Joseph Huddart
Encyclopedia
Joseph Huddart F.R.S.
(1741-1816) was a hydrographer. He surveyed harbours and coasts but made a fortune from improving the design and manufacture of rope. He was highly regarded in the nineteenth century. His likeness featured in an engraving of distinguished men of science. Huddart was chosen to feature in the central group of the picture alongside luminaries like M.I.Brunel
, James Watt
, Matthew Boulton
and Thomas Telford
.
in Cumberland. Huddart's father was both a shoemaker, a farmer and a fish smoker. Huddart's natural talents were mathematics and mechanics. Huddart had built models of a mill and a ship of war merely from descriptions he had read about. He initially joined his father's fish processing business. His father had taken advantage of an unusual occurrence and joined with others to start the Herring Fishery Company. Shoals of fish had arrived in the Solway Firth
and there was a profit for any who could preserve the fish for export. In 1762 his father died and Huddart inherited his father's share of the fish processing business.
The following year Huddart married Elizabeth Johnson. He took the role of captaining a brig which was used to trade along the Irish coast selling smoked fish for resale to the West Indies. Six years later he built an improved ship and studied the arts of surveying and navigation.
, who had also come from humble beginnings. Hotham had influence with the East India Company
and Huddart was related to Hotham by his marriage to one of Huddart's uncle's daughters.
In 1778 he started out on four voyages to the east, eventually in command of the Royal Admiral. He completed surveys of the coast of India and Sumatra. From 1788 he completed surveys of the Hebrides
and in 1791 he became a fellow of the Royal Society and joined the management of Trinity House
as an elder brother. He took charge of enquiries regarding light, lighthouses and charts and he supervised and directed the construction of the Hurst Point Lighthouse
.
Huddart's guide to navigation to China and New Holland was published in 1801.
Huddart died in London in 1816 having fathered five sons. He was buried under St.Martin's-in-the-Fields
in his uncle's vault. The institute of Civil Engineers had a copy of his portrait by John Hoppner
. In 1865, William Walker
published a book based around an engraving showing the "distinguished men" of 1807-8. The engraving included about fifty people and Huddart was chosen to feature in the central group with M.I.Brunel
, James Watt
, Matthew Boulton
and Thomas Telford
.
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"...
(1741-1816) was a hydrographer. He surveyed harbours and coasts but made a fortune from improving the design and manufacture of rope. He was highly regarded in the nineteenth century. His likeness featured in an engraving of distinguished men of science. Huddart was chosen to feature in the central group of the picture alongside luminaries like M.I.Brunel
Marc Isambard Brunel
Sir Marc Isambard Brunel, FRS FRSE was a French-born engineer who settled in England. He preferred the name Isambard, but is generally known to history as Marc to avoid confusion with his more famous son Isambard Kingdom Brunel...
, James Watt
James Watt
James Watt, FRS, FRSE was a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer whose improvements to the Newcomen steam engine were fundamental to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution in both his native Great Britain and the rest of the world.While working as an instrument maker at the...
, Matthew Boulton
Matthew Boulton
Matthew Boulton, FRS was an English manufacturer and business partner of Scottish engineer James Watt. In the final quarter of the 18th century the partnership installed hundreds of Boulton & Watt steam engines, which were a great advance on the state of the art, making possible the...
and Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
.
Biography
Huddart was born at AllonbyAllonby
Allonby is a village on the coast of the Allerdale district in Cumbria, England. The village is on the B5300 road five miles north of Maryport and eight miles south of Silloth....
in Cumberland. Huddart's father was both a shoemaker, a farmer and a fish smoker. Huddart's natural talents were mathematics and mechanics. Huddart had built models of a mill and a ship of war merely from descriptions he had read about. He initially joined his father's fish processing business. His father had taken advantage of an unusual occurrence and joined with others to start the Herring Fishery Company. Shoals of fish had arrived in the Solway Firth
Solway Firth
The Solway Firth is a firth that forms part of the border between England and Scotland, between Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway. It stretches from St Bees Head, just south of Whitehaven in Cumbria, to the Mull of Galloway, on the western end of Dumfries and Galloway. The Isle of Man is also very...
and there was a profit for any who could preserve the fish for export. In 1762 his father died and Huddart inherited his father's share of the fish processing business.
The following year Huddart married Elizabeth Johnson. He took the role of captaining a brig which was used to trade along the Irish coast selling smoked fish for resale to the West Indies. Six years later he built an improved ship and studied the arts of surveying and navigation.
Navigation
In 1771 he was introduced to Sir Richard HothamRichard Hotham
Sir Richard Hotham was an English eighteenth century property developer and politician who rose from humble origins to a position of some power and influence. He is especially noted for his development of the Sussex village of Bognor Regis into a seaside resort...
, who had also come from humble beginnings. Hotham had influence with the East India Company
East India Company
The East India Company was an early English joint-stock company that was formed initially for pursuing trade with the East Indies, but that ended up trading mainly with the Indian subcontinent and China...
and Huddart was related to Hotham by his marriage to one of Huddart's uncle's daughters.
In 1778 he started out on four voyages to the east, eventually in command of the Royal Admiral. He completed surveys of the coast of India and Sumatra. From 1788 he completed surveys of the Hebrides
Hebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
and in 1791 he became a fellow of the Royal Society and joined the management of Trinity House
Trinity House
The Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond is the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales and other British territorial waters...
as an elder brother. He took charge of enquiries regarding light, lighthouses and charts and he supervised and directed the construction of the Hurst Point Lighthouse
Hurst Point Lighthouse
Hurst Point Lighthouse is located in Hurst Point in the English county of Hampshire, and guides vessels through the western approaches to the Solent.Joseph Huddart supervised and directed the construction of the Hurst Point Lighthouse.-External links:...
.
Huddart's guide to navigation to China and New Holland was published in 1801.
Rope manufacture
He spent some time studying and improving the techniques for manufacturing rope. He was able to improve the strength and reliability by improving the distribution of the stress equally amongst the fibres of the cable. He employed steam power to automate the production of rope. Huddart became very rich from the sale of this improved rope, and in both 1809 and 1811 he purchased estates in Wales.Huddart died in London in 1816 having fathered five sons. He was buried under St.Martin's-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields
St Martin-in-the-Fields is an Anglican church at the north-east corner of Trafalgar Square in the City of Westminster, London. Its patron is Saint Martin of Tours.-Roman era:Excavations at the site in 2006 led to the discovery of a grave dated about 410...
in his uncle's vault. The institute of Civil Engineers had a copy of his portrait by John Hoppner
John Hoppner
John Hoppner was an English portrait painter, .-Early life:Hoppner was born in Whitechapel, London, the son of German parents - his mother was one of the German attendants at the royal palace. King George's fatherly interest and patronage of the young boy gave rise to rumours, quite unfounded,...
. In 1865, William Walker
William Walker (engraver born 1791)
William Walker was a Scottish engraver. He is known for engravings of Sir Henry Raeburn's portraits of Sir Walter Scott and Raeburn himself, Sir Thomas Lawrence's portrait of Lord Broughham , and Alexander Nasmyth's portrait of Robert Burns.- Biography :Walker was born on 1 August 1791 at Markton,...
published a book based around an engraving showing the "distinguished men" of 1807-8. The engraving included about fifty people and Huddart was chosen to feature in the central group with M.I.Brunel
Marc Isambard Brunel
Sir Marc Isambard Brunel, FRS FRSE was a French-born engineer who settled in England. He preferred the name Isambard, but is generally known to history as Marc to avoid confusion with his more famous son Isambard Kingdom Brunel...
, James Watt
James Watt
James Watt, FRS, FRSE was a Scottish inventor and mechanical engineer whose improvements to the Newcomen steam engine were fundamental to the changes brought by the Industrial Revolution in both his native Great Britain and the rest of the world.While working as an instrument maker at the...
, Matthew Boulton
Matthew Boulton
Matthew Boulton, FRS was an English manufacturer and business partner of Scottish engineer James Watt. In the final quarter of the 18th century the partnership installed hundreds of Boulton & Watt steam engines, which were a great advance on the state of the art, making possible the...
and Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
.
Works
- The Oriental Navigator, or New directions for sailing to and from the East Indies, China, New Holland, (1801)
- Memoir of the late Captain Joseph Huddart, F. R. S., 1821 by his son