Bayes, Thomas

CLERGYMAN, MATHEMATICIAN, PHILOSOPHER (ENGLAND)
BORN c1701, London - DIED 17 Apr 1761, Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent
GRAVE LOCATION London: Bunhill Fields Burial Ground, City Road, Finsbury

Thomas Bayes was the son of son of London Presbyterian minister Joshua Bayes (1671-1746) who came from a family of nonconformists from Sheffield. From 1719 to 1722 he studied logic and theology in Edinburgh. After he returned in London his assisted his father, untill in 1734 he became minister of the Mount Sion chapel in Turnbridge Wells. He held this position until 1752.

In 1742 he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society, possibly because of his publication "Introduction to the Doctrine of Fluxions" (1736). Later in life he was interested in probability theory. His work in this field was passed to his friend Richard Price after his death in 1761 and "An Essay towards solving a Problem in the Doctrine of Chances" was only read to the Royal Society in 1763 and after being edited by Price.

Bayes had been ill since 1755 and died in Turnbridge Wells. He was buried at Bunhill Burial Fields in London.

Related persons
• was a friend of Price, Richard

Images

The grave of Thomas Bayes at Bunhill Burial Fields, London.
Picture by Androom (20 Aug 2017)

 

Sources
• Bernstein, Peter L., Against the Gods, The remarkable Strory of Risk, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1996
Thomas Bayes - Wikipedia


Bazaine, François Achille

Published: 10 Sep 2017
Last update: 10 Apr 2023