1805-12 apprenticeship as a bookbinder and attention of public lectures; 1810 introduced into the City Philosophical Society led by John Tatum where he received a basic education in the sciences; attended Humphry Davy's lectures at the Royal Institution; 1813 assistant at the laboratory of the Royal Institution; 1813-15 travels to France and Italy with Davy where he met many of the leading scientists; 1824 conducted experiments on optical glass for the Royal Society; 1825 lectures at the Royal Institution; 1861 abandoned lecturing; 1862 resigned his position at the Royal Institution.
