James Six
Encyclopedia
James Six was a British scientist born in Canterbury
. He is noted for his invention, in 1780, of Six's thermometer
, commonly known as the Maximum minimum thermometer. This device is still in common use today and widely sold in garden centres.
He became interested in natural philosophy
, and devoted himself to astronomy
and meteorology
. In 1782 The Royal Society
of London published an account of the thermometer that Six had invented two years earlier. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1792, his election was the result of this and other papers he had published on meteorology.
In 1783 he performed a number of thermometrical measurements on Canterbury cathedral in conjunction with the cleric John Cullum who wrote about them for the journal Philosophical transactions
entitled an “Account of extraordinary Frost, 23 June 1783”, (Philosophical transactions, lxxiv (1784)).
Six wrote about his invention in his book entitled "The Construction and Use of a Thermometer for Showing the Extremes of Temperature in the Atmosphere, during the Observer's Absence, together with Experiments and Variations of Local Heat; and other Meteorological Observations". This was published posthumously in London, in 1794, a year after he died.
James Six died on 25 August 1793 at the age of sixty-two. His wife Mary died on 19 March 1801 and they are buried together in a vault in Westgate Church, Canterbury
.
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
. He is noted for his invention, in 1780, of Six's thermometer
Six's thermometer
Six's thermometer is a thermometer which can measure the maximum and minimum temperatures reached over a period of time, usually during a day. It is commonly used wherever a simple way is needed to measure the extremes of temperature at a location, for instance in meteorology and horticulture.It is...
, commonly known as the Maximum minimum thermometer. This device is still in common use today and widely sold in garden centres.
Life
Six was from a family of refugees from the Continent who had settled in England in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, and who had worked as silk weavers for generations. James Six himself had trained in the family business, but by his time this was in decline because of cheap imported silks from India and Persia.He became interested in natural philosophy
Natural philosophy
Natural philosophy or the philosophy of nature , is a term applied to the study of nature and the physical universe that was dominant before the development of modern science...
, and devoted himself to astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
and meteorology
Meteorology
Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere. Studies in the field stretch back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century. The 19th century saw breakthroughs occur after observing networks developed across several countries...
. In 1782 The Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
of London published an account of the thermometer that Six had invented two years earlier. He became a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1792, his election was the result of this and other papers he had published on meteorology.
In 1783 he performed a number of thermometrical measurements on Canterbury cathedral in conjunction with the cleric John Cullum who wrote about them for the journal Philosophical transactions
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society
The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society is a scientific journal published by the Royal Society of London. It was established in 1665, making it the first journal in the world exclusively devoted to science, and it has remained in continuous publication ever since, making it the world's...
entitled an “Account of extraordinary Frost, 23 June 1783”, (Philosophical transactions, lxxiv (1784)).
Six wrote about his invention in his book entitled "The Construction and Use of a Thermometer for Showing the Extremes of Temperature in the Atmosphere, during the Observer's Absence, together with Experiments and Variations of Local Heat; and other Meteorological Observations". This was published posthumously in London, in 1794, a year after he died.
James Six died on 25 August 1793 at the age of sixty-two. His wife Mary died on 19 March 1801 and they are buried together in a vault in Westgate Church, Canterbury
Canterbury
Canterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
.