Washington Shirley, 5th Earl Ferrers facts for kids

Vice Admiral Washington Shirley, also known as the 5th Earl Ferrers, was born on May 26, 1722, and passed away on October 1, 1778. He was a British Royal Navy officer, a member of the nobility, and a keen amateur astronomer. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, a group for important scientists.

Life and Naval Career

Washington Shirley was born into an important family. Around 1738, when he was about 16, he joined the Royal Navy. He quickly moved up the ranks.

• In 1741, he became a Second Lieutenant.
• By 1746, he was a First Lieutenant.
• Soon after, he became a Post-Captain, which meant he could command his own ship.

In 1760, Washington Shirley became the 5th Earl Ferrers. This meant he took his place in the House of Lords, which is part of the British Parliament. In 1761, he was also made a deputy leader for the area of Staffordshire.

In 1763, King George III gave him back his family's estates. These lands had been taken away from his older brother. Washington Shirley then started to improve the family home, Staunton Harold, in Leicestershire. He continued to advance in the navy, becoming a Rear Admiral in 1771 and a Vice-Admiral in 1775.

Financial Challenges

Despite his important titles and roles, Earl Ferrers faced money problems. Because of this, he had to sell some of his family's estates, including Astwell Castle, between 1774 and 1777.

Passion for Astronomy

Earl Ferrers was very interested in astronomy. He even owned his own orrery, which is a mechanical model that shows how planets move around the sun.

In 1761, he was chosen to be a member of the Royal Society. This was because of his important observations of the transit of Venus. A transit of Venus is when Venus passes directly between the Sun and Earth, appearing as a small black dot moving across the Sun's face. Observing this event was very important for scientists at the time.

He also bought a famous painting by Joseph Wright of Derby called "A Philosopher giving a Lecture on the Orrery in which a lamp is put in place of the Sun". Many people believe that Earl Ferrers is the person shown on the right side of the painting. The person on the left is thought to be Peter Perez Burdett, who was a guest at Earl Ferrers' home. Earl Ferrers had also attended talks by another astronomer, James Ferguson, who gave lectures using an orrery.

A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery by Joseph Wright of Derby. Use a cursor to see who is who.

Later Life and Legacy

Washington Shirley passed away at the age of 56 in 1778 at Chartley Manor Place in Staffordshire. He was buried at Staunton Harold. He did not have any children with his wife, Anne. So, his title and estates were passed on to his younger brother, Robert.