William Carpenter (1830-1896)
Encyclopedia
William Carpenter an English
printer and author
was a proponent of the Flat Earth
theory active in England
and the United States
in the Nineteenth Century. Carpenter immigrated to the United States and continued his advocacy of the Flat Earth movement.
, where he became a printer and stenographer by profession, working primarily in Greenwich
, England. In 1879, he moved from England to Baltimore, Maryland, where he continued his work as a printer. The 1880 U.S. federal census shows him and his wife Annie with six children aged 11-25 years whose occupations included milliner, architect
, professor
of music
, and florist. He died on September 1, 1896 at Baltimore.
Advocate of the Flat Earth
Carpenter was a passionate advocate of the flat earth
theory, which holds that the earth is not a globe, but a flat square which revolves on a central axis with the sun stationary over the center.
Carpenter, a printer originally from Greenwich
, England
, published Theoretical Astronomy Examined and Exposed - Proving the Earth not a Globe in eight parts from 1864 under the name Common Sense. He later emigrated to Baltimore
where he published A hundred proofs the Earth is not a Globe in 1885.
Carpenter argued that:
Carpenter was a proponent of English writer Samuel Rowbotham
(1816–1885), who produced a pamphlet, with Carpenter's assistance, called Zetetic Astronomy in 1849 arguing for a flat Earth and published results of many experiments that tested the curvatures of water over a long drainage ditch, followed by another called The inconsistency of Modern Astronomy and its Opposition to the Scripture. Rowbotham also produced studies, mostly printed by Carpenter, that purported to show the effects of ships disappearing below the horizon could be explained by the laws of perspective in relation to the human eye.
– Communion with 'Ministering Spirits, William Horsall, 1858.
– The Earth not a Globe, by Common Sense (a poem), London: Job Caudwell, 1864.
– Sir Isaac Newton's Theoretical Astronomy Examined and Refuted by Common Sense, n.p., n.d. (ca. 1867).
– Something About Spiritualism: a Reply to Professor Airy's Ipswich Lectures to Workingmen, London: Job Caudwell, 1865.
– Theoretical Astronomy Examined and Exposed, London: Job Caudwell, 1866.
– Bosh and Bunkum: Religious Arguments Why the Earth is Not Round, London: Heywood & Co.; William Carpenter, Printer, Greenwich, 1868.
– Theoretical Astronomy Examined and Exposed, The Author, 1869.
– The Flying Philosophers, London: British & Colonial Publishing Co., 1871.
– Water, not Convex: the Earth not a Globe! Demonstrated by Alfred Russel Wallace on the 5th March 1870, The Author, 1871.
– The Bedford Level Experiment
, The Author, 1872.
– Sense versus Science, The Author, 1873.
– Proctor's Planet Earth, The Author, 1875.
– Wallace's Wonderful Water, London: Abel Heywood, 1875.
– Mr. Lockyer's Logic: An Exposition of Mr. J. Norman Lockyer's Astronomy, London: The Author, 1876.
– The Delusion of the Day, or Dyer's Reply to Parallax, London: Abel Heywood, 1877.
– One Hundred Proofs the Earth is Not a Globe, Baltimore: The Author, 1885.
He also published two magazines, Carpenter's Folly, of which only a few issues were printed in 1887, and Shorthand which was issued from 1893-1894.
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
printer and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
was a proponent of the Flat Earth
Flat Earth
The Flat Earth model is a belief that the Earth's shape is a plane or disk. Most ancient cultures have had conceptions of a flat Earth, including Greece until the classical period, the Bronze Age and Iron Age civilizations of the Near East until the Hellenistic period, India until the Gupta period ...
theory active in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the Nineteenth Century. Carpenter immigrated to the United States and continued his advocacy of the Flat Earth movement.
Life
Carpenter was born in the year 1830 in EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, where he became a printer and stenographer by profession, working primarily in Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, England. In 1879, he moved from England to Baltimore, Maryland, where he continued his work as a printer. The 1880 U.S. federal census shows him and his wife Annie with six children aged 11-25 years whose occupations included milliner, architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, and florist. He died on September 1, 1896 at Baltimore.
Advocate of the Flat EarthFlat EarthThe Flat Earth model is a belief that the Earth's shape is a plane or disk. Most ancient cultures have had conceptions of a flat Earth, including Greece until the classical period, the Bronze Age and Iron Age civilizations of the Near East until the Hellenistic period, India until the Gupta period ...
Theory
Carpenter was a passionate advocate of the flat earthFlat Earth
The Flat Earth model is a belief that the Earth's shape is a plane or disk. Most ancient cultures have had conceptions of a flat Earth, including Greece until the classical period, the Bronze Age and Iron Age civilizations of the Near East until the Hellenistic period, India until the Gupta period ...
theory, which holds that the earth is not a globe, but a flat square which revolves on a central axis with the sun stationary over the center.
Carpenter, a printer originally from Greenwich
Greenwich
Greenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, published Theoretical Astronomy Examined and Exposed - Proving the Earth not a Globe in eight parts from 1864 under the name Common Sense. He later emigrated to Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
where he published A hundred proofs the Earth is not a Globe in 1885.
Carpenter argued that:
- "There are rivers that flow for hundreds of miles towards the level of the sea without falling more than a few feet — notably, the Nile, which, in a thousand miles, falls but a foot. A level expanse of this extent is quite incompatible with the idea of the Earth's convexity. It is, therefore, a reasonable proof that Earth is not a globe."
- "If the Earth were a globe, a small model globe would be the very best - because the truest - thing for the navigator to take to sea with him. But such a thing as that is not known: with such a toy as a guide, the mariner would wreck his ship, of a certainty!, This is a proof that Earth is not a globe."
Carpenter was a proponent of English writer Samuel Rowbotham
Samuel Rowbotham
Samuel Birley Rowbotham was an English inventor and writer who wrote Zetetic Astronomy: Earth Not a Globe under the pseudonym "Parallax". His work was based on his decade-long studies of the earth and was originally published as a 16-page pamphlet , which he later expanded into a 430 page book...
(1816–1885), who produced a pamphlet, with Carpenter's assistance, called Zetetic Astronomy in 1849 arguing for a flat Earth and published results of many experiments that tested the curvatures of water over a long drainage ditch, followed by another called The inconsistency of Modern Astronomy and its Opposition to the Scripture. Rowbotham also produced studies, mostly printed by Carpenter, that purported to show the effects of ships disappearing below the horizon could be explained by the laws of perspective in relation to the human eye.
Principal Works
Some of Carpenter's works found commercial publishers, but many were printed, bound, and sold by himself, at times under the pen-name "Common Sense." An incomplete list includes:– Communion with 'Ministering Spirits, William Horsall, 1858.
– The Earth not a Globe, by Common Sense (a poem), London: Job Caudwell, 1864.
– Sir Isaac Newton's Theoretical Astronomy Examined and Refuted by Common Sense, n.p., n.d. (ca. 1867).
– Something About Spiritualism: a Reply to Professor Airy's Ipswich Lectures to Workingmen, London: Job Caudwell, 1865.
– Theoretical Astronomy Examined and Exposed, London: Job Caudwell, 1866.
– Bosh and Bunkum: Religious Arguments Why the Earth is Not Round, London: Heywood & Co.; William Carpenter, Printer, Greenwich, 1868.
– Theoretical Astronomy Examined and Exposed, The Author, 1869.
– The Flying Philosophers, London: British & Colonial Publishing Co., 1871.
– Water, not Convex: the Earth not a Globe! Demonstrated by Alfred Russel Wallace on the 5th March 1870, The Author, 1871.
– The Bedford Level Experiment
Bedford Level experiment
The Bedford Level Experiment is a series of observations carried out along a six-mile length of the Old Bedford River on the Bedford Level, Norfolk, England, during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It was an attempt to determine the shape of the Earth...
, The Author, 1872.
– Sense versus Science, The Author, 1873.
– Proctor's Planet Earth, The Author, 1875.
– Wallace's Wonderful Water, London: Abel Heywood, 1875.
– Mr. Lockyer's Logic: An Exposition of Mr. J. Norman Lockyer's Astronomy, London: The Author, 1876.
– The Delusion of the Day, or Dyer's Reply to Parallax, London: Abel Heywood, 1877.
– One Hundred Proofs the Earth is Not a Globe, Baltimore: The Author, 1885.
He also published two magazines, Carpenter's Folly, of which only a few issues were printed in 1887, and Shorthand which was issued from 1893-1894.