William Pearson (astronomer)

William Pearson FRS (1767–1847) was an English schoolmaster, astronomer, and a founder of the Astronomical Society of London. He authored Practical Astronomy (2 vols., 1825 and 1829).

William Pearson was born at Whitbeck in Cumberland on 23 April 1767. After graduating from the grammar school of Hawkshead near Windermere, Cumberland, Pearson began his career as a schoolmaster at Hawkshead. After which, moving to Lincoln as undermaster of the Free Grammar School. Through Pearson's interest in astronomy, Pearson constructed an astronomical clock and an orrery, which was probably used for public lectures. Although enrolled at Cambridge University, he does not appear to have earned a degree. He was admitted as a sizar at Clare College in 1793, but may not have gained residence.

An original proprietor of the Royal Institution, Pearson finished a planetarium in 1803 that illustrated Dr. Thomas Young's lectures. On 10 January 1810 Pearson was presented to the rectory of Perivale in Middlesex. On 15 March 1817, Lord-chancellor Eldon presented Pearson to the rectory of South Kilworth in Leicestershire.

He acquired the Temple Grove School, a large private institution at East Sheen in 1810. After establishing an observatory there, he measured the diameters of the sun and moon during the partial solar eclipse of 7 September 1820, with one of John Dollond's divided object-glass micrometers.

The foundation of the Astronomical Society of London (later the Royal Astronomical Society) was largely due to his efforts. In 1812 and 1816, he began development of the society that formally took shape during a meeting at the Freemasons' Tavern on 12 January 1820. Pearson helped write the rules and served as treasurer during the society's first ten years. In 1819, he was elected F.R.S. and received an honorary LL.D.

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