John Ball

Ball, John

16 featured booksBall, John

John Ball (1818–1889), Irish politician, naturalist and Alpine traveller, eldest son of an Irish judge, Nicholas Ball, was born at Dublin on the 20th of August 1818. He was educated at the Roman Catholic College at Oscott near Birmingham, and at Christ's College, Cambridge. He showed in early years a taste for natural science, particularly botany; and after leaving Cambridge he travelled in Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe, studying his favourite pursuits, and contributing papers on botany and the Swiss glaciers to scientific periodicals. In 1846 he was made an assistant poor-law commissioner, but resigned in 1847, and in 1848 stood unsuccessfully as a parliamentary candidate for Sligo. In 1849 he was appointed second poor-law commissioner, but resigned in 1852 and successfully contested the county of Carlow in the Liberal interest. In the House of Commons he attracted Lord Palmerston's attention by his abilities, and in 1885 was made under-secretary for the colonies, a post which he held for two years. At the colonial office he had great influence in furthering the cause of natural science, particularly in connexion with equipment of the Palliser expedition in Canada, and with Sir W. Hooker's efforts to obtain a systematic knowledge of the colonial floras. In 1858 he stood for Limerick, but was beaten, and he then gave up politics and devoted himself to natural history. He was first president of the Alpine Club (founded 1857), and it is for his work as an Alpinist that he is chiefly remembered, his well-known *Alpine Guide* (London, 1863–1868) being the result of innumerable climbs and journeys and of careful observation recorded in a clear and often entertaining style. He also travelled in Morocco (1871) and South America (1882), and recorded his observations in books which were recognized as having a scientific value. He died in London on the 21st of October 1889. [ Source: https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Ball,_John_(Irish_politician) ]

Search this author Open first work

OL2500824A

Overview

Catalog identity and bibliographic footprint for this author.

16 representative editions

Author pages in Bookitis are intended to show only works actually attributed to the author and a representative edition for each of those works.

Catalog identity

How this author appears inside the active Bookitis catalog.

Display name
John Ball
Personal name
Ball, John
Source identifier
OL2500824A

Featured books

Representative editions for works actually authored by this person.

Works in catalog

Quick navigation into the work-level grouping pages behind the featured books.

A guide to the western Alps
Representative edition published 2010
Open Work
Hints and notes practical and scientific for travellers in the Alps
Representative edition published 1899
Open Work
The Western Alps
Representative edition published 1898
Open Work
Notes of a naturalist in South America
Representative edition published 1887
Open Work
Spicilegium florae Maroccanae
Representative edition published 1878
Open Work
Central Tyrol
Representative edition published 1873
Open Work
North Tyrol, Bavarian and Salzburg Alps
Representative edition published 1873
Open Work
South Tyrol and Venetian or Dolomite Alps
Representative edition published 1873
Open Work
Styrian, Carnic and Julian Alps
Representative edition published 1873
Open Work
The Central Alps
Representative edition published 1866
Open Work
A guide to the western Alps
Representative edition published 1863
Open Work
Peaks, passes, and glaciers
Representative edition published 1859
Open Work
What is to be done for Ireland?
Representative edition published 1849
Open Work
The Central Alps, including the Bernese Oberland, and all Switzerland excepting the neighbourhood of Monte Rosa and The Great St. Bernard
Representative edition published 1869
Open Work
A guide to the Eastern Alps
Representative edition published 1868
Open Work
Botanical notes of a tour in Ireland, with notices of some new British plants
Representative edition published 1838
Open Work