Charles Piazzi Smyth FRSE, FRS, FRAS, FRSSA, St John’s Churchyard, Berrygate Lane,Sharow, N Yorks, UK - Blue Plaques on Waymarking.com

Charles Piazzi Syth was born in 1819 in Naples to Captain William Henry Smyth and his wife Annarella. His middle name is derived from his godfather Guiseppe Piazzi, an Italian astronomer. He was educated at Bedford school and, at the age of sixteen, became an assistant to Sir Thomas Maclear at the Cape of Good Hope Observatory.

In 1846 he was appointed Astronomer Royal for Scotland and professor of astronomy at the University of Edinburgh. Astronomical observations were hampered by atmospheric effects in Edinburgh and Smyth persuaded the Admiralty to allow observations to be carried out in Tenerife. In 1856 he succeeded in making observations at high altitude in Tenerife, a pioneering achievement.

From 1871 Smyth became interested in spectral analysis and constructed a solar spectral map in 1887. For this map he received the Makdougall Brisbane Prize. In 1888 Smyth resigned his post in protest at the lack of funding for astronomical equipment. Following his resignation he retired to Sharow.

Smyth was a passionate Egyptologist. He went on an expedition to the Great Pyramid and performed a precision survey. Based on his expedition findings he published a book Our Inheritance in the Great Pyramid in 1864. He claimed to have found numerical relationships between the pyramid measurements and astronomical distances and calendar times. He was awarded a gold medal by the Royal Society of Edinburgh for his measurement work. His work influenced many people, but were eventually sidelined by measurements made by William Matthew Flinders Petrie.

Smyth died in 1900 and is buried at St. John's Church, Sharow, in a small stone pyramid-shaped monument.

The plaque reads

“This churchyard contains the unusual tombstone of Charles Piazzi Smythe, Astronomer Royal of Scotland 1845 – 1888”

Blue Plaque managing agency: Sharow Community History Group Individual Recognized: Charles Piazzi Smyth Physical Address: St Johns Church Berrygate Lane Sharow, N Yorks UK Web Address: [Web Link]

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