Person Bradley; James (1693 - 1762) Bradley James 1693 - 1762 British Male Sherborne, Gloucestershire, England March 1693 His father-in-law's house at Chalford, Gloucestershire 13 July 1762 Burial: Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire

Wanstead, Essex (1727); Oxford (1732); Royal Observatory, Greenwich, Kent (1742-1762)

Clergyman, Church of England Astronomy Discovered the aberration of light while attempting to detect stellar parallax Education: Northleach grammar school; Balliol College, Oxford. BA (1714), MA (1717), DD (by diploma 1742) Career: Ordained deacon and priest (1719); Vicar of Bridstow, Herefordshire (1719-1721); Sinecure Rector of Llandewi Valfrey, Carmarthenshire (1719-1721), a living procured for him by Samuel Molyneux (FRS 1712); Chaplain to Philip Bisse, Bishop of Hereford (FRS 1706); Savilian Professor of Astronomy, University of Oxford (1721-1762); carried out observations at Kew with Samuel Molyneux (1725); assisted George Parker, 2nd Earl of Macclesfield (FRS 1722) with the construction of an observatory at Shirburn Castle (1739) and in the reform of the calendar; Astronomer Royal (1742-death); was offered the Vicarage of Greenwich but declined (1742); Professor of Experimental Philosophy, University of Oxford (1749-1760) Memberships: Berlin Academy of Science Son of William Bradley, gent, of Sherborne, Gloucestershire and his wife, Jane Pound of Bishop's Canning, Wiltshire; nephew of James Pound (FRS 1699) who cultivated his talent for astronomy; married Susannah, daughter of Samuel Peach of Chalford, Gloucestershire Royal Society roles: Council: 1725-1726; 1728; 1730 Medals and prizes: Copley Medal 1748 Fellow 06/11/1718 Edmond Halley Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB; Foster; Taylor Hanoverian References: H E Bell, 'The Savilian Professors' Houses and Halley's Observatory at Oxford' in NR 1961 vol 16 pp 179-186 T E Allibone, 'Edmond Halley and the Clubs of the Royal Society' in NR 1973-4 vol 28 pp 195-205 W H McCrea, 'The Royal Observatory and the Study of Gravitation' in NR 1975-6 vol 30 pp 133-140 Sir Bernard Lovell, 'Herschel's Work on the Structure of the Universe' in NR 1978-9 vol 33 pp 57-75 Mari Williams, 'James Bradley and the Eighteenth Century "Gap" in Attempts to Measure Annual Stellar Parallax' in NR 1982-83 vol 37 pp 83-100 Allan Chapman, 'Pure Research and Practical Teaching: the Astronomical Career of James Bradley, 1693-1762' in NR 1993 vol 47 pp 205-212, plate I Bernard Cohen, 'Newton's Description of the Reflecting Telescope' in NR 1993 vol 47 pp 1-9 Richard Sorrenson, 'Towards a History of the Royal Society in the Eighteenth Century' in NR 1996 vol 50 pp 29-46 Marta Cavazza, 'The Institute of Science of Bologna and the Royal Society in the eighteenth century' in NR 2002 vol 56 pp 3-25, plate Obituary, Gentleman's Magazine (1762), p.342. M Croarken, 'Astronomical labourers: Maskelyne's assistants at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, 1765 - 1811' in NR 2003 vol 57 pp 285 - 298 Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 'Freemasons and the Royal Society: Alphabetical List of Fellows of the Royal Society who were Freemasons' 2010 page 10-11 ©The Royal Society International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/image-rs-9656 Mar 1693 - 13 Jul 1762 NA8376 21/11/2001 Andyg pmab 18/07/2024 RS_NET\VirginiaM Yes c47882d7-613d-443c-82dd-227e7d58c704