Jane Squire

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JS published in 1742 her single text, a scientific or crypto-scientific treatise explaining her proposed method of ascertaining longitude. She may not have solved this scientific enigma, but she is remarkable as a female mathematician and astronomer of proto-feminist views.

Milestones

By 6 May 1686

JS was born in York; this was the date of her baptism.
Matthew, Henry Colin Gray et al., editors. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. http://www.oxforddnb.com/.

Christmas Day 1732

JS had the engraving made of an astronomical chart (beautifully lettered but wrongly headed LODGITUDE) for binding into her book.
Squire, Jane. A Proposal for Discovering Our Longitude. Printed for the author, and sold by P. Vaillant and F. Needham.
before page 9

After 2 February 1742

JS published, for the Author and with her name, her scientific treatise A Proposal for Discovering our Longitude.
Squire, Jane. A Proposal for Discovering Our Longitude. Printed for the author, and sold by P. Vaillant and F. Needham.
title-page

4 April 1743

JS died in London, her longitude project still unrealised.
Ballard, George. Memoirs of Several Ladies of Great Britain. Editor Perry, Ruth, Wayne State University Press.
11n1

11 June 1743

Scholar Thomas Rawlins wrote to George Ballard (then working on his collection of women's lives) about the work of JS : he believed her longitude method to be feasible. He mentioned only obliquely that she had just died.
Ballard, George. Memoirs of Several Ladies of Great Britain. Editor Perry, Ruth, Wayne State University Press.
11n1

Biography

Birth and Family

By 6 May 1686

JS was born in York; this was the date of her baptism.
Matthew, Henry Colin Gray et al., editors. Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. http://www.oxforddnb.com/.