Leeds Beckett University - City Campus,
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Reverend Joseph Priestley (1767 - 1733)
Minister at Mill Hill
Time At Mill Hill Chapel
Priestley’s time at Mill Hill Chapel began on 7th September 1767. He recorded his time there as being “six years very happy with a liberal, friendly, and harmonious congregation, to whom my services (of which I was not sparing) were very acceptable” (Priestley, 1807, p.37). During his time at Leeds, he influenced the chapel to change from Presbyterianism to Unitarianism and helped to develop and finance several buildings in Leeds including the Leeds Subscription Library.He went on to other notable achievements such as the publication of "The History and Present State of Electricity", which was influenced by the works of chief electrical engineers such as Benjemin Franklin.
Alongside his work in physics, Priestley published "A New Chart of History" in 1769, heavily influenced by Thomas Jefferys’, "Chart of Universal History" from 1753. Priestley’s chart was developed from the belief that history was human-made and not God-made and was more scientific in nature. The chart displays a visual representation of how each stage of history follows and slowly progresses because of the previous stage, improving over time. This chart had fifteen editions by 1816 and was popular enough that Priestley’s accompanying lectures earned him a Doctorate in Law in 1764.
One of Priestley’s most notable contributions to the academic world was his discovery of carbon dioxide through the observation of the brewing process at Tetley’s brewery. He used this discovery to inject water with “fixed air” or carbon dioxide, inventing artificially carbonated water in the process. This discovery was published in the paper Directions for Impregnating Water with Fixed Air in 1772 and “excited a great degree of attention to the subject” (Priestley, p.40). Priestley’s discoveries in the field of chemistry were not limited to just carbon dioxide. He would go on to discover five more gases, these were: ammonia, nitrous oxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, and most prominently, oxygen.
Priestley gave his last sermon at Mill Hill Chapel on the 16th of May 1733 before moving to Calne where he became a tutor and companion to Lord Shelbourne. In his final address to the congregation of Mill Hill, he reflected upon his time in Leeds, indicating that his time at Mill Hill was dear to him. He stated that “I call my situation in Leeds a happy one… I have been at full liberty to speak, write or do what I have judged that the interests of that particular society or for Christianity in general” required of him (Priestley, 1773, pp.ii-iv). He further added that ‘I do not know may congregation of dissenters in England so numerous as that of Leeds, where I could have been so happy in this respect’ and ‘there is no situation in life of which I shall ever expect to have more real enjoyment or which I shall consider as more truly reputable to me’ (Priestley, 1773, (pp.ii-iv).
Controversy
Priestley’s scientific achievements were, thankfully, not undermined by the perception of his religious beliefs, but he was criticised and threatened for them. His work with Lord Shelbourne in opening the first Unitarian church in London was heavily criticised, and his rebuttal, which he published, was a twenty-eight-page document supporting both the church and Lord Shelbourne. In it he denounced the “dreadful corruption of Christianity” sentiments which he echoed in 1782 through the publication “History of the Corruptions of Christianity” (Priestley, 1774, p. 4).
His support for the French Revolution sparked the “Church and King Riots” or the “Priestley Riots” in Birmingham. The riots spread over five days and “allowed the mob licence to eradicate struggling liberalism in the name of Church and King,” (Rose, 1960, p. 69). The impact this had on Priestley was that his personal property, laboratories and meeting house was burned down.
Later Life and Death
Following the riots, Priestley moved to Hackney in 1791 but he continued to face heavy criticism after the Church and King riots resulting in the decision to move his family over to America in 1794. He settled in Northumberland, Pennsylvania where he would spend his remaining years. During this time, he faced tragedy in the loss of his youngest son and wife in 1795 and 1796 respectively.
Priestley himself died on the 6th of February 1804. His last words were recorded by his son as, ‘That is right, I have now done now’ (Priestley, 1807, p.122).
Map of Joseph Priestley's Life
Bibliography
- Image
- Artaud, W. (1795) Joseph Priestley. [Line engraving]. [Online Image]. [Accessed 2 December 2023].
- Primary
- Priestley, J. (1773) A sermon, preached before the Congregation of Protestant Dissenters at Mill-Hill-Chapel in Leeds. (May 16) J. Johnson: London.
- Priestley, J. (1774) A letter to a layman on the subject of Rev Mr Lindsey’s Proposal for a reformed English church. Percy and Jones: London
- Priestley, J. (1782) An History of the Corruptions of Christianity. Percy and Jones: London.
- Priestley, J. (1807). Memoirs of Dr. Joseph Priestley. H.R Allenson: London.
- Secondary
- Rose, R.B. (1960). The Priestley Riots of 1791. Past & Present. (18) Nov. pp.68–88.
- Schofield, R. E. (2013) Joseph Priestley. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. [Online] [Accessed 22 November 2023].
- Stanford University (n.d.). A New Chart of History. [online] [Accessed 24 November 2023].
