Plan of Joseph Priestley’s house
Date
1800
Creator
Thomas Chatfeild Clarke (1829 - 1895, British) , Draughtsman
After
T Sambourne (American) , Surveyor
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Subject
Content object
Description
Two views of Joseph Priestley’s house in Pennsylvania with an architectural plan of the ground floor. The top view shows the house from the southeast, with the view underneath showing the house form the northwest. A scale and directional marker are shown for the plan of the rooms.
The floorplan shows labels for the rooms on the ground floor including a large library and laboratory. The outhouses are also shown, including the stables and cow shed.
Inscribed: ‘Plan of Dr Priestley’s House & Grounds at Northumberland in the State of Pennsylvania & their S.E. & NW, Elevations; As also a View of the Vicinity July 1800 / Printed & drawn by T. Sambourne Survr. Luzerne County.’ Inscribed below: ‘COPIED BY THOS. CHATFEILD CLARKE 137 LEADENHALL ST.’
From The Priestley Papers, a volume containing portraits, drawings, letters and other memorials of Joseph Priestley, curated and edited by James Yates.
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.
The floorplan shows labels for the rooms on the ground floor including a large library and laboratory. The outhouses are also shown, including the stables and cow shed.
Inscribed: ‘Plan of Dr Priestley’s House & Grounds at Northumberland in the State of Pennsylvania & their S.E. & NW, Elevations; As also a View of the Vicinity July 1800 / Printed & drawn by T. Sambourne Survr. Luzerne County.’ Inscribed below: ‘COPIED BY THOS. CHATFEILD CLARKE 137 LEADENHALL ST.’
From The Priestley Papers, a volume containing portraits, drawings, letters and other memorials of Joseph Priestley, curated and edited by James Yates.
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.
This volume was presented to the Royal Society in 1957 by the Priestley family.
Related fellows
Associated place