William Sandys Wright Vaux facts for kids
William Sandys Wright Vaux (born February 28, 1818 – died June 21, 1885) was an important English expert in old things (called an antiquary) and coins (called a numismatist) in the 1800s. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, a group that promotes science.
About His Life
Vaux was born in 1818 in Oxford, England. He was the only son of William Vaux, who was a church leader. William Sandys Wright Vaux went to Westminster School from 1831 to 1836. After that, he studied at Balliol College, Oxford, and earned his university degrees in 1840 and 1842.
In 1841, he started working at the British Museum in the department that dealt with ancient objects. By 1861, he became the head of the department that looked after coins and medals. He held this important job until 1870, when he had to leave due to poor health.
From 1871 to 1876, Vaux worked on making a list of all the coins at the Bodleian Library, which is a famous library at Oxford University. He was also a very active member of the Royal Numismatic Society, a group for people who study coins. He helped this society a lot, and it became very successful because of his efforts. He even helped edit their magazine, the Numismatic Chronicle, and wrote many articles for it. From 1855 to 1874, he was the president of the Numismatic Society.
On June 4, 1868, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society, which is a great honor for scientists and scholars. He also served as a secretary for the Royal Asiatic Society and the Royal Society of Literature for many years.
Vaux also became a member of the Canterbury Association in 1850. This group helped people move from England to New Zealand.
William Sandys Wright Vaux passed away on June 21, 1885, in Chelsea, London. He had married Louisa Rivington in 1861.
His Books and Works
Vaux knew a lot about many different ancient cultures, especially those from the Middle East. His most famous book was Nineveh and Persepolis: an Historical Sketch of Ancient Assyria and Persia. This book was published in 1850 and became very popular. It helped many people learn about the amazing discoveries made by explorers like Austen Henry Layard in ancient lands like Assyria and Persia (modern-day Iraq and Iran).
He also wrote other important books, including:
- Handbook to the Antiquities in the British Museum: This book, published in 1851, described ancient Greek, Assyrian, Egyptian, and Etruscan art found in the British Museum.
- Ancient History from the Monuments; Persia from the earliest Period to the Arab Conquest: This book, from 1875, covered the history of Persia from its very beginnings until it was conquered by Arabs.
- Ancient History from the Monuments: Greek Cities and Islands of Asia Minor: Published in 1877, this book explored the history of ancient Greek cities and islands in what is now Turkey.
In 1854, he also helped edit a book called The World Encompassed by Sir Francis Drake for the Hakluyt Society. This society publishes old travel writings.