John Blair (priest) facts for kids

John Blair (who died on June 24, 1782) was a British clergyman and a chronologist. A chronologist is someone who studies and arranges events in the correct order of time. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

Early Life and Education

John Blair was born and grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland. When he was a young man, he moved from Scotland to London, England. There, he became a teacher at a school in Hedge Lane.

His Famous Book

The Chronology and History of the World

In 1754, Blair published a very important book called The Chronology and History of the World, from the Creation to the Year of Christ 1753. This book showed the history of the world in 56 easy-to-read tables. He dedicated the book to the Lord Chancellor, who was a very important government official at the time.

The idea for this book came from another scholar, Dr. Hugh Blair. John Blair's book was very popular and was printed many times, including in 1756, 1768, and 1814. Later, it was updated and made bigger by Willoughby Rosse in 1856.

Maps for History

In 1768, John Blair also published Fourteen Maps of Ancient and Modern Geography. These maps were made to go along with his history tables. He also included a special essay about how geography developed over time. This essay was later published on its own in 1784.

Royal Society and Church Work

Becoming a Fellow

John Blair's first book was very well-received. Because of his work, he was chosen to be a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1755. This is a group for important scientists and thinkers. He even wrote a paper for their Transactions (a collection of scientific papers) about "Agitation of the Waters near Reading."

Church and Royal Family

Before this, John Blair had become a priest in the Church of England. In September 1757, he was given two important jobs:

• He became a chaplain to Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha. A chaplain is a religious leader who serves a royal family or an organization.
• He also became a math tutor to Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany, who was a member of the royal family.

In March 1761, Blair received a special position at Westminster Abbey. Soon after, he was given the job of vicar at Hinckley. In the same year, he was also chosen to be a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries. This society studies history and old objects.

Travel and Later Church Roles

In September 1763, John Blair traveled with the Duke of York on a trip through Europe. He was away until 1764. Later, in 1771, he moved to another church job as vicar of St. Bride in London. Then, in April 1776, he became the rector of St. John the Evangelist in Westminster. He was also the rector of Horton in Buckinghamshire.

John Blair passed away on June 24, 1782.

Posthumous Publication

After his death, one of John Blair's books was published in 1785. It was called Lectures on the Canons of the Old Testament, comprehending a Dissertation on the Septuagint Version. This means it was published after he had died.