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WATSON, RICHARD.
Adm. sizar (age 17) at TRINITY, Nov. 2, 1754. [Youngest] s. of [the Rev.] Thomas, of Heversham, Westmorland . [B. there, Aug. 1737.] School, Heversham.
Matric. Lent, 1755; Scholar, 1757; B.A. (2 nd Wrangler ) 1759; M.A. 1762; D.D.
( per Lit. Reg. ) 1771.
Fellow, 1760; Tutor, 1767-71; Junior Dean, 1769-71.
Professor of Chemistry, 1764-73.
Regius Professor of Divinity, 1771-1816.
F.R.S., 1769.
Ord. priest (Norwich) Feb. 28, 1768.
R. of Northwold, Norfolk , 1779-81.
R. of Knaptoft, Leicestershire , 1781.
R. of Somersham, Huntingdonshire . Archdeacon of Ely, 1779-82.
Bishop of Llandaff, 1782-1816.
He stated that he 'knew as much of divinity as could reasonably be expected of a man whose course of studies had been directed to, and whose time had been fully occupied in, other pursuits,' but the Regius chair had 'long been the secret object' of his ambition, and, 'by hard travelling and some adroitness,' he obtained the King's mandate and was created D.D. in time for the election.
Edited a Collection of Theological Tracts . Appointed as his deputy, 1787, Thomas Kipling, of St John's, the editor of the Codex Bezae, and left Cambridge.
On election to the chair of Chemistry, having 'never read a syllable on the subject nor seen a single experiment,' he sent to Paris for an 'operator,' shut himself up in his laboratory and in 14 months, in the course of which his workshop was shattered by an explosion, he began a course of lectures which were largely attended.
His experiments led to the invention of the black-bulb thermometer.
Said to have saved the Government £100,000 a year by advice on the manufacture of gunpowder.
Married Dorothy Wilson, of whom there is a portrait by John Downman in the Fitzwilliam Museum.
Author, Chemical Essays . Died July 4, 1816.
Father of Charles L (1791) and the next. (E. H. Vigers; The Extraordinary Black Book, 1830; G. Mag., II. 1816, 274; Hist.
Reg.
; Wordsworth, Anecdotes of Richard Watson ; Gunther, Camb.
Science
; Gunning, Reminiscences, I. 232-6; D.N.B. )
Richard WATSON
Approx. lifespan: 1737–1816
sizar aged 17 Trinity College adm1754:11:02
Youngest s. of [Rev.] Thomas WATSON, of Heversham, Westmorland ,
b. there 1737:08
Sch: Heversham School Heversham, [Westmorland],
Matric 1755:01LT:
Scholar 1757
BA 2 nd Wrangler 1759
MA 1762
DD per Lit. Reg. 1771
Fellow 1760
Tutor: 1767-71
Junior Dean: 1769-71
Professor of: Chemistry 1764-73
Regius Professor of: Divinity 1771-1816
FRS 1769
Ord. priest Norwich 1768:02:28
R.: Northwold, Norfolk , 1779-81
R.: Knaptoft, Leicestershire , 1781
R.: Somersham, Huntingdonshire ,
Archdeacon of: Ely, [Cambridgeshire], 1779-82
Bishop of: Llandaff, [Glamorgan], 1782-1816
He stated that he 'knew as much of divinity as could reasonably be expected of a man whose course of studies had been directed to, and whose time had been fully occupied in, other pursuits,' but the Regius chair had 'long been the secret object' of his ambition, and, 'by hard travelling and some adroitness,' he obtained the King's mandate and was created
DD in time for the election.
Publ.: Edited a Collection of Theological Tracts
Appointed as his deputy 1787 Thomas Kipling, of St John's College s, the editor of the Codex Bezae and left CB, [Cambridgeshire],
On election to the chair of Chemistry, having 'never read a syllable on the subject nor seen a single experiment,' he sent to Paris, [France], for an 'operator,' shut himself up in his laboratory and in 14 months, in the course of which his workshop was shattered by an explosion, he began a course of lectures which were largely attended. His experiments led to the invention of the black-bulb thermometer.
Said to have saved Government £100,000 a year by advice on the manufacture of gunpowder.
m. Dorothy Wilson, of whom there is a portrait by John Downman in Fitzwilliam Museum CB, [Cambridgeshire],
Publ.: Chemical Essays
d. 1816:07:04
father of Charles L WATSON (1791)
father of Richard WATSON (1806)
(E. H. Vigers; The Extraordinary Black Book 1830; G. Mag II. 1816, 274; Hist. Reg. ; Wordsworth, Anecdotes of Richard WATSON ; Gunther, Cambridge Science ; Gunning, Reminiscences I. 232-6; D.N.B. )
[add:]His wid., Dorothy, died in April 1831, at Calgarth Park, Westmorland , [:add]
[add:](P.J. Barnwell: C.C. & J. of 1831:04:22)[:add]

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