George Gargrave facts for kids
George Gargrave (1710–1785) was an English mathematician. He was very good at numbers and loved studying the stars. People in his time knew him as one of the best astronomers in northern England.
George's Early Life and Career
George Gargrave was born in a place called Leyburn, in Yorkshire, England, in 1710. When he was young, his uncle, John Crow, taught him. His uncle was a schoolmaster, which means he ran a school. George learned a lot about classic subjects and mathematics from him.
George was especially interested in astronomy, which is the study of stars, planets, and space. As he grew up, he became known as one of the best people in northern England for understanding the simpler parts of astronomy.
In 1745, George started working with Joseph Randall. They managed a school together called the academy at Heath, near Wakefield. Even though the school had a good reputation, it wasn't making enough money, so they closed it in 1754.
After that, George started his own math school in Wakefield. His school was very successful! He taught there until 1768, when he had saved enough money to retire comfortably. George Gargrave passed away on December 7, 1785. He was buried in the churchyard at Wensley.
His Hobbies and Writings
George Gargrave was also a talented musician. He had very neat and clear handwriting. He owned a large and carefully chosen collection of books. He also had many cool scientific tools, especially for astronomy.
George wrote articles for a famous magazine called the Gentleman's Magazine. Some of his writings included:
- A translation of Dr. Halley's article about the Transit of Venus (1760). A transit of Venus is when the planet Venus passes directly between the Sun and Earth, looking like a small black dot moving across the Sun.
- His own thoughts on the Transit of Venus (1761 and 1769).
- Observations about an Eclipse of the Moon (1776). This is when the Earth passes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon.
- A story about another mathematician, mechanic, and astronomer named Mr. Abraham Sharp (1781).
He also left behind an unpublished book about the movements of celestial bodies, called "the doctrine of the sphere."
