NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
Re: Thompson mapping Canada
From: George Huxtable
Date: 2009 Dec 9, 19:16 -0000
From: George Huxtable
Date: 2009 Dec 9, 19:16 -0000
Joe Schultz wrote, about David Thompson- "Writing isn't too bad, considering his level of formal education ..." I wonder why he made that comment about Thompson's education. Peter Broughton's recent paper, that I referred to earlier, "The Accuracy and Use of Sextants and Watches in Rupert's Land in the 1790s", in Annals of Science, vol 66 No 2 April 2009, pages 209-229, states that Thompson had been a pupil at Grey Coat Hospital in London. Broughton also states that "Specialised training at London Schools, such as Christ's Hospital and the Grey Coat Hospital, prepared young men for navigation and surveying". I would expect that one aspect of that specialised training would be to emphasise clarity of record-keeping. That was a period when tgreat numbers of young men were being trained as navigators, and surveyors were being sent around the world, to map[ the empire. George. contact George Huxtable, at george@hux.me.uk or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222) or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK. -- NavList message boards: www.fer3.com/arc Or post by email to: NavList@fer3.com To , email NavList+@fer3.com
