John Barlow (priest) facts for kids

A statue of John Barlow by Joseph Durham at the Royal Institution

John Barlow (1799–1869) was an important English church leader. He was also the Secretary of the Royal Institution of Great Britain from 1843 to 1860. Later, he became a special chaplain at Kensington Palace.

Early Life and Education

John Barlow was born on November 20, 1798. His hometown was South Mimms in Hertfordshire, England. He went to Blundell's School. After that, he studied at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1816. He earned his first degree in 1820 and a master's degree in 1823.

In 1822, he started working as a curate in Uckfield, Sussex. He became a priest on March 23, 1823. From 1830 to 1843, he was the rector in Little Bowden, Northamptonshire. He married Cecilia Anne Lam in 1824.

Career at the Royal Institution

A portrait of John Barlow at the Royal Institution

In 1832, John Barlow joined the Royal Institution of Great Britain (Ri). This is a famous place where scientists share their discoveries. He held many important jobs there, including:

• Manager (1838)
• Secretary of the Lectures Committee (1841), taking over from the famous scientist Michael Faraday.
• Honorary Secretary of the Ri (1843-1860)

While he was the honorary secretary, Barlow made many changes to how the Royal Institution was run. He found out that a staff member had been misusing money. Barlow then put new rules in place to stop this from happening again. He also gave talks about how science could be used in everyday life.

Barlow became a member of the Royal Society in 1834. He also served as the Secretary of the Zoological Society of London from 1837 to 1838.

Working with Michael Faraday

John Barlow was good friends with Michael Faraday. They worked together on several projects. Barlow helped to:

• Increase the number of women members at the Royal Institution. Important women like Angela Burdett-Coutts, 1st Baroness Burdett-Coutts joined. This led to women being able to attend lectures and evening talks.
• Make the secretary positions at the Royal Institution important again.
• Take over the duties of assistant secretary after the person misusing money was dismissed.

Barlow's Publications

Barlow wrote about his research in a book called "The Discovery of the Vital Principle or Physiology of Man" (1838).

He also published several books in a series called Small Books on Great Subjects. These included On the Connection between Physiology and Intellectual Science (1942). Another book was "On Man's Power Over Himself to Prevent or Control Insanity" (1843). This book discussed ways to manage mental health.

In 1851, Barlow became a minister at the Duke Street Chapel in London. From 1854 to 1859, he was a special chaplain at Kensington Palace.