John Caulfield Hannyngton facts for kids
John Caulfield Hannyngton (born 1807, died 1885 or 1886) was a very smart British man. He was a military leader, a mathematician, and an actuary. An actuary is someone who uses math to figure out risks, often for insurance companies. Hannyngton is most remembered for inventing a special slide rule that was incredibly precise.
His Life and Work
Hannyngton was born in Dungannon, Ireland. His parents were Thomas Knox Hannyngton and Mrs. Hannyngton.
He joined the British Army in 1825 as a cadet. He was sent to India with the 24th Regiment of Native Infantry. In 1839, he helped stop a rebellion called the Colekan rebellion. After this, he was given a special job in politics. In 1842, he was promoted to Judicial Commissioner, which meant he had duties similar to a judge.
He became a Lieutenant-Colonel in 1856. He took command of the 63rd RNI regiment. During the Indian mutiny of 1857, his regiment was disarmed, but they did not rebel. Because he was so good with numbers, he was moved to the Military Finance Department. He later became the Military Auditor-General. This meant he was in charge of checking all the military's money and accounts. He held this important job until he retired in 1861.
The Amazing Slide Rule
John Caulfield Hannyngton is best known today for his invention. He created a special slide rule for doing calculations about space, like for astronomy. This slide rule was quite long, about 32 inches. But its effective length was around 12 meters, which made it super precise!
His slide rule had 15 fixed parts and a set of seven sliding parts. It was made in England by a company called Aston & Mander. In 1884, someone named Galbraith showed how it worked at Trinity College Dublin. Students from the Trinity College Engineering School saw the demonstration. News about it was even reported in the Freeman's Journal. Today, examples of Hannyngton's slide rule are very rare and valuable for collectors.
Awards and Recognition
Hannyngton received important recognition for his work:
- He was chosen as a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society on March 12, 1875. This is a big honor for people who study space.
- He was also elected as a Fellow of the Institute of Actuaries. This shows his skill in mathematics and finance.
His Family
John Caulfield Hannyngton had a son named John Child Hannyngton. He was born in Barrackpore on September 23, 1835.
