Joseph Priestley (1733 - 1804)

Biography

Joseph Priestley, born 24th March 1733 in Yorkshire was a famous scholar and chemist, famous for his independent discovery of Oxygen in 1774 and invention of carbonated water, making him ‘the father of the soft drink’. In his life Priestley published many books on the histories of science and Christianity.

He wrote some of his most important works in the years with Shelburne from 1774-1780 when he worked as his direct assistant. In his youth Priestley, studied at the prestigious Daventry Academy and later became a tutor of modern languages at Warrington academy from 1761-1767.

In 1764, the University of Edinburgh granted him a Doctor of Law and he was later nominated and accepted for a fellowship in the Royal Society in 1766. In 1773 he was awarded the Copley Medal from the Royal Society who recognised his achievements in natural philosophy. Priestley was elected a foreign honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1782. Priestley moved from Warrington to Leeds in 1767 and became the minister at the Unitarian Mill Hill Chapel. He was one of the founders of the Leeds Library. In 1780 the Priestley’s moved to Birmingham, until they were forced to flee in 1791 by religiously motivated mob violence known as the Priestley riots.

Priestley and his family moved to America in 1794 where he died in Pennsylvania just 10 years later, on 6 February 1804.

Context

Since its original placement, the statue has since moved but only to a different part of the square (2003). His statue is placed just over the road from Mill Hill Unitarian Chapel where he was minister from 1767-73. In the years to come his location may change again due to proposals to make City Square to more accessible for the general public.

The statue

Date Erected:
Created: 1899. Erected: 1903

Artist:
Albert Drury (1856 - 1944)

Commissioned / funded by:
The gift of industrialist and civic figure in Leeds Colonel T. Walter Harding 1903.

Format and materials:
Polished granite plinth with a bronze plaque and raised lettering ‘Joseph Priestley1733 - 1804.’

Location:
Situated in Leeds City Square amongst three other statues of prominent men: John Harrison, Dean Hook, and James Watt. Priestley’s statue was in front of the Old Leeds Post Office (now bar and restaurant, Banyan). Watt’s statue is paired next to the statue of vicar, Walter Hook.

Description:
The statue is on a short granite plinth and is depicted in the act of examining the contents of a small pestle and mortar in one hand, through a magnifying glass in the other. Priestley is depicted wearing expensive time-appropriate clothing (18th Century), and a wig indicating his high social status.

The statue’s base has the following inscription in small, ‘THE GIFT OF T. WALTER HARDING 1903.’, followed by ‘JOSEPH PRIESTLEY 1733-1804.’ in a much larger font.

Sources

• Historic England
• Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
• R. V. Taylor, Biographia Leodiensis, 217-26.
• Bob Speel, Sculpture in Leeds City Square
• Statues Hither & Thither

[Image by 'Chemical Engineer' via Wikimedia Commons]