Genius scientist and composer William Herschel to finally be recognised in Sunderland

Now, William Herschel is finally being recognised in the city he once called home.

To mark the 25th anniversary of the Sunderland Symphony Orchestra (SSO), the group has arranged for a blue plaque to be installed to honour the composer’s time living in Sunniside and his contribution to Sunderland’s music heritage.

German-born William arrived in Sunderland in 1760 where he lived for two years.

He’s recognised for his huge astronomy accomplishments, inventing telescopes which would unlock some of space’s great discoveries, most notably Uranus in 1781, a planet which was briefly known as Herschel.

But it was during his time in Sunderland, that his passions for music were prolific, composing six symphonies during his time here: Symphony No3 in October 1760: Symphony No 6 in November 1760: Symphony No7 in January 1761: Symphony No8 in April 1761: Symphony No9 in July 1761: Symphony No10 in August 1761.

The genius lived in various lodging houses in Sunniside, with the closest descriptive record showing that he was living in lodgings just north east of the then Sunniside Mansion.

This places him residing, from John Rain’s Street eye plan map of Sunderland, somewhere in the present High Street West/ William Street area of Sunniside.

Observatories, telescopes and even craters on the Moon and Mars are named after Herschel - and at the end of February a blue plaque will be installed at Sunniside Car Park in William Street to finally honour his links to Sunderland.

Mark Greenfield, the SSO Relational Lead, has spent the past year delving into the life of the composer ahead of the blue plaque unveiling, in particular Herschel’s precise and detailed diary, journal and letters entries.

Mark said: “William Herschel was a workaholic, and just like Einstein he was driven by imagination.

“The imagination and passion that he could find a better explanation and understanding of ‘construction of the heavens’ that ignited Herschel’s creativity and craftmanship in progressing the magnifying power of his telescopes that ‘Broke through the Heavens’.

“William Herschel, a composer of some great 18th century music, also composed a new knowledge and understanding of the Cosmos.”

It was during his time in Sunderland that Herschel adjusted to English life.

While in Sunniside, he taught music to wealthy families living across County Durham and was also appointed as the Musical Director of the regimental band of the Durham Militia and became the lead violinist to Charles Avison Orchestra in Newcastle.

By this time, he had anglicised his name Friedrich Wilhelm to William and, when not travelling around in his teaching music, he spent most of his time reading in his lodgings to improve his knowledge of English language and help with spoken English.

He would read books on astronomy, optics, mathematics, philosophy, developing a particular interest in musical harmonics and its relation to mathematics.

Following his time in Sunderland, he moved to Bath, now the location of the Herschel Museum of Astronomy, where he went on to develop his ideas on optics, lens and mathematics and, along with his sister Caroline, started to manufacture innovative reflecting telescopes which would influence our understanding of the Cosmos today.

Appointed as the Kings’ Astronomer, he was Knighted and became Sir William Herschel in 1816 as well as the first President of the Royal Astronomical Society.

Mark added: “Sunderland Symphony Orchestra thank a former Echo journalist Tony Gillan very much for his sterling campaigning, banging of the drum and clarion calls over several years in drawing attention to omission of recognising William Herschel’s connection to the city in his opinion columns.”

*The blue plaque ceremony for William Herschel will take place at 10am on Friday, February 28, with the Mayor of Sunderland unveiling the plaque.

Following the ceremony, those attending will be invited to Pop Recs on High Street West to hear a small string section of the orchestra perform William Herschel’s 8th Symphony in C minor, which has more recently become known as ‘the Sunderland Symphony’.