Joseph Priestley 250th Anniversary Collection

Collection

Identifier: 2024-507

Staff Only

Content Description

This collection contains a variety of materials related to the 250th anniversary of the birth of English chemist Joseph Priestley. This includes an envelope from the Priestley House with various signatures. There are two other envelopes in the collection; one sent to James Bohning inviting him to the 1983 Philatelic Cachet, and the second also to Bohning from Edwin Hodge inquiring if he will be attending the Priestley First Day of Issue ceremony. The collection also contains a series of booklets related to Priestley. The first is a copy of Famous Names in Chemical History, which covers Priestley’s life and work. The second is a pamphlet for Joseph Priestley: Enlightened Chemist, an exhibition commemorating his 250th birthday. The third is a program for the bicentennial commemoration of Priestley’s discovery of oxygen. The last is a catalog of apparatus belonging to Priestley held at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. The collection also contains one letter between Brent Glass and Arnold Thackray, thanking Thackray for his donation of the Joseph Priestley traveling exhibition to the Beckman Center for the History of Chemistry. There is additionally a paper titled “Iconography of Joseph Priestley: Caricatures”. The remaining materials relate to the 250th birthday celebration for Joseph Priestley. This includes a proposal and schedules for events, memorandum, speaker bios and schedules, as well as biographical information of Joseph Priestley.

Dates

Creation: 1976-1988

Access Restrictions

There are no access restrictions on the materials for research purposes and the collection is open to the public.

Copyright Information

The Science History Institute holds copyright to the Joseph Priestley 250th Anniversary Collection. The researcher assumes full responsibility for all copyright, property, and libel laws as they apply.

Background Note

Joseph Priestley was an English chemist best known for his discovery of oxygen and several other gasses. Born on March 24, 1733, in Birstall, Yorkshire, England, Priestley’s family were Dissenters, or those who did not belong to the Church of England. Shuffled between various family members in his youth, Priestley eventually attended Daventry Academy in 1752, which was a Dissenting academy. While at Daventry Academy, Priestley studied theology and approached the Bible from a rational stance, rather than from mysticism. After graduating, Priestley worked as a minister at various parishes throughout England as well as tutored in institutions such as the Warrington Academy.

Priestley began performing scientific experiments after meeting Benjamin Franklin, who would become a lifelong friend. His first scientific work was The History of Electricity; in preparation, Priestley began recreating the experiments he highlighted within the book. In the 1770s, Priestley began experimenting with gases. As he was living next to a brewery, he discovered how to carbonate water artificially. Priestley performed his gas experiments with a glass container that was inverted and mounted on a platform. The container would capture the gas from the experiment below and would then be sealed off for further experimentation. During an experiment in which Priestley focused sunlight on mercuric oxide, he found that the gas produced from this sustained the life of flames and mice longer than jars with regular air. It was this experiment that discovered the gas later known as oxygen, though Priestley called it “dephlogisticated air” at the time.

Priestley was known throughout his life not only for his scientific experiments, but for his political opinions and work as well. He was an adamant supporter of the French and American Revolutions. Priestly moved to the United States with his family in 1794, eventually settling in Northumberland, Pennsylvania.

Joseph Priestley passed away on February 6, 1804, at the age of 70.

Extent

.01 Linear Feet (1 Folder)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

A collection of correspondence, booklets, and presentation materials commemorating the 250th anniversary of the birth of English chemist Joseph Priestley.

Acquisition Information

The Joseph Priestley 250th Anniversary Collection was found in the collection of the Science History Institute.

Related Materials

One collection containing materials related to Joseph Priestley’s life in England and his family history, and another collection of commemorative postcards are preserved by the Science History Institute Archives.