kids encyclopedia robot

Thomas Barker (meteorologist) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Barker (meteorologist)
Born 1722
Lyndon, Rutland, England
Died 29 December 1809

Thomas Barker (1722 – 1809) was a man from Rutland, England. He was known for keeping very detailed records of the weather at his home, Lyndon Hall. He wrote down weather information every day from 1736 to 1798.

About Thomas Barker

Thomas Barker was born in 1722 at Lyndon Hall in Lyndon, Rutland, England. His family was well-known in the area and had lived in Lyndon for a very long time. He married Anne White, whose brother, Gilbert White, was a famous naturalist who studied nature. Thomas and Anne had five children together.

Interestingly, Thomas Barker was a vegetarian. He found out when he was young that eating meat didn't make him feel well.

Why His Weather Records Are Important

Thomas Barker's weather notes are super helpful for scientists studying the British climate in the 1700s. He started recording weather data very early, and he did it for a long time. He was also very careful and exact with his notes.

He wrote down things like air pressure, temperature, clouds, wind, and how much rain fell. In his early years, he kept his thermometer inside a room that wasn't heated, which was common back then. His temperature information was even used by a famous scientist named Gordon Manley to create the Central England Temperature series. This series helps us understand how temperatures have changed over hundreds of years.

Barker's Tornado Observation

In September 1749, Thomas Barker wrote a very clear description of what sounds like a tornado. He called it a "remarkable Meteor."

He described the day as warm, calm, and cloudy, with some sunshine and rain. The air pressure was low and dropping. The "Spout," as he called it, appeared in the evening. Later, there was a thunderstorm and strong winds that caused some damage.

Barker wrote that he heard about a "great Smoke" that rose near a town, looking like fire. People saw bright flashes or "arrows" shooting to the ground. Some thought it wasn't real fire, but bright spots in a dark cloud. He said the "Whirling, Breaks, Roar, and Smoke" scared both people and animals.

He noted that it picked up water from a river and carried away bundles of straw. He saw it pass by his home, looking like a "black smoky Cloud" with bright spots and a strange spinning motion. It made a roaring sound, like a distant wind or many sheep running fast. He even saw straw falling from it and a part that looked like a cone of rain reaching the ground.

People who were milking cows said it felt like a thick, whirling mist all around them. After it passed, there was a very strong wind for a short time, even though it was calm before and after.

Other Interests and Discoveries

Thomas Barker didn't just study weather. He also wrote several articles for the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, which is a very old and respected science journal.

He was also an astronomer, meaning he studied stars and planets. In 1757, he published a book about comets, explaining how to find their paths in space. He even created a useful table to help calculate where comets would be.

Barker was the first modern astronomer to notice something interesting about the star Sirius. Ancient writings sometimes described Sirius as a red star, but today it looks blue-white. He pointed out this difference.

Besides weather and astronomy, his journals also included notes on local plants and animals. He also wrote several books about religion.

Thomas Barker passed away on December 29, 1809, and was buried in the churchyard in Lyndon a few days later.

See also

kids search engine
Thomas Barker (meteorologist) Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.