Henry Highton facts for kids

Henry Highton (born in 1816, died in 1874) was an English school teacher and a clergyman, which is a religious leader. He was the head of Cheltenham College. He was also known for his writings on science and religion.

Life and Education

Henry Highton was born in Leicester. He was the oldest son in his family. He went to Rugby School for five years, where he was taught by a famous headmaster named Thomas Arnold. Even after leaving school, Henry stayed good friends with Arnold.

In 1834, Henry went to The Queen's College, Oxford University. He finished his first degree in 1837 and a master's degree in 1840. He was very good at classics (studying ancient Greek and Roman literature and history). For a while, he was a tutor and also worked as a curate (a type of assistant clergyman) at St Ebbe's Church, Oxford.

From 1841 to 1859, he worked as an assistant teacher at Rugby School. After that, he became the principal (head) of Cheltenham College, a role he held until 1862. Henry Highton passed away on December 23, 1874, at his home in Putney. He was married to the daughter of a surgeon named James Paxton.

His Writings and Inventions

Henry Highton was a busy writer and inventor. He wrote about many different topics, from religion to science.

Religious Writings

A letter from his old headmaster, Thomas Arnold, to Henry Highton was published in a book about Arnold's life. This letter talked about how important it was to use your mind for religious duties.

Henry Highton published several religious works. In 1849, he released some sermons (religious speeches). In 1851, he published a book called 'Catechism of the Second Advent,' which explained his beliefs about a future religious event. He also created a new translation of the New Testament in 1862.

In 1863, he wrote a letter to the Bishop of London. In this letter, he shared his ideas for improving the church. He also questioned some parts of the Athanasian Creed and the burial service. His last religious book, published in 1873, was a critique of another religious scholar named Dean Stanley.

Scientific Work and Inventions

Henry Highton was also very interested in practical physics, especially how electricity could be used for telegraphy (sending messages over long distances using electric signals).

He developed a type of telegraph called the "gold-leaf telegraph." He received a patent for this invention in 1846. For a short time, this telegraph was actually used. His brother, Edward Highton, wrote about Henry's telegraph ideas in a book in 1852. The brothers also worked together on how to make underwater telegraph cables work better.

On May 1, 1872, Henry Highton gave a presentation to the Society of Arts. He talked about "Telegraphy without Insulation," which was a way to send messages cheaply without needing special insulated wires. He had done experiments by dropping wires into the River Thames to test his ideas. The society was so impressed that they gave him a silver medal! He also gave another talk about galvanic batteries (a type of electric battery). He wrote letters in the society's journal about topics like the Atlantic telegraphy and the science of energy.

Henry Highton also invented and patented an artificial stone. This stone was used for paving roads and building things. In 1873, he even translated some poems by the famous French writer Victor Hugo.