Francis Baily FRAS FRS (1774-1844) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree

Francis Baily FRAS FRS

Born 28 Apr 1774 in Newbury, Berkshire, England

Son of Richard Baily and Sarah Head

Brother of Richard Baily, John Baily, Sarah Head Baily, Henry Baily, Elizabeth Baily and Arthur Baily

Died 30 Aug 1844 at age 70 in St Pancras, Middlesex, England, United Kingdom

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Frances Halliday

[send private message]

Profile last modified 27 Jul 2020 | Created 17 May 2020

This page has been accessed 993 times.

1 Biography
2 Sources
3 Acknowledgements

Biography

Francis Baily FRAS FRS is Notable.

Francis Baily FRAS FRS was born in Berkshire, England.

Francis Baily was an English astronomer, known for detecting the phenomenon called “Baily’s beads”. He also founded the Royal Astronomical Society, and was the president four times. He developed his interest in astronomy while pursuing a career as a successful stockbroker.

Birth

Francis came from a long line of Bailys based in Thatcham. He was born in 1774 in Newbury, Berkshire, the third child of Richard Baily and Sarah Head. The property in Newbury located on the site of the house where he was born is now marked with a blue plaque, installed in 2016.^[1]^[2]

His father, Richard, was a banker and came from a long line of Bailys (also spelt Bailey or Bayly) dating back to the 16th century. The history of the Baily family is recorded in a book published in 1951^[3]

Early Years

Francis attended the school of the Reverend Best in Newbury. At the age of 14 he was sent to London and placed in a mercantile house, where he was apprenticed for 7 years. As soon as this expired he sailed for America on 21st October 1796. The story of his experiences as a traveller is contained in a 'Journal of a Tour in Unsettled Parts of North America in 1796 and 1797'.

Career

In 1799 he entered into partnership with Mr. Whitmore of the London Stock Exchange. He was very successful both as a stockbroker and as a writer on interest and annuities. Baily acquired a substantial reputation for the accuracy of his actuarial computations and published a number of successful articles. He began to publish on astronomy from 1811 and by his late forties, he had earned enough to give up his financial career. He retired from business in 1825 at the age of 50 to devote himself wholly to astronomy, having founded the Astronomical Society 5 years previously.

Astronomy

While still working as a stockbroker Francis pursued his interest in astronomy. Among other things, he worked on a paper about an ancient solar eclipse that Thales was said to have predicted.^[4]

Francis is probably best known for his discovery of Baily's Beads, arcs of bright spots first observed during an annular eclipse of 1836.^[5]

Baily's Beads

In later life, important contributions to astronomy included correcting and republishing tables of star positions in a number of catalogues. He also worked on the ellipticity and density of the Earth.

Distinguished Men of Science living in 1807-08, owned by the Science Museum, London

Royal Astronomical Society

The Astronomical Society of London, later known as the Royal Astronomical Society, was formed in 1820 when Francis sat down to dinner with 13 other men at the Freemason's Tavern, in Lincoln's Inn Fields, London. The first President of the Society was Sir William Hershel. Francis was President four times and won two Gold Medals.^[6] A short article entitled "Founders of the RAS: Francis Baily" was published in 2016.^[7]

The Royal Society

In 1821, Francis was admitted as a Fellow of The Royal Society where he undertook roles as Treasurer and Vice President. His record lists a number of associated archives.^[8]

Later Years

In 1841 he was living in Tavistock Place, London with his unmarried sister, Elizabeth Baily^[9] He never married.

Death

Francis died in 1844 in St Pancras, Middlesex, now part of London, probably in his home at 37 Tavistock Place.^[10] After he died John Herschel, son of Richard Herschel, published a detailed memoir.^[11]

Burial

He was buried in the family vault in St Mary's Church, Thatcham.^[12]

St Mary's Church, Thatcham

Francis Baily Remembered

The Primary School in Thatcham is now known as Francis Baily Primary.^[13]
A British postage stamp was issued in 1970 in commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the foundation of the RAS.^[14]
The lunar crater Baily was named in his honour.
Baily's metal (16 parts copper, 2.5 parts tin, 1 part zinc) was the rigid and thermally insensitive alloy used to cast the 1855 standard yard.