Richard Sheepshanks
Encyclopedia
Richard Sheepshanks was an English
astronomer
.
He graduated from Trinity College
of Cambridge University
in 1816. He was called to the bar in 1824 and took orders in Church of England
in 1825, but did not practice either profession because the death of his father, a textile
manufacturer, left him with sufficient wealth to pursue his scientific interests.
He served as editor of Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
and greatly improved their content.
In 1832, he got involved in the lawsuit of Edward Troughton
against Sir James South
, in which Troughton demanded payment for an equatorial mount
ing that he had supplied to South, but which South claimed to be defective. Sheepshanks informally served as legal counsel to Troughton; South's legal counsel was Drinkwater Bethune. Troughton prevailed in the lawsuit.
In 1833, he recommended withholding publication of an early edition of Stephen Groombridge
's star catalogue
, which was being published posthumously, after discovering the edition contained error
s. A final corrected edition was later published in 1838 under the auspices of George Biddell Airy
.
In his later career he worked on establishing a standard
of length for imperial measures.
He was deeply skeptical of the work of Charles Babbage
and of his ability to deliver a working Difference Engine
or Analytical Engine
. The two men publicly attacked each other.
He suffered a stroke ("apoplexy") on 29 July 1855 and he died on 4 August. There is a memorial notice at St. John's Church, Bilton in Harrogate
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/ENG-YKS-HARROGATE/2003-06/1055190687, however he is buried at Trinity College.
He had six children from a relationship with an Irish dancer, one of whom was Eleanor Louisa Moravia Henry, also known as Nelly, mother of the painter Walter Sickert
and the feminist Helena Swanwick
. Sheepshanks gave financial support to the dancer and her husband, who in turn claimed paternity.
----
After his death, Richard's sister Anne Sheepshanks (1789 – February 8, 1876) contributed a legacy to the Cambridge Observatory
. This fund was used to purchase a modern photographic telescope
at the observatory, which was named in her honor, and also to establish the Sheepshanks Exhibition
. She was an honorary member of the Royal Astronomical Society
. The crater Sheepshanks
on the Moon
is also named after her, one of the few lunar craters with a female eponym
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
.
He graduated from Trinity College
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
of Cambridge University
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
in 1816. He was called to the bar in 1824 and took orders in Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
in 1825, but did not practice either profession because the death of his father, a textile
Textile
A textile or cloth is a flexible woven material consisting of a network of natural or artificial fibres often referred to as thread or yarn. Yarn is produced by spinning raw fibres of wool, flax, cotton, or other material to produce long strands...
manufacturer, left him with sufficient wealth to pursue his scientific interests.
He served as editor of Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society is one of the world's leading scientific journals in astronomy and astrophysics. It has been in continuous existence since 1827 and publishes peer-reviewed letters and papers reporting original research in relevant fields...
and greatly improved their content.
In 1832, he got involved in the lawsuit of Edward Troughton
Edward Troughton
Edward Troughton FRS was a British instrument maker who was notable for making telescopes and other astronomical instruments.Troughton was born at Corney, Cumberland...
against Sir James South
James South
Sir James South was a British astronomer.He helped found the Astronomical Society of London, and it was under his name as president of the society from 1831 to 1832 that a petition was successfully submitted to obtain a royal charter in 1831, whereupon it became the Royal Astronomical...
, in which Troughton demanded payment for an equatorial mount
Equatorial mount
An equatorial mount is a mount for instruments that follows the rotation of the sky by having one rotational axis parallel to the Earth's axis of rotation. This type of mount is used for astronomical telescopes and cameras...
ing that he had supplied to South, but which South claimed to be defective. Sheepshanks informally served as legal counsel to Troughton; South's legal counsel was Drinkwater Bethune. Troughton prevailed in the lawsuit.
In 1833, he recommended withholding publication of an early edition of Stephen Groombridge
Stephen Groombridge
Stephen Groombridge FRS was a British astronomer.In 1806, using a then new transit circle built by Edward Troughton, he began compiling a star catalogue of stars down to about eighth or ninth magnitude...
's star catalogue
Star catalogue
A star catalogue, or star catalog, is an astronomical catalogue that lists stars. In astronomy, many stars are referred to simply by catalogue numbers. There are a great many different star catalogues which have been produced for different purposes over the years, and this article covers only some...
, which was being published posthumously, after discovering the edition contained error
Error
The word error entails different meanings and usages relative to how it is conceptually applied. The concrete meaning of the Latin word "error" is "wandering" or "straying". Unlike an illusion, an error or a mistake can sometimes be dispelled through knowledge...
s. A final corrected edition was later published in 1838 under the auspices of George Biddell Airy
George Biddell Airy
Sir George Biddell Airy PRS KCB was an English mathematician and astronomer, Astronomer Royal from 1835 to 1881...
.
In his later career he worked on establishing a standard
Standardization
Standardization is the process of developing and implementing technical standards.The goals of standardization can be to help with independence of single suppliers , compatibility, interoperability, safety, repeatability, or quality....
of length for imperial measures.
He was deeply skeptical of the work of Charles Babbage
Charles Babbage
Charles Babbage, FRS was an English mathematician, philosopher, inventor and mechanical engineer who originated the concept of a programmable computer...
and of his ability to deliver a working Difference Engine
Difference engine
A difference engine is an automatic, mechanical calculator designed to tabulate polynomial functions. Both logarithmic and trigonometric functions can be approximated by polynomials, so a difference engine can compute many useful sets of numbers.-History:...
or Analytical Engine
Analytical engine
The Analytical Engine was a proposed mechanical general-purpose computer designed by English mathematician Charles Babbage. It was first described in 1837 as the successor to Babbage's difference engine, a design for a mechanical calculator...
. The two men publicly attacked each other.
He suffered a stroke ("apoplexy") on 29 July 1855 and he died on 4 August. There is a memorial notice at St. John's Church, Bilton in Harrogate
Harrogate
Harrogate is a spa town in North Yorkshire, England. The town is a tourist destination and its visitor attractions include its spa waters, RHS Harlow Carr gardens, and Betty's Tea Rooms. From the town one can explore the nearby Yorkshire Dales national park. Harrogate originated in the 17th...
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/ENG-YKS-HARROGATE/2003-06/1055190687, however he is buried at Trinity College.
He had six children from a relationship with an Irish dancer, one of whom was Eleanor Louisa Moravia Henry, also known as Nelly, mother of the painter Walter Sickert
Walter Sickert
Walter Richard Sickert , born in Munich, Germany, was a painter who was a member of the Camden Town Group in London. He was an important influence on distinctively British styles of avant-garde art in the 20th century....
and the feminist Helena Swanwick
Helena Swanwick
Helena Lucy Maria Swanwick, née Sickert CH was a British feminist and pacifist.-Life:Helena Sickert was the only daughter of the painter Oswald Sickert and the Englishwoman Eleanor Louisa Henry, an illegitimate daughter of astronomer...
. Sheepshanks gave financial support to the dancer and her husband, who in turn claimed paternity.
----
After his death, Richard's sister Anne Sheepshanks (1789 – February 8, 1876) contributed a legacy to the Cambridge Observatory
Cambridge Observatory
Cambridge Observatory is an astronomical observatory at the University of Cambridge in the East of England. It was first established in 1823 and is now part of the site of the Institute of Astronomy...
. This fund was used to purchase a modern photographic telescope
Telescope
A telescope is an instrument that aids in the observation of remote objects by collecting electromagnetic radiation . The first known practical telescopes were invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 1600s , using glass lenses...
at the observatory, which was named in her honor, and also to establish the Sheepshanks Exhibition
Exhibition (scholarship)
-United Kingdom and Ireland:At the universities of Dublin, Oxford and Cambridge, and at Westminster School, Eton College and Winchester College, and various other UK educational establishments, an exhibition is a financial award or grant to an individual student, normally on grounds of merit. The...
. She was an honorary member of the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
. The crater Sheepshanks
Sheepshanks (crater)
Sheepshanks is a small lunar crater located near the northern edge of Mare Frigoris. Due south on the opposite shore is the prominent crater Aristoteles while to the north is C. Mayer. Sheepshanks appears somewhat oblong due to foreshortening, but it is actually nearly circular. The inner walls...
on the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
is also named after her, one of the few lunar craters with a female eponym
Eponym
An eponym is the name of a person or thing, whether real or fictitious, after which a particular place, tribe, era, discovery, or other item is named or thought to be named...
.