testament
. In 1863 appeared his ‘Letter to the Lord Bishop of London on the Repeal of the Act of Uniformity and the True Principles of Church Reform,’ criticising the Athanasian Creed
, and the burial service. Highton's last theological work was ‘Dean Stanley and Saint Socrates, the Ethics of the Philosopher and the Philosophy of the Divine,’ 1873. It was an attack on Stanley when chosen select preacher to the university of Oxford for his ‘consistent opposition to evangelical truth.’
Highton also paid attention to practical physics, especially to the application of electricity to telegraphy
. His approach from the 1840s was included in an 1852 book by his brother Edward Highton. This led to the gold-leaf telegraph, for which Henry Highton had an 1846 patent, and which was briefly in practical use; the rights to it had then been bought up by Cooke & Wheatstone. The brothers continued to work on the conduction problem for underwater telegraphic cables. On 1 May 1872 Henry Highton read before the Society of Arts a survey paper on ‘Telegraphy without Insulation,’ as a cheap means of international communication, in which he referred to a series of experiments with different lengths of wire dropped in the River Thames
; the society conferred on Highton their silver medal for the paper. He afterwards read another on galvanic batteries; and letters of his were printed in the society's journal on Atlantic telegraphy, the science of energy, and other topics.
He also invented and patented an artificial stone which came into use for paving and building purposes. In 1873 Highton published a translation of some of Victor Hugo
's poems.
Cheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
, known also as a scientific and theological writer.
Life
He was born at LeicesterLeicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, the eldest son of Henry Highton. He spent five years at Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, under Thomas Arnold
Thomas Arnold
Dr Thomas Arnold was a British educator and historian. Arnold was an early supporter of the Broad Church Anglican movement...
, and matriculated at The Queen's College, Oxford, 13 March 1834. After leaving school, he continued on close terms with Arnold. Highton proceeded B.A. in 1837 (M.A. in 1840), obtaining a first-class in classics, and was Michel fellow of his college in 1840–1. At this period he was tutor to Henry John Stephen Smith
Henry John Stephen Smith
Henry John Stephen Smith was a mathematician remembered for his work in elementary divisors, quadratic forms, and Smith–Minkowski–Siegel mass formula in number theory...
, and curate of St Ebbe's Church, Oxford.
He was assistant-master at Rugby School from 1841 to 1859, and principal of Cheltenham College from the latter date till 1862. On 23 December 1874 he died at The Cedars, Putney
Putney
Putney is a district in south-west London, England, located in the London Borough of Wandsworth. It is situated south-west of Charing Cross. The area is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London....
, where he had resided for several years. He married a daughter of James Paxton.
Works
A letter (5 April 1837) from Arnold to him on the religious duty of cultivating the intellect is printed in Arthur StanleyArthur Penrhyn Stanley
Arthur Penrhyn Stanley was an English churchman, Dean of Westminster, known as Dean Stanley. His position was that of a Broad Churchman and he was the author of works on Church History.-Life and times:...
's Life of Arnold.
In 1842 Highton offered some advice as to the recovery of the "Israelitish nationality" in a printed letter addressed to Sir Moses Montefiore. An evangelical Christian, Highton saw signs of an imminent return of the Jews to Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
.
In 1849 he published some sermons; in 1851 a ‘Catechism of the Second Advent;’ and in 1862 a revised translation of the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
. In 1863 appeared his ‘Letter to the Lord Bishop of London on the Repeal of the Act of Uniformity and the True Principles of Church Reform,’ criticising the Athanasian Creed
Athanasian Creed
The Athanasian Creed is a Christian statement of belief, focusing on Trinitarian doctrine and Christology. The Latin name of the creed, Quicumque vult, is taken from the opening words, "Whosoever wishes." The Athanasian Creed has been used by Christian churches since the sixth century...
, and the burial service. Highton's last theological work was ‘Dean Stanley and Saint Socrates, the Ethics of the Philosopher and the Philosophy of the Divine,’ 1873. It was an attack on Stanley when chosen select preacher to the university of Oxford for his ‘consistent opposition to evangelical truth.’
Highton also paid attention to practical physics, especially to the application of electricity to telegraphy
Telegraphy
Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages via some form of signalling technology. Telegraphy requires messages to be converted to a code which is known to both sender and receiver...
. His approach from the 1840s was included in an 1852 book by his brother Edward Highton. This led to the gold-leaf telegraph, for which Henry Highton had an 1846 patent, and which was briefly in practical use; the rights to it had then been bought up by Cooke & Wheatstone. The brothers continued to work on the conduction problem for underwater telegraphic cables. On 1 May 1872 Henry Highton read before the Society of Arts a survey paper on ‘Telegraphy without Insulation,’ as a cheap means of international communication, in which he referred to a series of experiments with different lengths of wire dropped in the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
; the society conferred on Highton their silver medal for the paper. He afterwards read another on galvanic batteries; and letters of his were printed in the society's journal on Atlantic telegraphy, the science of energy, and other topics.
He also invented and patented an artificial stone which came into use for paving and building purposes. In 1873 Highton published a translation of some of Victor Hugo
Victor Hugo
Victor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
's poems.