Credit: ©The Royal Society
    Image number: RS.17952

    Joseph Priestley's house

    Date
    ca.1850s
    Creator
    Unknown, Photographer
    Object type
    Archive reference number
    Material
    Technique
    Dimensions
    height (print): 195mm
    width (print): 260mm
    Subject
    Content object
    Description
    Photograph of the house in which Joseph Priestly was born and spent his childhood, known by the name Field-Head, near Leeds. The house appears to have been photographed from the road behind it.

    From The Priestley Papers, a volume containing portraits, drawings, letters and other memorials of Joseph Priestley, curated and edited by James Yates.

    Written in the associated text: ‘It was the family house, and was occupied by Dr. Priestley’s father and grandfather, and afterwards by his sister, Mrs. Crouch.’

    Joseph Priestley (1733-1804) British theologian and natural philosopher, was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1766.

    James Yates (1789-1871) British Unitarian minister and scholar was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1839. Though he never met Priestley personally, Yates knew many of his relatives, friends and pupils, and spent much of his career documenting his discoveries and writings.
    Object history
    During the planning of the new University Museum of Oxford in 1856, it was decided to commission several statues of famous scientists. One of these was to be of Priestley, and James Yates was invited to oversee its conception. In his own words, 'it became necessary to obtain the best portraits, busts and bas-reliefs to assist the sculptor in making a good likeness.' He also acquired reports of personal experiences and anecdotes from people who knew Priestley, and in 1864 assembled all of this material into this volume.

    This volume was presented to the Royal Society in 1957 by the Priestley family.
    Related fellows
    Joseph Priestley (1733 - 1804, British) , Theologian
    James Yates (1789 - 1871, British) , Minister
    Associated place
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