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Authorised form of nameHamilton; Sir; William (1730 - 1803)
Dates1730 - 1803
NationalityBritish
Place of birthScotland
Date of birth13 December 1730
Place of deathHis house at 23 Piccadilly, London
Date of death06 April 1803
DatesAndPlacesBurial:
Milford Haven, Pembrokeshire, Wales
Research fieldArchaeology
Geology
ActivityCareer:
In 1772 the British Museum purchased Sir William's collection of classical acquisitions, changing the balance of its whole collection.
Honours:
KB 1772
Membership categoryFellow
Date of election06/11/1766
RSActivityRoyal Society roles:
VP 1800-1803
Medals and prizes:
Copley Medal 1770
SourceSources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB
References:
G R de Beer, 'The Relations between Fellows of the Royal Society and French Men of Science when France and Britain were at War' in NR 1952 vol 9 pp 244-299
A D Atkinson, 'Dr Johnson and the Royal Society' in NR 1953 vol 10 pp 131-138
J S Rowlinson, '"Our Common Room in Geneva" and the Early Exploration of the Alps of Savoy' in NR 1998 vol 52 pp 221-235
Milo Keynes, 'The Portland Vase: Sir William Hamilton, Josiah Wedgwood and the Darwins' in NR 1998 vol 52 pp 237-259, plate
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
Virtual International Authority Filehttp://viaf.org/viaf/41888125
CodeNA2732
Archives associated with this Fellow
RefNoTitleDate
EC/1766/14Hamilton, Sir William: certificate of election to the Royal Society
IM/005347Hamilton, Sir William1995
IM/001873Hamilton, Sir Williamnd
MM/11/23Instrument by Joseph Banks appointing Sir William Hamilton, Deputy President of the Royal Society18 December 1800
CB/2/510Copy of a letter from Charles Blagden to William HamiltonMarch 1791
L&P/5/214Letter, 'Of Mount Vesuvius' from William Hamilton to Matthew Maty1 January 1771
L&P/5/3Letter, 'The eruption of Mount Vesuvius of 1767' from William Hamilton to James Douglas29 December 1767
L&P/4/372Letter, 'The last eruption of Vesuvius' from William Hamilton10 June 1766
L&P/5/148Letter, 'A journey to Mount Etna' from William Hamilton to Matthew Maty17 October 1769
L&P/5/155Letter, 'Of the supposed change in the Italian climate' from William Hamilton to Matthew Maty17 October 1769
L&P/5/242Letter, 'Descriptions of specimens of soils and rocks sent (with paper) from Naples and neighbourhood' by William Hamilton5 March 1771
L&P/7/129Letter, 'Description of eleven specimens of stones ejected by Vesuvius on 8 August 1779' from William Hamilton to Joseph Banks5 September 1779
L&P/7/130/1Letter, 'Account of the eruption of Vesuvius on 8 August 1779' from William Hamilton to Joseph Banks1 October 1779
L&P/10/103/1Letters, 'Account of the late eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1794' from William Hamilton to Joseph Banks2 September 1794
L&P/8/186/1Letter, 'Of the eruption of Vesuvius which began November 1784 and continued until December 1785' from William Hamilton to Joseph Banks24 January 1786
L&P/6/259Letter, 'Concerning traces of Rhine volcanoes' from William Hamilton to John Pringle29 September 1777
L&P/7/130Paper, 'Account of the eruption of Vesuvius on 8 August 1779' by William Hamilton1 October 1779
IM/005341Hamilton, Sir William1995
L&P/4/384Letter, 'Eruption of Mount Vesuvius' from William Hamilton to James Douglas3 February 1767
AP/5/18/2Unpublished letter, introducing Razumovsky's paper on bitumens from Tho [Thomas] Hill to Sir Joseph Banks22 October 1784
AP/4/14Unpublished letter, 'Su la larva dell'insetto Formica-Hercules' ['On the larva of the Hercules ant'] from Antonio Minasi to Guiglielmo [William] Hamilton1779
L&P/5/71Letter, 'Of Mount Vesuvius' from William Hamilton to Matthew Maty4 October 1768
L&P/8/186Paper, 'Of the eruption of Vesuvius which began November 1784 and continued until December 1785' by William Hamilton24 January 1786
L&P/10/103Paper, 'Account of the late eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1794' by William Hamilton2 September 1794
L&P/5/206Letter, 'Of the soil of Naples and the neighbourhood' from William Hamilton to Matthew Maty16 October 1770
L&P/7/5Letters, 'Of a large stone near Cape Town' from William Anderson and William Hamilton to John Pringle24 July 1777
L&P/8/33Letter, 'Earthquakes in Calabria, 1783' from William Hamilton to Joseph Banks23 May 1783
L&P/8/34Letter, 'Record of the earthquake of 28 March 1783' from Francesco d'Ippolito to William Hamilton1783
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    Botanical paintings by Jacob van Huysum and William Sartorius

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