fbpx
Wikipedia

John Farey Sr.

August 22, 2023

John Farey Sr. (24 September 1766 – 6 January 1826) was an English geologist and writer best known for Farey sequence, a mathematical construct that is named after him.

Biography

Youth and early career

Farey was born on 24 September 1766 at Woburn in Bedfordshire to John Farey (1728–1798) and his second wife, Rachel (née Wright) (1732–1804), a Wesleyan Methodist.[1] He was educated at Halifax in Yorkshire, and showed such aptitude in mathematics, drawing and surveying, that he was brought under the notice of John Smeaton (1724–1792).

After his education he moved to London, where he had relatives, and worked there for a number of years, during which time he met and married, Sophia Hubert, (1770–1830). While in London they had their first child John Farey Jr.[2] They went on to have eight more children, two of whom died in infancy. One of his children, Marianne Farey, was the mother of Sophie Gengembre Anderson, the noted artist.

Land agent in Woburn and consulting surveyor in London

In 1792 Farey was appointed surveyor and land agent[2] to Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford for his Woburn estates. After the death of the duke, Farey in 1802 moved to London, and, after first contemplating emigrating or taking a farm in the country, he settled there as a consulting surveyor and geologist.

That he was enabled to take this step was due largely to his acquaintance with the geologist William Smith, who in 1801 had been employed by the duke of Bedford in works of draining and irrigation. The duke, appreciating Smith's knowledge of the strata, commissioned him in 1802 to explore the margin of the chalk-hills south of Woburn in order to determine the true succession of the strata; and he instructed Farey to accompany him. Farey has remarked that Smith was his Master and Instructor in Mineral Surveying, and his subsequent publications show how well he had profited by the teachings he received.

In 1805, he succeeded the agriculturist Arthur Young as Secretary of the Smithfield Club. His surveying work took him all over the country and he was in much demand from landowners wishing to improve their estates, or exploit the minerals they held. His work on economic geology then was of importance in the burgeoning Industrial Revolution by locating new resources of coal and metal ores.

Work

Writings

Farey was a prolific writer, and Professor Hugh Torrens (see references below) has traced around 270 papers by him, quadrupling the number given by the Royal Society's Catalogue of Scientific Papers. He wrote on all manner of subjects, ranging from horticulture, geology, meteorology, metrology, currency decimalisation, music and mathematics to pacifism.

He was an important contributor to Rees's Cyclopædia with articles on canals, mineralogy, surveying and a number of the scientific and mathematical basis of sound.[3] His Canals article is the largest in the work, being some 210,000 words. He contributed similarly to the Edinburgh Encyclopedia. Various nineteenth-century biographical sources, including the Dictionary of National Biography, claimed wrongly that he wrote the Rees article on Steam. It was actually written by his son John Farey Jr.

He contributed articles on music to periodicals,[4] as well as around 350 articles on the topic the two encyclopaedias. They concerned the mathematical relationship of note values and musical temperament. He devised a notation which allowed a sound to be expressed by the sum of three small values Σ + f + m.[5] He made great use of the researches of Marmaduke Overend (music theorist and organist) (c1730-1790), whose MS were then in the library of the Royal Institution[6]

In 1809 Farey met William Martin who had published work on Derbyshire fossils, to investigate whether they could create a joint geological map of Derbyshire. Martin however was too ill to meet a second time and he died the following year.[1]

Farey's best known work is General View of the Agriculture and Minerals of Derbyshire (3 volumes 1811–17) for the Board of Agriculture. In the first of these volumes (1811) he gave an account of the upper part of the British series of strata, and an exposition of the Carboniferous and other strata of Derbyshire. In this work, and in a paper published in the Philosophical Magazine, vol. 51, 1818, p. 173, on 'Mr Smith's Geological Claims stated', he called attention to the importance of the discoveries of William Smith.

Farey sequence

Main article: Farey sequence

As well as being remembered by historians of geology, his name is more widely known by the Farey sequence which he noted as a result of his interest in the mathematics of sound (Philosophical Magazine, vol. 47, 1816, pp. 385–386).

Farey died in London. Subsequently, Sophia, his widow, offered his geological collection to the British Museum. The museum rejected the collection, and it was dispersed and broken up.

Selected publications

  • John Farey, A General View of the Agriculture and Minerals of Derbyshire, 3 volumes 1811–17. Peak District Mines Historical Society, 1989. Reprint of 1811 Edition.[7]
Articles, a selection
Publications about Farey and his work
  • Woolrich, A. P. (1997). "John Farey, Jr. (1791–1851): Engineer and Polymath". History of Technology. Vol. 19. pp. 111–142. ISBN 0-7201-2365-8.[8]
  • Ford, T. D.; Torrens, H. S. (March–April 2001). "A Farey story: The pioneer geologist John Farey (1766–1826)". Geology Today. 17 (2): 59–68. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2451.2001.00004.x. S2CID 129250209.
  • Torrens, H. S. (2004). "Farey, John (1766–1826)". The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/9154. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

References

  1. ^ a b Matthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, B., eds. (23 September 2004). "The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. ref:odnb/9154. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/9154. Retrieved 1 December 2019. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  2. ^ a b Alec Skempton. "Farey, Jr., John," in: A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland: 1500–1830. 2002. p. 223-224
  3. ^ "The complete texts of Rees's Cyclopaedia". Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  4. ^ Kassler, Jamie C. (1979). The Science of Music in Britain, 1714-1830: A Catalogue of Writings, Lectures and Inventions. Garland, New York. pp. 323–343.
  5. ^ Woolrich, A .P. (2019). "The General music articles in Rees's Cyclopaedia". Burney Letter. 25 (1): 6–7.
  6. ^ Woolrich, A. P. (2020). "Dr Charles Burney and Marmaduke Overend, the scientific organist of Isleworth". Burney Letter. 26 (1): 6.
  7. ^ Volume 1. contains an introduction by Trevor D. Ford and Hugh S. Torrens. The introduction contains a list of Farey's writings located to the date of the reprint.
  8. ^ This article includes a brief family history and a family tree.
Attribution

  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Farey, John". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

External links

  Media related to John Farey, Sr. at Wikimedia Commons

August 22, 2023
john, farey, september, 1766, january, 1826, english, geologist, writer, best, known, farey, sequence, mathematical, construct, that, named, after, contents, biography, youth, early, career, land, agent, woburn, consulting, surveyor, london, work, writings, fa. John Farey Sr 24 September 1766 6 January 1826 was an English geologist and writer best known for Farey sequence a mathematical construct that is named after him Contents 1 Biography 1 1 Youth and early career 1 2 Land agent in Woburn and consulting surveyor in London 2 Work 2 1 Writings 2 2 Farey sequence 3 Selected publications 4 References 5 External linksBiography EditYouth and early career Edit Farey was born on 24 September 1766 at Woburn in Bedfordshire to John Farey 1728 1798 and his second wife Rachel nee Wright 1732 1804 a Wesleyan Methodist 1 He was educated at Halifax in Yorkshire and showed such aptitude in mathematics drawing and surveying that he was brought under the notice of John Smeaton 1724 1792 After his education he moved to London where he had relatives and worked there for a number of years during which time he met and married Sophia Hubert 1770 1830 While in London they had their first child John Farey Jr 2 They went on to have eight more children two of whom died in infancy One of his children Marianne Farey was the mother of Sophie Gengembre Anderson the noted artist Land agent in Woburn and consulting surveyor in London Edit In 1792 Farey was appointed surveyor and land agent 2 to Francis Russell 5th Duke of Bedford for his Woburn estates After the death of the duke Farey in 1802 moved to London and after first contemplating emigrating or taking a farm in the country he settled there as a consulting surveyor and geologist That he was enabled to take this step was due largely to his acquaintance with the geologist William Smith who in 1801 had been employed by the duke of Bedford in works of draining and irrigation The duke appreciating Smith s knowledge of the strata commissioned him in 1802 to explore the margin of the chalk hills south of Woburn in order to determine the true succession of the strata and he instructed Farey to accompany him Farey has remarked that Smith was his Master and Instructor in Mineral Surveying and his subsequent publications show how well he had profited by the teachings he received In 1805 he succeeded the agriculturist Arthur Young as Secretary of the Smithfield Club His surveying work took him all over the country and he was in much demand from landowners wishing to improve their estates or exploit the minerals they held His work on economic geology then was of importance in the burgeoning Industrial Revolution by locating new resources of coal and metal ores Work EditWritings Edit Farey was a prolific writer and Professor Hugh Torrens see references below has traced around 270 papers by him quadrupling the number given by the Royal Society s Catalogue of Scientific Papers He wrote on all manner of subjects ranging from horticulture geology meteorology metrology currency decimalisation music and mathematics to pacifism He was an important contributor to Rees s Cyclopaedia with articles on canals mineralogy surveying and a number of the scientific and mathematical basis of sound 3 His Canals article is the largest in the work being some 210 000 words He contributed similarly to the Edinburgh Encyclopedia Various nineteenth century biographical sources including the Dictionary of National Biography claimed wrongly that he wrote the Rees article on Steam It was actually written by his son John Farey Jr He contributed articles on music to periodicals 4 as well as around 350 articles on the topic the two encyclopaedias They concerned the mathematical relationship of note values and musical temperament He devised a notation which allowed a sound to be expressed by the sum of three small values S f m 5 He made great use of the researches of Marmaduke Overend music theorist and organist c1730 1790 whose MS were then in the library of the Royal Institution 6 In 1809 Farey met William Martin who had published work on Derbyshire fossils to investigate whether they could create a joint geological map of Derbyshire Martin however was too ill to meet a second time and he died the following year 1 Farey s best known work is General View of the Agriculture and Minerals of Derbyshire 3 volumes 1811 17 for the Board of Agriculture In the first of these volumes 1811 he gave an account of the upper part of the British series of strata and an exposition of the Carboniferous and other strata of Derbyshire In this work and in a paper published in the Philosophical Magazine vol 51 1818 p 173 on Mr Smith s Geological Claims stated he called attention to the importance of the discoveries of William Smith Farey sequence Edit Main article Farey sequence As well as being remembered by historians of geology his name is more widely known by the Farey sequence which he noted as a result of his interest in the mathematics of sound Philosophical Magazine vol 47 1816 pp 385 386 Farey died in London Subsequently Sophia his widow offered his geological collection to the British Museum The museum rejected the collection and it was dispersed and broken up Selected publications EditJohn Farey A General View of the Agriculture and Minerals of Derbyshire 3 volumes 1811 17 Peak District Mines Historical Society 1989 Reprint of 1811 Edition 7 Articles a selectionJohn Farey canals mineralogy surveying in Rees s CyclopaediaPublications about Farey and his workWoolrich A P 1997 John Farey Jr 1791 1851 Engineer and Polymath History of Technology Vol 19 pp 111 142 ISBN 0 7201 2365 8 8 Ford T D Torrens H S March April 2001 A Farey story The pioneer geologist John Farey 1766 1826 Geology Today 17 2 59 68 doi 10 1046 j 1365 2451 2001 00004 x S2CID 129250209 Torrens H S 2004 Farey John 1766 1826 The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 9154 Subscription or UK public library membership required References Edit a b Matthew H C G Harrison B eds 23 September 2004 The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press pp ref odnb 9154 doi 10 1093 ref odnb 9154 Retrieved 1 December 2019 Subscription or UK public library membership required a b Alec Skempton Farey Jr John in A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland 1500 1830 2002 p 223 224 The complete texts of Rees s Cyclopaedia Retrieved 12 July 2020 Kassler Jamie C 1979 The Science of Music in Britain 1714 1830 A Catalogue of Writings Lectures and Inventions Garland New York pp 323 343 Woolrich A P 2019 The General music articles in Rees s Cyclopaedia Burney Letter 25 1 6 7 Woolrich A P 2020 Dr Charles Burney and Marmaduke Overend the scientific organist of Isleworth Burney Letter 26 1 6 Volume 1 contains an introduction by Trevor D Ford and Hugh S Torrens The introduction contains a list of Farey s writings located to the date of the reprint This article includes a brief family history and a family tree Attribution This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Farey John Encyclopaedia Britannica 11th ed Cambridge University Press External links Edit Media related to John Farey Sr at Wikimedia Commons Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John Farey Sr amp oldid 1144470943, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.