Armagh astronomer remembered with blue plaque unveiling

THE Ulster History Circle has commemorated Hugh Breen (1791-1848), Mathematician and Astronomer, with a blue plaque at 19 Abbey Street in his native Armagh City.

Professor Michael Burton, Director of the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium unveiled the plaque which remembers the scientist whose three sons also worked at the top of their field - an unprecedented record.

A native of Armagh, Hugh Breen was born in 1791, but it was some 160 years later that his name was brought to the attention of the public by the first curator of the Armagh County Museum, T. George F. Paterson.

In 1950, George Paterson was delivering a lecture to the Armagh Branch of the Irish Astronomical Society, and spoke about the life of Hugh Breen, as a teacher in Armagh and then later as an astronomer at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich.

Little is known about Hugh Breen’s early life but he married his first wife, Mary Magee around the date of 1821.

From this union he and Mary had one girl who died young, Hugh Jnr born in 1824 and James born in 1826. A second marriage took place around 1829, when Hugh married Catherine Cuming or Cummins. Another daughter Ellen was born in 1830 and finally John William in 1833. All children were born in Armagh. The three boys eventually followed their father to the Royal Observatory.

In 1826 Hugh Breen was appointed teacher of science and head of the Scientific School in the new Armagh Mechanics’ Institute. It’s not known where he acquired his skills as a mathematician but skilled he was. The Mechanics’ Institute movement was in other cities, ie Belfast, London and Liverpool.

Henry Caulfield, the localArmagh M.P. at Westminster thought Armagh should be worthy of an Institute. By 1831, the Armagh Institute ceased to function.

Some time after the closure of the school, Hugh Breen applied to the Royal Observatory for a position suitable to his mathematical abilities.

He engaged the assistance of the Hon. Elizabeth Caulfield of Hockley, Drumnasoo, the wife of MP Henry Caulfield and the mother of the 3rd Earl of Charlemont. She wrote numerous letters to George Airy who was the Astronomer Royal at Greenwich.

Hugh Breen (senior) arrived in Greenwich in 1838. His 15 year old son, Hugh arrived the following year and joined his father at the Observatory. By 1841, all the family had moved from Armagh to live at Greenwich.

James and John William Breen also joined the Royal Observatory as human ‘computers’ or ‘calculators’.

Hugh and his sons worked long hours on the reductions of the old planetary and lunar observations dating back to 1750. Greenwich held a vast store of observations. Hugh was then appointed Superintendent of Calculations, overseeing the work of many young men employed as ‘computers/calculators’.

On 1st April, 1848 at the age of 57 Hugh died.

Sadly, he did not live to see his official report published. The report contained figures that were used by future generations of astronomers and mathematicians. At Greenwich, Cambridge and other locations, Hugh’s three sons continued their work in the field of astronomy. They produced excellent papers and writings.

Hugh Breen (junior) visited Armagh in 1858 (his signature is in the visitor’s book in the Armagh Observatory). Like this father before him, he did not sever his connections with Armagh nor Ireland.

T George F Patterson (1888-1971) a past curator of the Armagh County Museum said of the Breen family, “The Breen record of father and three sons, all astronomers, is probably without parallel in astronomical chronicles.

“The Breen era, from Hugh Breen’s arrival in 1838 until the departure of the youngest son, spanned at least 20 years.”

Chris Spurr, Chairman of the Ulster History Circle, commented, “Hugh Breen was a talented mathematician, who first became head of the Scientific School at the new Armagh Mechanics’ Institute in his native city.

“ Then followed a move to the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, as a human ‘computer’, compressing large amounts of numerical data, and he soon became Superintendent of Computers”.

Hugh’s three sons all followed his profession.

The Ulster History Circle is delighted to commemorate this distinguished mathematician and astronomer with a blue plaque at his former home, and the Circle is particularly grateful to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council for their financial support, and to the Armagh Observatory and Planetarium and the Royal Observatory, Greenwich for their valued assistance’.