George Parker, 2nd Earl of Macclesfield
Encyclopedia
George Parker, 2nd Earl of Macclesfield, FRS (c. 1695 or 1697 – 17 March 1764) was an English
peer and astronomer
.
Styled Viscount Parker from 1721 to 1732, he was Member of Parliament
(MP) for Wallingford
from 1722 to 1727, but his interests were not in politics. In 1722 he became a fellow of the Royal Society
, and he spent most of his time in astronomical observations at his Oxfordshire
seat, Shirburn Castle
, which had been bought by his father in 1716; here he built an observatory and a chemical laboratory.
He was very prominent in effecting the changeover to the Gregorian calendar
, which came into effect in 1752. His action in this matter, however, was somewhat unpopular, as the opinion was fairly general that he had robbed the people of eleven days. When his son ran for parliament as a Whig
in 1754, resentment over his role in the calendar reform was one of many issues raised by the son's Tory
opponents; a famous 1755 Hogarth
painting influenced by the events of these elections is the main historical source for the "Give us our eleven days" slogan.
From 1752 until his death, Macclesfield was president of the Royal Society
, and he made some observations on the great 1755 Lisbon earthquake
.
In 1750 Macclesfield was offered the honorary position of vice president of the Foundling Hospital
, which he accepted and kept until his death in 1764. The Foundling Hospital was a charitable institution created a decade earlier, dedicated to saving London
's abandoned children. The Earl seems to have taken his position seriously, as he commissioned the artist Benjamin Wilson
to paint a full size portrait of him, which he then donated to the Hospital. The portrait is still in the Foundling Hospital Collection and available to view at the Foundling Museum
.
In 1755, Parker was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
peer and astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
.
Styled Viscount Parker from 1721 to 1732, he was Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP) for Wallingford
Wallingford (UK Parliament constituency)
Wallingford was a constituency in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom.It was a parliamentary borough created in 1295, centred on the market town Wallingford in Berkshire . It used to return two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons; this was cut to one in 1832, and...
from 1722 to 1727, but his interests were not in politics. In 1722 he became a fellow of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, and he spent most of his time in astronomical observations at his Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
seat, Shirburn Castle
Shirburn Castle
Shirburn Castle is at the village of Shirburn, south of Thame, Oxfordshire.Shirburn Castle was the seat of the Earls of Macclesfield. George Parker, 2nd Earl of Macclesfield , celebrated as an astronomer, spent much time conducting astronomical observations at Shirburn Castle, which his father...
, which had been bought by his father in 1716; here he built an observatory and a chemical laboratory.
He was very prominent in effecting the changeover to the Gregorian calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
, which came into effect in 1752. His action in this matter, however, was somewhat unpopular, as the opinion was fairly general that he had robbed the people of eleven days. When his son ran for parliament as a Whig
British Whig Party
The Whigs were a party in the Parliament of England, Parliament of Great Britain, and Parliament of the United Kingdom, who contested power with the rival Tories from the 1680s to the 1850s. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
in 1754, resentment over his role in the calendar reform was one of many issues raised by the son's Tory
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
opponents; a famous 1755 Hogarth
William Hogarth
William Hogarth was an English painter, printmaker, pictorial satirist, social critic and editorial cartoonist who has been credited with pioneering western sequential art. His work ranged from realistic portraiture to comic strip-like series of pictures called "modern moral subjects"...
painting influenced by the events of these elections is the main historical source for the "Give us our eleven days" slogan.
From 1752 until his death, Macclesfield was president of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, and he made some observations on the great 1755 Lisbon earthquake
1755 Lisbon earthquake
The 1755 Lisbon earthquake, also known as the Great Lisbon Earthquake, was a megathrust earthquake that took place on Saturday 1 November 1755, at around 9:40 in the morning. The earthquake was followed by fires and a tsunami, which almost totally destroyed Lisbon in the Kingdom of Portugal, and...
.
In 1750 Macclesfield was offered the honorary position of vice president of the Foundling Hospital
Foundling Hospital
The Foundling Hospital in London, England was founded in 1741 by the philanthropic sea captain Thomas Coram. It was a children's home established for the "education and maintenance of exposed and deserted young children." The word "hospital" was used in a more general sense than it is today, simply...
, which he accepted and kept until his death in 1764. The Foundling Hospital was a charitable institution created a decade earlier, dedicated to saving London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
's abandoned children. The Earl seems to have taken his position seriously, as he commissioned the artist Benjamin Wilson
Benjamin Wilson (painter)
Benjamin Wilson was an English painter, printmaker and scientist .He was the 14th child of Major Wilson, a wealthy York clothier whose house was decorated by the French history painter, Jacques Parmentier...
to paint a full size portrait of him, which he then donated to the Hospital. The portrait is still in the Foundling Hospital Collection and available to view at the Foundling Museum
Foundling Museum
The Foundling Museum in London tells the story of the Foundling Hospital, Britain's first home for abandoned children. The museum houses the nationally important Foundling Hospital Art Collection as well as the Gerald Coke Handel Collection, the world's greatest privately amassed collection of...
.
In 1755, Parker was elected a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences
The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences or Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien is one of the Royal Academies of Sweden. The Academy is an independent, non-governmental scientific organization which acts to promote the sciences, primarily the natural sciences and mathematics.The Academy was founded on 2...
.