To meet William Morgan is to encounter the eighteenth-century world of finance, science and politics. Born in Bridgend in 1750, he claimed Welsh heritage, but his influence went far beyond national borders and the legacy of his work continues to shape life in the twenty-first century. This biography, which draws on archival research and a cache of unpublished Morgan family letters, tells the story of his life and intellectual contributions.
At the age of twenty-five—and with no formal training—Morgan became an actuary at the Equitable, then a fledgling life insurance company. It was the first step on a path that would lead him to be dubbed “the father of actuarial science” and earn him the Copley Medal, the most prestigious award given by the Royal Society. His interests went far beyond actuarial tables, however—his papers on his electrical experiments reveal that, albeit unwittingly, he constructed the first X-ray tube. And as a political radical, his outspoken views put him at risk of imprisonment during Pitt’s Reign of Terror. This accessible biography introduces readers to a fascinating polymath whose influence is still being felt today.
By:
Nicola Bruton Bennetts
Imprint: University of Wales Press
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 216mm,
Width: 138mm,
ISBN: 9781786836182
ISBN 10: 1786836181
Series: Scientists of Wales
Pages: 272
Publication Date: 11 December 2020
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Acknowledgements List of Illustrations William Morgan Family Tree Prologue Chapter 1: Bridgend Chapter 2: Newington Green Chapter 3: Blackfriars Chapter 4: 1780 - Flaming June Chapter 5: At War Chapter 6: A Beautiful Green Light Chapter 7: Risk and Reward Chapter 8: Verbal Fisticuffs Chapter 9: Stamford Hill Chapter 10: A Stupendous Event Chapter 11: Bushill Fields Chapter 12: A Radical Friend Chapter 13: A Trumpet of Liberty Chapter 14: Trial for High Treason Chapter 15: Pitt's Gagging Acts Chapter 16: Invasion, Panic and Mutiny Chapter 17: The Reign of Terror Chapter 18: Diaspora Chapter 19: The Price of Success Chapter 20: Family, Celebrations and Calamities Chapter 21: A Costly Peace Chapter 22: Rise, Progress, Misrepresentation Chapter 23: A Fragment Chapter 24: Final Years Chapter 25: Afterwards Chapter 26: Epilogue Bibliography
Nicola Bruton Bennetts is an independent scholar with a background in teaching and journalism.
