Pigott; family; astronomers

• Pigott; family; astronomers

Nathanial Pigott was born in 1725, the son of Ralph Pigott, a lawyer, and Alethea Fairfax. Alethea Fairfax was the daughter of William, 9th Viscount Fairfax, of Gilling Castle. In 1749, he married Anna Mathurine de Beriot of Louvain. In the 1770s, he moved to York in an attempt to settle his claim to the Fairfax estate at Gilling. He died in 1804.
His eldest son, Edward, was born in 1753. Edward was disinherited from the Fairfax title due to a family quarrel, and it was passed to his brother, Charles. He died in 1825.
Worked with John Goodricke from 1781. Great-grandson of 9th Viscount Fairfax. Brother Charles married Mary Goodricke, aunt of John Goodricke.
See Also - Goodricke; John (1764 - 1786); astronomer

Both Nathanial and Edward Pigott were noted amateur astronomers. Nathanial built an observatory in the garden of their house on Bootham. Edward Pigott discovered a comet in 1783, which was subsequently named after him.
By 1781, the Pigotts were living next door to John Goodricke, also a keen astronomer, and Edward was working with him on astronomical observations.

Nathanial Pigott was born in 1725, the son of Ralph Pigott, a lawyer, and Alethea Fairfax. Alethea Fairfax was the daughter of William, 9th Viscount Fairfax, of Gilling Castle. In 1749, he married Anna Mathurine de Beriot of Louvain. In the 1770s, he moved to York in an attempt to settle his claim to the Fairfax estate at Gilling. He died in 1804.\nHis eldest son, Edward, was born in 1753. Edward was disinherited from the Fairfax title due to a family quarrel, and it was passed to his brother, Charles. He died in 1825.

International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa

Word Document accompanying Acc 0227
Oxford DNB