In his spare time Lecky wrote on navigation. He had acquired by his own diligent study at sea a knowledge of mathematics and astronomy, which betrayed exceptional strength of intellect and character. His healthy and vigorous style, and avoidance, where possible, of technical language, gained fur his books a world-wide popularity among seamen. His 'Wrinkles in Practical Navigation’ (1881; 15th edit 1908, with photogravure portrait) is the best work of its kind. In 1882 he published 'The Danger Angle and Off-Shore Distance,' and in 1892 'Lecky's A, B, C and D Tables.' The latter were labour-saving tables for solving problems in navigation and nautical astronomy, which he recast from varied material. He was an extra master, and passed the board of trade examination in steam machinery, a knowledge of which frequently stood him in good stead.
In 1884 Lecky was appointed marine superintendent of the Great Western Railway Company, being selected from some 600 applicants. With great energy and efficiency he supervised the Irish steamship service from Milford Haven, the fast Weymouth and Channel Island steamers, and those running between Weymouth and Cherbourg, besides looking after the company's docks. He practically designed their ships and supervised their building, drawing up the specifications in his own hand. He also kept for eight years an automatic tide-gauge, which demonstrated what the Admiralty tide-tables for Pembroke Dock were in error. In 1898 Lecky's health failed and he retired on a pension, but the company retained him as their consultant adviser in all marine matters. He was a younger brother of the Trinity House, and an enthusiastic fellow of both the Royal Astronomical and the Royal Geographical societies. He was for many years a member of the Mercantile Marine Association, and served on its council. Till within a few weeks of his death he was busy on a 'Star Atlas.' He died at Las Palmas on 23 Nov. 1902, and was buried in the English cemetery at that place. Lecky married twice, and a son by his first wife and a son and daughter by his second wife survived him.
[The Nautical Mag. 1902; The Times, 6 Dec. 1902; F. T. Bullon's A Great Merchant Seaman, in Cornhill Mag., Feb. 1903; information from Lecky's son, Lieut. H. S. Lecky, K.N.]
LECKY, WILLIAM EDWARD HARTPOLE (1838–1903), historian and essayist, was born at Newtown Park, co. Dublin, on 26 March 1838. He was only son of John Hartpole Lecky and of his first wife. Mary Anne Tallents; she was married in 1837, and died in 1839. The Leckys wore of Scottish origin, connected by tradition with Stirlingshire, and had apparently migrated to Ireland early in the seventeenth century. Lecky's grand-father was of the Carlow branch of the family, and married Maria Hartpole, who, with her sister, was the last representative of the Hartpoles of Shrule Castle, near Carlow. The historian's mother was descended from a family long connected with Newark; her father, W. E. Tallents, was a solicitor of high reputation in that town. Lecky thus had English, Scotch, and Irish blood in his veins. Lecky's father had been called to the bar, bat, having private means, did not practise. He lived near Dublin, owned property in Queen's County, and was a magistrate there. In 1841 he married again. His second wife was Isabella Eliza, daughter of Colonel Eardley Wilmot, who acted as a mother to the boy, and throughout her life remained on the best of terms with him. A son, George Eardley, and a daughter, were the issue of this marriage. In 1847 Lecky's parents spent some months in England, and he went to school with a Dr. Stanley, first at Walmer, then at Lewes. In 1848 he returned to his parents in Ireland, and went to a day-school at Kingstown, then to Armagh school, and in the autumn of 1852 to Cheltenham. A few weeks after this event his father died; but his stepmother continued to live in Ireland, at Monkstown near Dublin, till she became second wife, on 2 May 1855, of Thomas Henry Dalzell, eighth earl of Carnwath (she died on 16 Oct. 1902).
[Lecky remained for three years at Cheltenham, but did not find school life at all congenial. In 1855 he left school, and, after a short time with a private tutor, entered Trinity College, Dublin, as a fellow commoner, in February 1856. There he was free to study as he pleased, and made good use of his opportunities, if in a somewhat desultory way. He has himself traced, in an interesting essay, the 'formative influences' he underwent at college. Probably the companionship of chosen friends, such as David Plunket (now Lord Rathmore), Edward Gibson (now Lord Ashbourne), Gerald FitzGibbon [q. v. Suppl. II], Edward, son of Smith O'Brien, and his cousin Aubrey, and Thomas (afterwards Canon) Teignmouth Shore, was the most stimulating of these influences; but he himself attributes much to his reading Bishop Butler, Whately, Bossuet, Hobbes,
