Joseph Harris (astronomer) facts for kids

Joseph Harris (1703 – 1764) was a very smart British man. He was a blacksmith, astronomer (someone who studies stars), and a navigator (someone who plans ship routes). He also studied how the world works (a natural philosopher) and how money works (an economist). Joseph Harris was an important adviser to the government. He became the King's Assay Master at the Royal Mint, which is where coins are made.

Joseph Harris's Early Life

Joseph Harris was born in February 1703 in a small village called Trefeca, in Wales. His family name was originally Powell, but it changed to Harries, and then later to Harris. His father was a joiner, who worked with wood.

Joseph was the oldest of three brothers. His youngest brother, Howell Harris, became very famous in Wales. Joseph's life story is not as well known, but he was a brilliant person.

When Joseph was young, he learned the trade of a blacksmith from his uncle. Even though his family wasn't rich, he was very smart. It's believed that he taught himself a lot by reading books. This is why he's called a 'self-taught' philosopher.

In late 1724, when he was 21, Joseph moved to London. He had letters of introduction from an important Member of Parliament. Soon after arriving, he met the Governor of New England. He also met Edmond Halley, a famous astronomer. Halley even showed Joseph a very expensive quadrant, which is a tool used to measure angles in the sky. It seems Joseph quickly connected with important people in the world of science.

Mapping the Stars

When Joseph first moved to London, he lived and worked with John Senex. Senex was a well-known mapmaker. Together, they created two important star maps. These maps were called Stellarum Fixarum Hemisphaerium Australe and Boreale. Joseph's name was clearly shown on these maps.

These star maps were very useful. Even later in the century, a famous astronomer named William Herschel used them.

An Adventure to Mexico

Only six months after moving to London, Joseph went on a big sea journey. In 1725, he sailed to the Gulf of Mexico with the South Sea Company. This company traded goods and slaves.

Joseph was on one of two ships that carried many goods. The Spanish government was not happy about the amount of trade. One of the ships, the Prince Frederick, was seized and held for several years.

While in Vera Cruz, Joseph observed a partial eclipse of the sun. He also accurately measured the location (latitude and longitude) of Vera Cruz. This was impressive because it was done before special clocks called chronometers were invented. These clocks later made it much easier to find longitude at sea. His observations were published in a scientific journal.

Improving Navigation at Sea

Joseph returned to London in 1728. He spent his time writing a book called A Treatise of Navigation. He published it himself in 1730.

This book was full of helpful advice for sailors. It also showed two new designs for navigation tools. The book became very popular in Italy for many years.

Joseph wrote clearly and had a lot of experience at sea. He wanted to help ordinary sailors improve their skills. He wrote about the "wide and pathless Ocean, where nothing is visible but Sky and Water." He also explained complex ideas like gravity in a simple way.

Joseph's book showed that he understood the main ideas of navigation. What was missing at the time was the technology to use these ideas fully. Things like accurate clocks (chronometers) and sextants were not yet common.

He also explained the new "Mercator's" map projection. This was a way of drawing maps that was very useful for sailors. Joseph Harris was a practical teacher who wanted to make navigation better for everyone.

Understanding Globes and Orreries

Soon after his navigation book, Joseph published another popular work. It was called Description and Use of the Globes; and the Orrery. An orrery is a mechanical model of the solar system.

This book was a guide on how to use globes and orreries. It was very popular and had many editions. It also helped sell large orreries made by Thomas Wright. These models were even supplied to the King!

A Trip to Jamaica

In late 1730, Joseph sailed west again, this time to Jamaica. He went to help set up an observatory there. He supervised a cargo of astronomical instruments.

Joseph got sick when he first arrived in Jamaica, but he recovered. He stayed there until April 1732. On his way home, he made two important observations. These were later published by the Royal Society.

Back in London, Joseph looked for new work. In 1732, he visited John Conduitt, who had taken over from Sir Isaac Newton as the Master of the Royal Mint. This visit might have helped Joseph get a job at the Royal Mint later on.

Marriage and Family Life

For many years, Joseph was in love with Anne Jones from his home village. He worried she didn't feel the same way. But in 1733, he learned that she might. They started writing letters to each other.

Joseph wanted to marry Anne, but he needed to be financially stable first. After he got his job at the Royal Mint, they married on October 31, 1736. They had five children, but sadly, only one daughter, Anna-Maria, survived to adulthood. This was common at the time due to poor living conditions.

Working at the Royal Mint

In early 1736, Joseph was appointed to the Royal Mint. He became an assistant to the Master's Assay Master. An Assay Master is someone who tests the purity of metals, especially for coins.

Joseph lived in a house at the Royal Mint, which was inside the Tower of London. He worked there until he died in 1764. He also had a second home in the countryside outside London.

Even with his important job, Joseph kept his interest in navigation. He published an article about improving the terrestrial globe in a Royal Society journal.

The Lima Treasure

In 1745, English ships captured two French ships carrying treasure from Lima. This treasure was worth a huge amount of money! It was brought to the Mint to be melted down and made into new coins. Some coins were even stamped with the word "LIMA." Joseph wrote that he worked day and night during this busy time.

Becoming King's Assay Master

In 1749, Joseph was promoted to the top position: King's Assay Master. This was a very important role. He was asked to create a training system for new assayers. This system helped make sure the Mint would continue to run smoothly for many years.

Helping Farmers in Wales

Joseph Harris also helped start the Brecknockshire Agricultural Society in Wales. This group aimed to improve farming. Joseph and his brother Howell became honorary members in 1756. Joseph likely wrote a report for them about developing a market for wool. This was only the second agricultural society in the country!

In 1757, Joseph received an extra allowance of £300 a year from the King. This showed how much his work was valued.

Ideas on Money and Coins

Joseph Harris wrote a very important book called Essay upon Money and Coins. It was published in two parts in 1757 and 1758. Many famous writers praised it. They said it was one of the best books ever written about money.

Joseph's ideas for money and coins were discussed with the Prime Minister, Henry Pelham. Joseph believed that the value of money should not be changed. He was very strong in his opinions. He thought that changing the value of money was a bad idea.

His ideas influenced later thinkers like Adam Smith, a very famous economist. They also helped shape important laws about money in Britain, like the Bank Charter Act of 1844. Joseph Harris was a strong supporter of having a stable and valuable currency.

Working with Weights and Measures

Joseph was also trusted to work on official Standards of Weights and Measures for the British Parliament. He made sure that weights and measures were accurate. A famous French astronomer, Jérôme Lalande, visited Joseph in London. Lalande wanted a standard weight from Joseph. You can still see some of the standard weights and measures made by him in the Science Museum in London.

Observing Venus

In 1760, Joseph decided to observe a rare event: the Transit of Venus across the Sun. This is when Venus passes directly in front of the Sun. He went back to his home village of Trefeca in Wales to make his observations.

He used his telescope to create a "meridian line" in a building there. This line helped him know the exact time of midday. He then observed Venus as it moved across the Sun. His detailed account of this observation was published in 2010. The Coleg Trefeca still has a telescope that Joseph is said to have made and used for these observations.

Later Life and Death

In 1762, Joseph joined a famous club in London called Boodle's Club. Other members included important thinkers like Adam Smith and David Hume.

Sadly, Joseph's wife, Anne, died unexpectedly in 1763. Joseph was very sad. A year and a half later, on September 26, 1764, Joseph Harris also died after a short illness. He was buried in the Tower of London.

His memorial in Wales says that he used his great skills and honesty to help his country. It says he was very good at science and invented many instruments. It also says he didn't care about fame and didn't even put his name on his inventions. His ideas were very helpful to the government leaders of his time.

After his death, Joseph's assistant, Stanesby Alchorne, put together more of Joseph's ideas about money. These ideas were about how to fix problems with coins and money in the future.

Joseph also left behind notes about experiments with light and optics. Friends later published a book based on these notes in 1775, called A Treatise of Optics.

Joseph's only surviving daughter, Anna-Maria, inherited money from her parents and her wealthy uncle. She moved back to Wales and started a respected family line there.