Sir Humphrey Davy- Famous son of Penzance in Cornwall
N 50° 07.132 W 005° 32.185
30U E 318681 N 5554928
Quick Description: Sir Humphrey Davy's statue looks down Market Jew Street, which is the main shopping street of the town.
Location: United Kingdom
Date Posted: 10/17/2008 11:48:43 AM
Waymark Code: WM4ZBF
Views: 3
Long Description:
Humphry Davy was born on 17 December 1778 in Penzance.He was
apprenticed to a surgeon and aged 19 went to Bristol to study
science. In 1800 he published the results of his research in his
book " Researches, Chemical and Philosophical". This made him
famous and he became a fellow of the Royal Society in 1803 and was
awarded its Copley Medal in 1805. In 1815 he received a letter from
some Newcastle miners who told of the dangers they faced from
methane gas. The gas often filled the mines and could be sparked
off by the candles they had in their helmets to light their work.
The resulting fires and explosions caused many deaths. Davy
designed the Davy safety lamp which separated the flame from the
gas. His 'Davy' lamp later became widely used in coal mines. Davy
was made a baronet in 1818 and from 1820 - 1827 was president of
the Royal Society. He died on 29 May 1829 in Switzerland.
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