Charles Benham
Encyclopedia
Charles Edwin Benham JP
' onMouseout='HidePop("64312")' href="/topics/Colchester">Colchester
, Essex, England - 1 April 1929, also in Colchester) was a journalist, editing for many years the Essex County Standard
, a published author of works such as Essex Ballads and an amateur scientist-cum-inventor, which led him to create Benham's top
, which was named after him.
Born on 15 April 1860 into a family of newspaper proprietors, Benham was educated at Colchester Royal Grammar School
but did not attend university. He later returned to the school to become President of the Old Colcestrian Society for old boys of the school. Living in Colchester for all but a handful of years of his life spent with Mebrose printers in Derby - and, in turn, writing about it in many of his books - he helped edit the family-controlled paper the Essex County Standard
jointly with his brother William Gurney Benham
from 1892 until his death in 1929, which was described as "sudden and unexpected", from angina pectoris whilst in his editorial office for the newspaper. He left a widow.
In the spare time that this provided, Benham was a keen amateur scientist and contributor to the journal Nature
. His obituary in Nature noted that Benham was "a representative of the type of scientific amateur of which British science has reason to be proud... by faithful observation and original mind he was able to make some notable contributions to knowledge." Most significantly, however, he is credited for the discovery of Benham's top
, the invention of which was relayed through an 1894 issue of Nature. The disc, when spun, produces vivid and coloured images of concentric circles (Fechner colours
), despite neither of these being present in the design.
Additionally, Benham contributed an essay defending the reputation of William Gilbert, asserting that "though Gilbert's actual discoveries were few and crude, he must be judged rather by the spirit of his work." Other contributions were plentiful in the areas of optics and fluorescence. His exploits were also described in Knowledge and the (English) Journal of Botany
. The invention of a "miniature twin elliptic pendulum harmonograph
" was also credited to him. It was, according to Archibald Williams, "a good means of entertaining friends at home or elsewhere." In addition, Benham became a justice of the peace
in 1917 and was a distinguished artist in his own right, particularly in watercolour.
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
' onMouseout='HidePop("64312")' href="/topics/Colchester">Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, Essex, England - 1 April 1929, also in Colchester) was a journalist, editing for many years the Essex County Standard
Essex County Standard
The Essex County Standard is a weekly newspaper, published in Colchester, Essex. As of January 2011, it has an average circulation of 16,614 per issue. It is currently owned by the Newsquest Media Group, part of the American Gannett Company.- History :...
, a published author of works such as Essex Ballads and an amateur scientist-cum-inventor, which led him to create Benham's top
Benham's top
Benham's top, also called Benham's disk, is named after the English toymaker Charles Benham, who, in 1895, sold a top painted with the pattern shown. When the disk is spun, arcs of pale color — called Fechner colors or pattern induced flicker colors — are visible at different places...
, which was named after him.
Born on 15 April 1860 into a family of newspaper proprietors, Benham was educated at Colchester Royal Grammar School
Colchester Royal Grammar School
Colchester Royal Grammar School is a grammar school in Colchester, Essex, founded in AD 1206 and granted two Royal Charters by Henry VIII and by Elizabeth I .-Admissions:...
but did not attend university. He later returned to the school to become President of the Old Colcestrian Society for old boys of the school. Living in Colchester for all but a handful of years of his life spent with Mebrose printers in Derby - and, in turn, writing about it in many of his books - he helped edit the family-controlled paper the Essex County Standard
Essex County Standard
The Essex County Standard is a weekly newspaper, published in Colchester, Essex. As of January 2011, it has an average circulation of 16,614 per issue. It is currently owned by the Newsquest Media Group, part of the American Gannett Company.- History :...
jointly with his brother William Gurney Benham
William Gurney Benham
Sir William Gurney Benham Kt, JP, FSA, FRHistS, was a newspaper editor, published author and three times Mayor of Colchester.Gurney Benham was born on 16 February 1859 and educated at the Merchant Taylors' School until 1873, and thereafter at Colchester Royal Grammar School, a school about which he...
from 1892 until his death in 1929, which was described as "sudden and unexpected", from angina pectoris whilst in his editorial office for the newspaper. He left a widow.
In the spare time that this provided, Benham was a keen amateur scientist and contributor to the journal Nature
Nature (journal)
Nature, first published on 4 November 1869, is ranked the world's most cited interdisciplinary scientific journal by the Science Edition of the 2010 Journal Citation Reports...
. His obituary in Nature noted that Benham was "a representative of the type of scientific amateur of which British science has reason to be proud... by faithful observation and original mind he was able to make some notable contributions to knowledge." Most significantly, however, he is credited for the discovery of Benham's top
Benham's top
Benham's top, also called Benham's disk, is named after the English toymaker Charles Benham, who, in 1895, sold a top painted with the pattern shown. When the disk is spun, arcs of pale color — called Fechner colors or pattern induced flicker colors — are visible at different places...
, the invention of which was relayed through an 1894 issue of Nature. The disc, when spun, produces vivid and coloured images of concentric circles (Fechner colours
Fechner color
The Fechner color effect is an illusion of color seen when looking at certain rapidly changing or moving black-and-white patterns. They are also called pattern induced flicker colors . Not everyone sees the same colors....
), despite neither of these being present in the design.
Additionally, Benham contributed an essay defending the reputation of William Gilbert, asserting that "though Gilbert's actual discoveries were few and crude, he must be judged rather by the spirit of his work." Other contributions were plentiful in the areas of optics and fluorescence. His exploits were also described in Knowledge and the (English) Journal of Botany
Journal of Botany, British and Foreign
Journal of Botany, British and Foreign is a monthly journal that was edited by Berthold Carl Seemann between 1863–1871....
. The invention of a "miniature twin elliptic pendulum harmonograph
Harmonograph
A harmonograph is a mechanical apparatus that employs pendulums to create a geometric image. The drawings created typically are Lissajous curves, or related drawings of greater complexity...
" was also credited to him. It was, according to Archibald Williams, "a good means of entertaining friends at home or elsewhere." In addition, Benham became a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in 1917 and was a distinguished artist in his own right, particularly in watercolour.
Published works
- Essex Ballads (1895, 1901)
- William Gilbert of Colchester. A sketch of his magnetic philosophy. (1902)
- Colchester Worthies
- Mate's Illustrated Colchester (1908)
- Descriptive and Practical Details as to Harmonographs (1909)
External links
- Benham's section in Nature (1894), as provided by archive.org.
- Colchester Worthies on Google books.
- Essex Ballads and Other Poems on Google books.