John Lee (astronomer)


John Lee LL.D, born John Fiott, was an English philanthropist, astronomer, mathematician, antiquarian, barrister, and numismatist.

Family

He was the eldest son of John Fiott and Harriet Lee. His father was involved in the family counting house business and was a failed East India merchant. He was orphaned when young and was brought up by his maternal uncle, William Lee Antonie.

Education

Lee read Mathematics at St John's College, Cambridge between 1802 and 1806, graduating fifth wrangler in his year. He was elected a fellow in 1808. Following his studies from 1807–1815 he travelled extensively in the Middle East and Europe as a travelling bachelor. During this time he gained an interest in antiquities.

Personal life

He took the name Lee in 1816 on the death of his uncle. In 1833 Lee married Cecilia Rutter. She died in 1854 and was buried in the graveyard of Hartwell Church, in Buckinghamshire. In 1855, he married again, this time to Louisa Catherine Heath.
Lee died at Hartwell House in 1866. An obituary was published the following year in the monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Estates

Lee inherited several properties from William Lee Antonie in 1815. Antonie's will predicated the inheritance on Lee changing his name by royal licence from Fiott. The properties included Colworth House near Sharnbrook in Bedfordshire and Totteridge Park, Buckinghamshire.
In 1827, Lee inherited Hartwell House, Buckinghamshire from Reverend Sir George Lee which became his main residence from 1829 until his death.

Scientific work

Between 1830 and 1839, Lee built an astronomical observatory in the south-west corner of Hartwell House.
Lee helped found the Royal Meteorological Society in 1850 and was its president from 1855–1857.
On 14 May 1824, Lee was elected as fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and was its president between 1861 and 1863. He became a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1828 and a Fellow of the Philological Society in 1831. Lee was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1831 and the first president of the Numismatic Society of London in 1836.
In 1863 at the age of 80, he was made a barrister of Gray's Inn and a Q.C. the following year. The lunar crater Lee is named after him.