| RefNo | MS/958 |
| Level | File |
| Title | 'Memoir of my singular history' by Benjamin Wilson FRS |
| Creator | Wilson; Benjamin (1721 - 1788); painter and scientist |
| Date | 1781 |
| Description | The memoir commences with family history information derived from the family bible, and was handed down through his family, beginning with his daughter Frances Wilson, with strict instructions on retaining its confidentiality [outlined on page 3]. The text continues and becomes an account of the London art world of Hogarth (1697-1764) who loved a little mischief” and his contemporaries. Wilson made early painting expeditions to Ireland, apparently on the advice of the scientist and antiquary Martin Folkes (1690-1754) (FRS 1714), President of the Royal Society with whom he corresponded. Art provided his livelihood, but Wilson also tried the works of Newton, Boyle and Desaguiliers and declared that 'in consequence of reading these and other philosophical books, I got a turn for experimental philosophy'. His experiments, relayed to a variety of friends including the engineer John Smeaton (1724-1792) earned him Royal Society Fellowship and a wide circle of philosophical acquaintances, many of whom are mentioned in this memoir.
Wilson notes how he repeated Dr Benjamin Franklin’s (FRS 1756) highly dangerous Philadelphia kite experiment as part of several scientific interests. His own Treatise on electricity appeared in 1752 but it is towards the second half of this memoir that Wilson begins to relate the story of the Royal Society’s advisory committee on the most effective conductors of lightning to protect the vital Purfleet gunpowder magazine. Wilson, Benjamin Franklin and Henry Cavendish (among others) offered their views, leading to a dispute over the best shape for lightning rods, pointed or rounded. |
| Extent | 1 volume; 187pp |
| Format | Manuscript |
| AccessStatus | Open |
| RelatedMaterial | https://ttp.royalsociety.org/ttp/ttp.html?o=1&id=59487a8f-1720-4664-9785-7474a5031f96&type=book&_ga=2.186375017.1115929948.1704188280-1209525634.1700154565 |
Fellows associated with this archive
| Code | PersonName | Dates |
| NA5600 | Wilson; Benjamin (1721 - 1788); portrait painter and scientist | 1721 - 1788 |
| NA8378 | Folkes; Martin (1690 - 1754); antiquary and natural philosopher | 1690 - 1754 |
| NA7974 | Franklin; Benjamin (1706 - 1790) | 1706 - 1790 |