Henry Barham
Encyclopedia
Henry Barham F.R.S. (1670?–1726) was an English writer on natural history
.
in Kent. He has often been confounded with his son, Henry Barham, M.D.
The main events of his life are recorded by himself in one of his letters to Sir Hans Sloane
.
His father, a physician, intended to give him a university education, but died before he could carry out his wishes.
As the mother married soon afterwards, the boy, then about fourteen years of age, was left to his own resources, and became apprentice to a surgeon.
This situation he left to become surgeon's mate in the Vanguard, from which he was promoted to be master surgeon in another man-of-war.
He went to Spain, thence to Madras, and thence to Jamaica. As in 1720, he refers to his son as having practised physic and surgery in Jamaica for the last twenty years, he himself had probably settled in the island twenty years before the end of the century.
According to his own account, he obtained a lucrative practice, and was appointed surgeon-major of the military forces in Jamaica.
About 1716, he came to England and settled at Chelsea
, devoting his chief attention to the rearing of the silkworm, and the manufacture of silk, on which subject he published a treatise in 1719. His name appears in 1717 on the list of members of the Royal Society
, and he states also that shortly after he came to England he was made free of the Company of Surgeons, but his hopes of obtaining the diploma of M.D. do not appear to have been fulfilled, for the only change that occurs in his designation on the roll of the Royal Society
is from "Mr." to "Esquire."
In his application, in 1720, for the situation of mineral superintendent to a company formed to prosecute silver mining in Jamaica, he stated that his business prospects were so good that he could not sacrifice them for less than £500 a year.
He received the situation on his own terms; but the enterprise, which had been undertaken chiefly through his representations, proved a complete failure, and though a year's salary was due to him it was never paid.
He continued, however, to reside in Jamaica till his death at Spanish Town
in May 1726.
A memorial tablet is in the cathedral at Spanish Town.
His letters and manuscripts indicate that in early life his education had been neglected; but although sometimes led astray by his own ideas, he possessed a knowledge of the fauna and flora of Jamaica. Logwood
, now common there, was introduced by him in 1715.
, who refers to him in terms of high commendation, received from him many valuable communications, of which he made large use in his Natural History of Jamaica. Among these was a treatise, Hortus Americanus, sent in 1711. This treatise was published in 1794 with a preface in which it is stated to be the work of Henry Barham, M.D., who, it is added, practised as a physician in Jamaica from the beginning of the century, and after acquiring large property by marriage returned to England in 1740 and settled at Staines near Egham. The Henry Barham thus referred to was the son of Henry Barham, F.R.S., but that the father was the author of the book is proved beyond all doubt by letters in the Sloane manuscripts (4036). Henry Barham, F.R.S., wrote also a History of Jamaica, which his son, after his death, sent to Sir Hans Sloane
, "to see the best method of printing it", but it was never published. The original copy, in the handwriting of the father, and inscribed "wrote by Henry Barham, Senr. F.R.S.," is in the British Museum
. In another copy, in a different hand, there is a note by E. Long erroneously attributing the work to Henry Barham, M.D.
Barham also wrote two papers for the Royal Society
: An Account of a Fiery Meteor seen in Jamaica to strike the Earth; and Observations on the Produce of the Silkworm and of Silk in England, 1719, Abrev. vi. page 426.
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
.
Life
He was born about 1670, and was descended from the Barhams of Barham CourtBarham Court
Barham Court is a fine old house in the village of Teston, Kent.It was once the home of Reginald Fitz Urse, one of the knights who murdered Thomas Beckett in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170....
in Kent. He has often been confounded with his son, Henry Barham, M.D.
The main events of his life are recorded by himself in one of his letters to Sir Hans Sloane
Hans Sloane
Sir Hans Sloane, 1st Baronet, PRS was an Ulster-Scot physician and collector, notable for bequeathing his collection to the British nation which became the foundation of the British Museum...
.
His father, a physician, intended to give him a university education, but died before he could carry out his wishes.
As the mother married soon afterwards, the boy, then about fourteen years of age, was left to his own resources, and became apprentice to a surgeon.
This situation he left to become surgeon's mate in the Vanguard, from which he was promoted to be master surgeon in another man-of-war.
He went to Spain, thence to Madras, and thence to Jamaica. As in 1720, he refers to his son as having practised physic and surgery in Jamaica for the last twenty years, he himself had probably settled in the island twenty years before the end of the century.
According to his own account, he obtained a lucrative practice, and was appointed surgeon-major of the military forces in Jamaica.
About 1716, he came to England and settled at Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
, devoting his chief attention to the rearing of the silkworm, and the manufacture of silk, on which subject he published a treatise in 1719. His name appears in 1717 on the list of members of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, and he states also that shortly after he came to England he was made free of the Company of Surgeons, but his hopes of obtaining the diploma of M.D. do not appear to have been fulfilled, for the only change that occurs in his designation on the roll of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
is from "Mr." to "Esquire."
In his application, in 1720, for the situation of mineral superintendent to a company formed to prosecute silver mining in Jamaica, he stated that his business prospects were so good that he could not sacrifice them for less than £500 a year.
He received the situation on his own terms; but the enterprise, which had been undertaken chiefly through his representations, proved a complete failure, and though a year's salary was due to him it was never paid.
He continued, however, to reside in Jamaica till his death at Spanish Town
Spanish Town
Spanish Town is the capital and the largest town in the parish of St. Catherine in the county of Middlesex, Jamaica. It was the former Spanish and English capital of Jamaica from the 16th to the 19th century...
in May 1726.
A memorial tablet is in the cathedral at Spanish Town.
Naturalist
Barham states that after he came to Jamaica he "read many books, especially physical."His letters and manuscripts indicate that in early life his education had been neglected; but although sometimes led astray by his own ideas, he possessed a knowledge of the fauna and flora of Jamaica. Logwood
Logwood
Haematoxylum campechianum is a species of flowering tree in the legume family, Fabaceae, that is native to southern Mexico and northern Central America. It has been and to a lesser extent remains of great economic importance. The modern nation of Belize grew from 17th century English logwood...
, now common there, was introduced by him in 1715.
Works
Sir Hans SloaneHans Sloane
Sir Hans Sloane, 1st Baronet, PRS was an Ulster-Scot physician and collector, notable for bequeathing his collection to the British nation which became the foundation of the British Museum...
, who refers to him in terms of high commendation, received from him many valuable communications, of which he made large use in his Natural History of Jamaica. Among these was a treatise, Hortus Americanus, sent in 1711. This treatise was published in 1794 with a preface in which it is stated to be the work of Henry Barham, M.D., who, it is added, practised as a physician in Jamaica from the beginning of the century, and after acquiring large property by marriage returned to England in 1740 and settled at Staines near Egham. The Henry Barham thus referred to was the son of Henry Barham, F.R.S., but that the father was the author of the book is proved beyond all doubt by letters in the Sloane manuscripts (4036). Henry Barham, F.R.S., wrote also a History of Jamaica, which his son, after his death, sent to Sir Hans Sloane
Hans Sloane
Sir Hans Sloane, 1st Baronet, PRS was an Ulster-Scot physician and collector, notable for bequeathing his collection to the British nation which became the foundation of the British Museum...
, "to see the best method of printing it", but it was never published. The original copy, in the handwriting of the father, and inscribed "wrote by Henry Barham, Senr. F.R.S.," is in the British Museum
British Museum
The British Museum is a museum of human history and culture in London. Its collections, which number more than seven million objects, are amongst the largest and most comprehensive in the world and originate from all continents, illustrating and documenting the story of human culture from its...
. In another copy, in a different hand, there is a note by E. Long erroneously attributing the work to Henry Barham, M.D.
Barham also wrote two papers for the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
: An Account of a Fiery Meteor seen in Jamaica to strike the Earth; and Observations on the Produce of the Silkworm and of Silk in England, 1719, Abrev. vi. page 426.