From Nantwich to Oxygen: Joseph Priestley's Journey of Discovery

From Nantwich to Oxygen: Joseph Priestley’s Journey of Discovery

This exhibition at Nantwich Museum closed on 26 October 2019. The images on the following pages are designed to make the exhibition available to those unable to visit in person and serve as a reminder of the displays and events for those who attended.

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Information Panels

Exhibits

Items in display cabinets

Joseph Priestley’s Annet’s Wedgwood Letter to Philip First edition of Glass seal, with Replica 18th century Shorthand notebook. seal, engraved Meadows Priestley’s The a portrait of English flute, similar to Priestley learnt shorthand with the head Martineau, a Rudiments of English Joseph a modern recorder, of from free thinker Peter of Joseph surgeon in Grammar. Priestley. the type Priestley Annet, to whom he suggested Priestley. Norwich and Printed in 1761, soon This seal probably would have improvements to the system. This seal formerly a after his move to belonged to played while in The first page of the belonged to student of Warrington, Priestley Priestley’s Nantwich. notebook bears the date Priestley's Priestley’s at wrote this work granddaughter, Transverse, or 1790, Priestley's signature, granddaughter Warrington based on lessons he Miss Finch. sideways-held, flutes and the signature of J. Miss Finch. Academy, dated taught at his On loan from were not widely used Bradley, who may have been On loan from 7 August 1792. Nantwich school. Harris in England at the time. the literary assistant engaged Harris On loan from Many editions of this Manchester On loan from David by Priestley to transcribe his Manchester Harris popular work were College, Oxford. Owen. shorthand writings. Included College, Oxford. Manchester published for more are a series of twice-daily College, Oxford. than 50 years. Joseph Priestley’s prayers, written in Priestley’s On loan from epitaph for Thomas shorthand. These prayers are Warrington Museum Bentley. taken from Samuel Merivale’s and Library (Culture A Liverpool merchant Daily devotions for the closet Warrington). and radical thinker, (London, 1783). The Bentley was part of shorthand concludes with a Booklet the same circle as decorative flourish and the published by Priestley and monogram ‘JP 1790’. Christchurch, Wedgwood, his close On loan from Harris Needham friend and business Manchester College, Oxford. Market. partner. The epitaph The church was shows the qualities constructed on Two sermons written in shorthand by that Priestley valued – the site of the Joseph Priestley: Casting off fear and people who were chapel where restraining prayer and The blessedness of Booklet recording a cultivated, warm, Priestley was the pure in heart. lecture by Robert generous, lively and Assistant Priestley wrote many sermons and often Two pairs of Martin Caven in 1933 public spirited. Minister from repeated them at different locations. The Joseph Priestley’s to the Royal Institute Facsimile of document 1756-1758. front pages of these suggest both were first spectacles. of Chemistry, to in the collection of the Donated by preached in Leeds in 1767. On loan from commemorate the Wedgwood Museum, Christchurch, On loan from Harris Manchester College, Harris Manchester 200th anniversary of reproduced with Needham Oxford. College, Oxford. Priestley’s birth. permission. Market. Items in display cabinets

Wedgwood plate, c.1980, Christmas card depicting the showing Priestley with his Priestley-Forsyth memorial chemistry apparatus. library. Within the border men of Located in Northumberland, science Josiah Wedgwood, Pennsylvania, USA. Matthew Boulton, James On loan from Liz Taylor. Watt and James Brindley are depicted, along with Burlington House, London. 1960s children’s chemistry set. On loan from Liz Taylor. On loan from Graham Dodd.

Reproduction of letters from Priestley to the Molecular models inhabitants of representing the gases Tour Guide for the Northumberland, PA, Priestley discovered or Joseph Priestley House USA, to reassure them investigated. museum, of his good character Red=oxygen, white=hydrogen, Northumberland, and intentions. blue=nitrogen, black=carbon, Pennsylvania, USA. Priestley had been the yellow=sulfur, green=fluorine, Donated by the Joseph target of abuse from brown=silicon. Priestley House. the US press since his On loan from the Chemistry arrival there. Department, Keele University. Donated by the Joseph Priestley House. Artwork

View of Nantwich, by Joseph Farington, from around 1800. Although several decades after Priestley left Nantwich, the town changed little during that period so he would have recognised the view.

Joseph Priestley by artist James Millar (1789). The atomic symbols of British scientist John Dalton (1766-1844), presented at a lecture to the Manchester Mechanics’ Institution in 1835. In 1803, Dalton put forward his atomic theory of matter, building on the earlier work of Priestley and Lavoisier. Original paintings by Les Pickford, Museum artist Children’s Activities Crosswords, Top Trumps, books, flash cards, word searches, colouring

Magnetic elements Badges – the prize for completing the Element Trail Code

letter:

Gold, Au

Known in prehistoric times.

Gold is the least reactive of all the metals and is therefore found “native” (not in a chemical compound; just as it is). Along with copper, it was one of the first metals to be worked by humans, but gold is much rarer than copper so was prized for jewellery rather than being used to make tools.

Gold is the most malleable (bashable into a sheet) metal and is not toxic but it is very dense (heavy) and rare. Compare this to aluminium; why do you think we don’t have gold milk churns? About 90% of the gold mined today is used for jewellery or investments (gold bullion/coins). Much of the rest is used in electrical devices as gold is a great electrical conductor. Did you know: vinyl acetate, the main ingredient in PVA (as in the glue!) is made using gold nano- particle catalysts

Events

Cameron Arthur, Soho House Museum, Birmingham

Dr Fabio Parmeggiani and his team from the Chemistry Department, University of Manchester Fabio Parmeggiani, Cameron Arthur, Janet Finch (event Chair), Gaye Blake-Roberts, Helen Cooke

Reception for Museum Members, RSC sponsors and VIPs

Dr Katherine Haxton, Keele University

Professor Mark Ormerod, Keele University

David Owen, music historian

David Owen, Musician; Cllr Carole Thomas, Nantwich Town Council; Cllr Arthur Moran, Mayor of Nantwich Town Council; Cllr Barry Burkill, Mayor of Cheshire East Council; Professor Mark Ormerod, Keele University; Dr Katherine Haxton, Keele University; Dr Helen Cooke, exhibition curator and Vice Chair Nantwich Museum Board of Trustees Online Resources Below are some links to videos and interactives relevant to the “From Nantwich to Oxygen” exhibition:

Joseph Priestley’s Scientific Apparatus by the Science History Institute

Joseph Priestley – the Discovery of Gases by the BBC

300 Years of Element Discovery by Jamie Gallagher

Interactive Periodic Table by the Royal Society of Chemistry

Interactive Food Periodic Table by the Royal Society of Chemistry

The End of Phlogiston Cartoon by the Royal Society of Chemistry

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