William Scott (astronomer and clergyman)
Encyclopedia
William Scott was a Church of England
clergyman and became the colonial astronomer
for New South Wales
.
near Barnstaple, and educated at Blundell's School
, Tiverton. In 1844 he went up as a scholar to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.
After a college fellowship Scott was given a mathematical lectureship in 1850. Made a deacon in 1849, he was ordained as a priest in 1850 by Bishop Turton of Ely
and worked as a curate in the Cambridge slums of Barnwell
.
Scott married a widow Elizabeth Anne Yonge, née Roberts on 8 November 1851. She had three sons by her first husband and the family responsibilities resulted in Scott becoming a mathematics coach (his first interest had always been in mathematics). He built up a useful connections at the university and later published a small textbook on plane co-ordinate geometry.
in New South Wales
. Scott arrived with his family in Sydney
in October 1856 to find the astronomical works were somewhat neglected. He supervised the building of the Sydney Observatory
at Dawes Point, ensured the appointment of an observatory board and established the keeping of meteorological records throughout the colony.
By 1859 Scott was making systematic observations and in 1861 the acquisition of an equatorial telescope enabled him to expand his work. Scott planned a magnetic survey of the colony and reported that, despite the shortage of staff and equipment, 'the establishment is now complete in every respect'.
On 31 October 1862 Scott resigned as astronomer giving the reason as ill health. However, it seems likely that the reasons were the departure of his patron Governor Denison
and public criticism of his refusal to produce 'showy results'. He found it difficult to adapt to colonial life but became headmaster of the Cook's River collegiate school and in 1865 Scott took over from Rev. W. H. Savigny as warden of St. Paul's College, Sydney
(Australia's oldest University College). It was a quiet time at the college and his plans were hampered by the slow rate of university expansion, the competition of the new Presbyterian College of St Andrew and the Church's refusal to recognize education at St Paul's as sufficient training for the ministry. He continued as mathematical examiner for the university and twice deputized for the professor of mathematics. In 1867-74 he was honorary secretary of the Royal Society of New South Wales
and treasurer in 1874-78. In 1874 he read a paper to the society on 'The transit of Venus as Observed at Eden' which was published in its Proceedings. In the 1870s he preached frequently on the relation of religion to new scientific ideas but his public activities were not matched by any considerable energy at St Paul's. In 1878 criticism by the college council caused him to resign.
Scott had earlier expressed an element of scepticism about revealed religion and had criticized the Sydney clergy. However, he took eagerly to a country ministry at Gunning
, Bungendore
and Queanbeyan
and later became a canon of St Saviour's Cathedral, Goulburn
, and examining chaplain for Bishop Thomas. He revisited England in 1888 and lived in retirement on his return. Scott died at Chatswood
and is buried in the Gore Hill
cemetery. Scott’s estate was valued for probate at the considerable sum of £7500.
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
clergyman and became the colonial astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
for New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
.
Background
Scott was born at Hartland, Devon, brought up at BrauntonBraunton
Braunton is situated west of Barnstaple, Devon, England and is claimed to be the largest village in England, with a population in 2001 of 7,510. It is home to the nearby Braunton Great Field and Braunton Burrows, a National Nature and UNESCO Biosphere Reserve....
near Barnstaple, and educated at Blundell's School
Blundell's School
Blundell's School is a co-educational day and boarding independent school located in the town of Tiverton in the county of Devon, England. The school was founded in 1604 by the will of Peter Blundell, one of the richest men in England at the time, and relocated to its present location on the...
, Tiverton. In 1844 he went up as a scholar to Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.
After a college fellowship Scott was given a mathematical lectureship in 1850. Made a deacon in 1849, he was ordained as a priest in 1850 by Bishop Turton of Ely
Thomas Turton
Thomas Turton, DD was the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge. He was Dean of Peterborough, Bishop of Ely and composer of Anglican hymns....
and worked as a curate in the Cambridge slums of Barnwell
Barnwell, Cambridgeshire
Barnwell is a suburb of Cambridge in England.It lies northeast of the city, with Cambridge Airport located immediately to the east. It forms part of the ecclesiastical parish of St Andrew the Less and was the site of Barnwell Priory....
.
Scott married a widow Elizabeth Anne Yonge, née Roberts on 8 November 1851. She had three sons by her first husband and the family responsibilities resulted in Scott becoming a mathematics coach (his first interest had always been in mathematics). He built up a useful connections at the university and later published a small textbook on plane co-ordinate geometry.
Australia
In April 1856 Scott took the position of colonial astronomerAstronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
in New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
. Scott arrived with his family in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
in October 1856 to find the astronomical works were somewhat neglected. He supervised the building of the Sydney Observatory
Sydney Observatory
Sydney Observatory is located on a hill now known as 'Observatory Hill' in an area in the centre of Sydney. The site evolved from a fort built on 'Windmill Hill' in the early 19th century to an astronomical observatory during the nineteenth century...
at Dawes Point, ensured the appointment of an observatory board and established the keeping of meteorological records throughout the colony.
By 1859 Scott was making systematic observations and in 1861 the acquisition of an equatorial telescope enabled him to expand his work. Scott planned a magnetic survey of the colony and reported that, despite the shortage of staff and equipment, 'the establishment is now complete in every respect'.
On 31 October 1862 Scott resigned as astronomer giving the reason as ill health. However, it seems likely that the reasons were the departure of his patron Governor Denison
William Denison
Sir William Thomas Denison, KCB was Lieutenant Governor of Van Diemen's Land from 1847 to 1855, Governor of New South Wales from 20 January 1855 to 22 January 1861, and Governor of Madras from 1861 to 1866....
and public criticism of his refusal to produce 'showy results'. He found it difficult to adapt to colonial life but became headmaster of the Cook's River collegiate school and in 1865 Scott took over from Rev. W. H. Savigny as warden of St. Paul's College, Sydney
St. Paul's College, Sydney
St Paul's College in Sydney, Australia, is an Anglican residential college for men which is affiliated with the University of Sydney. Founded in 1856 by an 1854 act of the New South Wales Legislative Council, it is Australia's oldest university college...
(Australia's oldest University College). It was a quiet time at the college and his plans were hampered by the slow rate of university expansion, the competition of the new Presbyterian College of St Andrew and the Church's refusal to recognize education at St Paul's as sufficient training for the ministry. He continued as mathematical examiner for the university and twice deputized for the professor of mathematics. In 1867-74 he was honorary secretary of the Royal Society of New South Wales
Royal Society of New South Wales
The Royal Society of New South Wales is a learned society based in Sydney, Australia. It was established as the Philosophical Society of Australasia on 27 June 1821...
and treasurer in 1874-78. In 1874 he read a paper to the society on 'The transit of Venus as Observed at Eden' which was published in its Proceedings. In the 1870s he preached frequently on the relation of religion to new scientific ideas but his public activities were not matched by any considerable energy at St Paul's. In 1878 criticism by the college council caused him to resign.
Scott had earlier expressed an element of scepticism about revealed religion and had criticized the Sydney clergy. However, he took eagerly to a country ministry at Gunning
Gunning, New South Wales
Gunning is a town on the Old Hume Highway, between Goulburn and Yass in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, about 260 km south-west of Sydney and 75 km north of the national capital, Canberra. On Census night 2006, Gunning had a population of 487 people...
, Bungendore
Bungendore, New South Wales
Bungendore is a town in the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia, in Palerang Council. It is on the Kings Highway near Lake George, the Molonglo River Valley and the Australian Capital Territory border. It has become a major tourist centre in recent years, popular with visitors from...
and Queanbeyan
Queanbeyan, New South Wales
Queanbeyan is a regional centre in the Southern Tablelands in south-eastern New South Wales adjacent to the Australian Capital Territory. The city's mixed economy is based on light construction, high technology, manufacturing, service, retail and agriculture. It is the council seat of the...
and later became a canon of St Saviour's Cathedral, Goulburn
Goulburn Cathedral (St. Saviour)
St Saviour's Cathedral is the cathedral church of the Anglican diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, Australia. The Cathedral is named after the Saviour Himself. The current Dean is the Very Reverend Phillip Saunders.-History:...
, and examining chaplain for Bishop Thomas. He revisited England in 1888 and lived in retirement on his return. Scott died at Chatswood
Chatswood, New South Wales
Chatswood is a suburb on the North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Chatswood is located 10 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and is the administrative centre of the local government area of the City of Willoughby. Chatswood West is a separate suburb...
and is buried in the Gore Hill
Gore Hill, New South Wales
Gore Hill is an urban locality on the North Shore of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Gore Hill is located in the western part of the suburb of St Leonards....
cemetery. Scott’s estate was valued for probate at the considerable sum of £7500.