Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Lynn, Thomas
LYNN, THOMAS (1774–1847), writer on astronomy, was born 2 Jan. 1774 at Woodbridge in Suffolk, where his father was a medical practitioner. At the age of eleven he entered the naval service of the East India Company, and on quitting it with the rank of commander many years later was appointed examiner in nautical astronomy to the company's officers. He kept a naval academy at 148 Leadenhall Street, London, and died at Dover on 2 May 1847, aged 73.
He wrote: 1. ‘An Improved System of Telegraphic Communication,’ London, 1814; 2nd edit. 1818. 2. ‘Solar Tables,’ 1821. 3. ‘Star Tables’ for 1822, &c. 4. ‘Astronomical and other Tables,’ 1824. 5. ‘A New Method of finding the Longitude,’ two editions, 1826. 6. ‘Horary Tables for finding the Time by Inspection,’ 1827; 2nd edit. 1828. 7. ‘Practical Methods for finding the Latitude,’ 1833. 8. ‘New Star Tables,’ 1843. A chapter by him on the navigation of the China seas formed part of the volumes on China published in the ‘Edinburgh Cabinet Library,’ 1836; 3rd edit. 1843. His works were much esteemed in their time.
[Information from Mr. W. T. Lynn and Miss Lynn; Gent. Mag. 1847, pt. i. p. 676; Notes and Queries, 7th ser. i. 268 (W. T. Lynn).]