Multilateral Academies

In 1715 Thomas Watts, a teacher of mathematics, started a private school for young clerks at Abchurch Lane. In 1716 he published An Essay on the proper method for forming a Man of Business. On the back page there is the following advertisement: ‘At the Accountant’s Office in Abchurch Lane young gentlemen are taught the several parts of the Mathematics and qualified for trades, merchandise, the public offices, clerkships, stewardships or any other parts of business. To all which the Italian method of book-keeping, according to the modern practice, is peculiarly applied and adapted, after a new, expeditious, and approved manner of instruction, free from interruptions or loss of time in common schools.’ ‘N.B. There are all conveniences for boarders and such gentlemen as desire to be instructed in private.’ Next we find Thomas Watts working together with Benjamin Worster, of Middlesex. Admitted at Emmanuel, Cambridge, 1700. B.A. 1704. M.A. 1708. Deacon 1708. Evidently the two partners moved to Little Tower Street in about 1720, since when their Academy was known under that name. B. Worster lectured on the Principles of Natural Philosophy and even, assisted by Th. Watts, delivered public lectures outside the Academy (see Chapter VII). The first edition of Worster’s Principles of Natural Philosophy was published in 1722; the second in 1730 and the publishers allude to the author as dead. He died evidently in about 1725 as his name disappears from the Academy’s masters and James Stirling, F.R.S., joined Thomas Watts in 1725. In 1722 Watts and Worster published the following advertisement: ‘Young Gentlemen are completely qualified after a new and approved method, free from the interruptions and loss of time in Common Schools at the Academy or the Accountant’s Office erected for that purpose in Little Tower Street, where they are rationally taught to the utmost perfection Writing, Arithmetic, and that most excellent manner of Book-keeping by the double entry, called Merchants’ Accounts, from the methods in use in real business by Tho. Watts. Where also all parts of the mathematics are taught and Courses in Experimental Philosophy performed by Benj. Worster, M.A., and Tho. Watts. Likewise any other qualifications may be learnt, as French, a Master residing in the house; and Drawing, Mr. Lens attending three times a week. N.B.—There are handsome conveniences for boarders in a well regulated family, and a large house, lately Sir John Fleet’s.’ Sir John Fleet, Governor of the East India Company and Lord Mayor of London, died in 1712. Five years later the Academy grew into a large institution although Worster was evidently dead at that time. In 1727 A Course of Mechanical and Experimental Philosophy was published. On the front page: ‘These courses will be performed over the Bedford Coffee House, Covent Garden, and at the Academy in Tower Street. By Mr. James Stirling, F.R.S., Mr. Peter Brown, Mr. William Watts and Mr. William Vream.’ The advertisement on the back page states: ‘At the Academy of Little Tower Street is to be learned qualifications necessary for business or accomplishment after a peculiar and appropriate method, there being retained several Professors capable to answer for their respective trusts, to teach writing, arithmetic and merchants’ accounts, all parts of mathematics and to give courses of experimental philosophy, also classics and modern languages, and to foreigners and others not well informed therein the English language, drawing, dancing, etc. There are also proper accommodations for boarding, and those that do not board may be taught either in public or private, the pupils being under proper Regulations, and the whole education so calculated as to answer the ends of those whose fortunes are not abounding, as well as of the rich, the charge increasing only with the number of qualifications to be attained, as may be seen at large in the account of the Conditions and Terms to be had at the said Academy.’ [For the courses in Experimental Philosophy three times a week the charge was three guineas.] ‘Letters are directed to Messrs. Thomas and William Watts. And from this Academy Noblemen, gentlemen and Merchants may be always likely to be supplied with stewards, clerks, or book-keepers duly qualified and capable to give security for their fidelity.’ In 1726 another new master was appointed—John Bland, 1702–50, the famous penman and author of treatises on calligraphy. He stayed in the Academy till 1739. Of all the masters and lecturers of the Academy only three are mentioned in D.N.B.: James Stirling, John Bland and Bernard Lens. Stirling was a mathematician of international repute (see Charles Tweedie, James Stirling, 1922). Born in Scotland in 1692, Stirling came to Oxford in 1710, where he for the first time met Desaguliers (see Chapter VII). In 1715 he lost his scholarship at Balliol for refusing to take the ‘Oaths’. He was invited to a Chair of Mathematics in Italy, evidently in the University of Padua, but did not accept it. The next ten years he spent in Venice and travel, and met many continental scientists of his time, particularly the famous mathematician Nicolas Bernoulli in Padua, with whom he discussed the differential calculus and other matters. He kept a friendly correspondence with Desaguliers and Sir Isaac Newton, who helped him in his publications. When he returned to London he was without any means and evidently through the offices of Desaguliers and Newton was appointed at the Academy in Tower Street. In 1726 he was elected F.R.S. and soon became one of the Society’s prominent members. He lectured at the Academy and in Bedford Coffee House for ten years, 1725–35. He had to pay £100 for his share in the Academy, which he borrowed from his friends. Another £150 he had to spend on instruments and experiments. He managed to pay off all his debts in 1729 as he used to get £200 and more a year from his students. ¹ In 1735 he was appointed as manager of mines in Lanarkshire and proved himself a successful engineer and administrator. He died in 1770 Of other lecturers on experimental philosophy William Vream was known as an instrument maker and assistant of Dr. Desaguliers (see Chapter VII). John Bland, 1702–50, son of a clerk in the Civil Service, was at Westminster in 1710–14, then was a pupil of a Mr. Snell, Foster Lane. In 1726 he was appointed writing master at Tower Street Academy, where he remained till 1739. In 1730 he published Essay on Writing. In the advertisement on the back page: ‘The Academy in Little Tower Street is carried on by William Watts, James Stirling, F.R.S., and John Bland, where are taught writing, arithmetic, merchants’ accounts, all parts of the mathematics, classics, French, drawing, dancing, fencing, etc. The pupils may board in the Academy or daily attend the hours for instruction. The charge increasing with the number of qualifications.’ We notice that the name of Thomas Watts is omitted; evidently he died between 1727 and 1730. In his preface Bland says that his method of using business examples in teaching writing ‘with our method of accounts has had so good an effect that there are several able book-keepers in Merchants’ Counting Houses in this City that have gone thither directly out of this Academy without any other preparations’. The book is dedicated to Sir Joseph Eyles. After leaving the Academy in 1739 Bland was at Birchin Lane for five years giving private lessons and in 1744 opened his own Academy in Bishopsgate Street where he was master until his death in 1750. The third master mentioned in the D.N.B. was Bernard Lens, 1682–1741, the famous miniature painter. In 1691 he set up a school for drawing, limning, painting, in Fleet Street. He taught three times a week from 8 to 11 in the morning and three times from 6 to 9 in the evening. He charged a guinea for entrance fee and a guinea a month for tuition. During the rest of the time he gave private lessons and taught at the Academy. Lens published a paper on the teaching of drawing and painting (see A Survey of London and Westminster by John Stow, 1720). It seems that after the resignation of J. Stirling in 1735 the Academy employed another distinguished mathematician—Archibald Patoun, F.R.S. In 1739 he published A Complete Treatise of Practical Navigation for the use of the Academy in Tower Street. He says in the Preface that the book was approved for the Academy by J. Stirling. Possibly the first edition of this book was published whilst Stirling was in the Academy. Besides the regular lecturers and masters the Academy had private tutors, who resided there with their wealthy students. One of these tutors was the famous poet James Thomson, author of ‘Rule Britannia’ (see L. Morel, J. Thomson). In May, 1726, he entered the Academy with his pupil Lord George Graham, fourth son of the Duke of Montrose, and resided there till the end of the year. Thomson himself was a freemason and his pupil belonged to a masonic family and later in 1738 became Grand Warden of Freemasonry.