John Jones

94. John Jones (Jones Y Seryddwwr)

Groundbreakers (55 votes)

1818 – 1898

“The working man astronomer” who built a giant telescope to look at Mars.

According to the Journal of the Astronomical Society of Wales in 1895, letters addressed simply to “Y Seryddwwr (the astronomer), Bangor” would reach John Jones without difficulty.

It was a mark of the celebrity achieved by this slate-counter and former servant who had devoted much of his spare time as well as income to the pursuit of astronomy. Even Samuel Smiles - high priest of “Self Help”- made the journey to Bangor to meet the great man.

In his book Men of Invention and Industry Smiles described how Jones had taken him: “to his tiny room upstairs, where he had his big reflecting telescope, by means of which he had seen, through the chamber window, the snow cap of Mars”.

The telescope, which Jones fondly called ‘Jumbo’, was almost entirely his own work. He had independently mastered the intricacies of telescope design and construction. The reflector mirror had been professionally finished, this being the only thing beyond John Jones’ abilities.

For Smiles it was proof of his argument that intelligence and motivation would always overcome the handicaps of poverty and lack of education.

As a child Jones attended school for only one year before being put to work as a farm boy. He was later the servant of a chapel minister, which gave him access for the first time to books. He was entranced by an early astronomical work translated into Welsh.

His interests extending well beyond astronomy, Jones taught himself both Greek and Hebrew. Belonging to a culture where few spoke English, he learned the language by comparing passages in the Bible with those in Welsh. He was also an accomplished poet.

Describing him as a “genius” the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada said if Jones’ start in life had been better he would certainly be: “occupying a professor"s chair in one of our leading universities.”

What you said

Showed what could be achieved by someone with real vision.

Amazing achievement by someone with such few resources.

John Jones is a hero amongst amateur astronomers. Ioan Bryngwyn Bach was a native of Anglesey. He had but little schooling, and worked for some years as a farm labourer. He became interested in astronomy by reading "The Solar System," by Dr. Dick. He was

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