William Ford Stanley
| William Ford Stanley FGS | |||||||||||
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| Born | 1829 | ||||||||||
| Died | 1909 | ||||||||||
| Residence | Cumberlow, South Norwood, SE | ||||||||||
| Occupation | inventor | ||||||||||
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Contents
Notes
Office Notes
House Notes
1886.10.26 proposed for election at the next meeting
death noted in report of the council for 1909
Notes From Elsewhere
William Ford Robinson Stanley (2 February 1829 – 14 August 1909) was a British inventor with 78 patents filed in both the United Kingdom and the United States of America. He was an engineer who designed and made precision drawing and mathematical instruments, as well as surveying instruments and telescopes, manufactured by his company "William Ford Stanley and Co. Ltd."
Stanley was a skilled architect who designed and founded the UK's first Trades school, Stanley Technical Trades School (now Harris Academy South Norwood), as well as designing the Stanley Halls in South Norwood. Stanley designed and built his two homes. He was a noted philanthropist, who gave over £80,000 to education projects during the last 15 years of his life. When he died, most of his estate, valued at £59,000, was bequeathed to trade schools and students in south London, and one of his homes was used as a children's home after his death, in accordance with his will.
Stanley was a member of several professional bodies and societies (including the Royal Society of Arts, the Royal Meteorological Society, the Royal Astronomical Society and the British Astronomical Association). Besides these activities, he was a painter, musician and photographer, as well as an author of a variety of publications, including plays, books for children, and political treatises.
instrument maker, inventor. Born Islington; died South Norwood. Built up own successful scientific instrument making firm (W F Stanley & Co). Was a generous donor to charities, especially for technical education.
Publications
External Publications
1866 A descriptive treatise on mathematical drawing instruments : their construction, uses, qualities, selection, preservation, and suggestions for improvements, with hints upon drawing and colouring (which became the standard authority, in its seventh edition by 1900)[1] 1867 Proposition for a New Reform Bill to Fairly Represent the Interests of the People (Simpkin, Marshall & Co., London) (Proposing a simple form of Proportional representation)[1] 1869 Electric disc and experiments, by a positive conductor (W.F. Stanley, Patentee, London) 1872 Photography Made Easy: A Manual for beginners (Gregory, printers)[1] 1875 Stanley's Pretty Figure Book Arithmetic (reprinted 1881)[1] 1881 Experimental Researches into the Properties and Motions of Fluids: With theoretical deductions therefrom (E. & F.N. Spon) (this work was commended by Darwin and Tyndall. A supplemental work on sound motions in fluids was unfinished)[1] 1890 (with Tallack, H.T.) Surveying and levelling instruments theoretically and practically described: for construction, qualities, selection, preservation, adjustments, and uses; with other apparatus and appliances used by civil engineers and surveyors in the field (E. & F.N. Spon, London) – in its fourth edition by 1914[1] 1895 Notes on the Nebular Theory in Relation to Stellar, Solar, Planetary, Cometary, and Geological Phenomena (William Ford Stanley, London)[1] 1896 Joe Smith and his Waxworks (Fictional portrayal of the life of travelling fair people, but with an underlying message about the treatment of children. Written by "Bill Smith, with the help of Mrs. Smith and Mr. Saunders (W.F.S)")[1][40] 1900 Mathematical drawing and measuring instruments: their construction, uses, qualities, selection, preservation, and suggestions for improvements, with hints upon drawing, colouring, calculating, sun printing, lettering, &c (E. & F.N. Spon, London)[41] 1903 The Case of The. Fox: a Political Utopia (Stanley's prediction of life in 1950, including predictions of the Channel Tunnel, a unified Europe, a simplified currency, amongst others)[1][42] 1905 "Turn to the Right." Or, a Plea for a Simple Life. A comedy in four acts (Coventry & Son) – A play performed in the Stanley Halls in May 1905[40]
