science

Thomas Greatorex

Thomas Greatorex is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Thomas Greatorex rather than just read about it. In short: Thomas Greatorex (5 October 1758 – 18 July 1831) was an English composer, astronomer and mathematician. As well as being organist of Westminster Abbey, he was a Fellow of the Royal Society.

Key takeaways

Thomas Greatorex belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Thomas Greatorex to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Thomas Greatorex from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Thomas Greatorex (5 October 1758 – 18 July 1831) was an English composer, astronomer and mathematician. As well as being organist of Westminster Abbey, he was a Fellow of the Royal Society.

Early life and career Born in Wingfield near Chesterfield, Derbyshire, Greatorex as a youngster studied with Benjamin Cooke, organist of Westminster Abbey, and was a protégé of the Earl of Sandwich. For four years he was organist of Carlisle Cathedral and from there went to live and work in Italy, where he became a friend of Charles Edward Stuart, or "Bonnie Prince Charlie." When the Young Pretender died in 1788, he left some of his music books to Greatorex, who returned to London the same year. He was soon in much demand as a music teacher and succeeded Joah Bates as conductor of the Concerts of Ancient Music. He also directed music festivals at Birmingham, York and Derby. In 1819, he succeeded George Ebenezer Williams as organist of Westminster Abbey. His works as a composer include the anthem This is the Day the Lord Hath Made.

Family His father, Anthony Greatorex, became organist at St Martin's Church, Leicester (now Leicester Cathedral) in 1765. Thomas's sister Martha succeeded her father in that position from 1772 to 1800. From 1771, Anthony was organist at St Modwen's, Burton upon Trent, in which role Thomas succeeded him. Thomas Greatorex married and had five sons. One of these, Henry Wellington Greatorex, became a church organist in Hartford, Connecticut, United States, and composed many hymns. Another son, Thomas junior, became organist of Holy Trinity, Burton on Trent.

Trivia There is a story that King George IV, when Prince Regent, once said to Thomas Greatorex, "My father is Rex, but you are a Greater Rex".

References

Sources Sadie, S. (ed.) (1980) The New Grove Dictionary of Music & Musicians, vol. 7. The Name of Greatorex Hymns Ancient and Modern. Richard Clay (The Chaucer press). 1986. ISBN 0-907547-37-0. The Noblemens and Gentlemen's Catch Club

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Thomas Greatorex

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Thomas Greatorex claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Thomas Greatorex before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Thomas Greatorex ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Thomas Greatorex

In research: Thomas Greatorex appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Thomas Greatorex in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Thomas Greatorex is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1758 births, 1831 deaths, British classical musician stubs, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Thomas Greatorex outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Thomas Greatorex in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Thomas Greatorex means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Thomas Greatorex out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Thomas Greatorex in simple terms?

Thomas Greatorex (5 October 1758 – 18 July 1831) was an English composer, astronomer and mathematician. As well as being organist of Westminster Abbey, he was a Fellow of the Royal Society.

Why does Thomas Greatorex matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Thomas Greatorex?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Thomas Greatorex.