Grant Awarded to Museum for Bradford Astronomer Project
Bolling Hall has been awarded a grant to support a project focused on Abraham Sharp, a Bradford-born astronomer influenced by medieval Islamic scientists.
The museum is among 27 small museums across the UK to receive funding from the Royal Society through its Places of Science scheme.
Community Engagement and Project Goals
Local South Asian communities will be invited to engage with the project to learn more about Abraham Sharp, who was born in Little Horton in 1653 and attended Bradford Grammar School.
James Steward, head of service for Bradford District Museums and Galleries, emphasized the significance of the project.
"This project is about connecting communities with stories that are relevant to them and connecting our collections with new perspectives.
Working alongside our local South Asian communities to co-create and history is vital to what our museums stand for in celebrating diversity, curiosity and shared ownership of our heritage," he said.
"It will shine a light on Bradford's unique scientific heritage."
Project Details and Funding
The initiative, titled "Describing the Heavens: Astronomy from Islamic scientists to Bradford's Abraham Sharp," has been granted £3,500 to develop a series of family events, workshops, and an exhibition.
Abraham Sharp worked at the Greenwich Royal Observatory and has a lunar crater named in his honor. He was also a mathematician noted for calculating pi to 72 decimal places.
Other Museums Receiving Grants
Other recipients of the Royal Society funding include Richmondshire Museum in North Yorkshire, which will focus on the River Swale, and Pannett Art Gallery in Whitby.
About Bolling Hall
Located in East Bowling, Bolling Hall is one of Bradford's oldest surviving halls, dating back to the medieval period.
During the English Civil War, it served as a Royalist stronghold and was used as a hideout by supporters during the Siege of Bradford.
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