Lancashire Lantern: Lancashire Pioneers

Part of the Lancashire Lantern network, the Pioneers gives details of people who were famous local people in science, technology and innovation. These pioneers were either born in Lancashire or their endeavours made a significant contribution to the development of the County.

Science

The following pioneers were involved in science:

Image of Jeremiah HorrocksJeremiah Horrocks (1617 - 1641), 

the first important British astronomer. In 1639, in Much Hoole, he predicted and then observed the transit of Venus across the face of the sun. This important event paved the way for further scientific discoveries and exploration.

 

Portrait image of sir james mackenzieSir James Mackenzie M.D. (1853 - 1925), 

born in Scone, Perthshire; a general practitioner and clinical researcher especially concerned with heart disease. He lived and worked in Burnley for 28 years from 1879 and invented an ink polygraph to measure the pulse rate.

 

Portrait image of Portrait of John Edward Marr, used with permission from the Cambridgeshire Collection, Cambridge Central LibraryJohn Edward Marr (1857 - 1933), 

born in Morecambe, pioneer in study of geology and scenery; Professor of Geology, Cambridge University; President, Geological Society of London 1904-1906; Fellow of the Royal Society.

 

Portrait image of john mercerJohn Mercer (1791 - 1866), 

a self-taught chemist, was born and lived in Great Harwood and Clayton-le-Moors. He invented the mercerisation process for treating cotton which is still in use today and was a pioneer in colour photography.

 

Portrait image of Jonas MooreSir Jonas Moore (1617 - 1679), 

born in Higher Whitelee, near Nelson; mathematician and a copyholder of the Honour of Clitheroe; surveyor of the Fens and map maker.

 

 

Portrait image of sir john owenSir Richard Owen (1804 - 1892), 

born in Lancaster; a Naturalist and first Hunterian Professor of comparative anatomy and physiology at the Royal College of Surgeons and founder of the Natural History Museum.

 

 

James Pearson F.R.A.S. (1825 - 1886), 

vicar of Fleetwood; his findings on the computation of tides are still used today.

 

 

Portrait image of edmondson spencerEdmondson Spencer (1885 - 1955), 

born in Colne; chemist and geologist for Bird & Co. Calcutta. In his obituary in the Colne Times 25th November 1955, it was quoted "One of the greatest scientists this country and perhaps the world has ever produced". 

 

 

Portrait image of Sir Arthur Schuster - reproduced by kind permission of The Wellcome Trust Medical Photographic LibrarySir Arthur Schuster (1851 - 1934), 

born in Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany, naturalized as a British citizen in 1875; a mathematical physicist and x-ray pioneer; first practical, portable, diagnostic use of x-ray performed at Nelson.

 

 

Portrait image of james thomsonJames Thomson (1779 - 1850), 

an accomplished chemist and leading light in the calico printing industry at Primrose Mill, Clitheroe.