There were about 100 contributors to Rees's Cyclopædia, most of whom were Nonconformists. They were specialists in their fields, covering science, technology, medicine, manufacturing, agriculture, banking and transportation, as well as the arts and humanities. A number were members of the teaching staffs of the Royal Military Academy, and the Addiscombe Military Seminary of the East India Company. Other contributors were working journalists who wrote for scientific, medical and technical periodicals of the time. Several of the contributors were active in radical politics; one was gaoled for sedition and another indicted for treason.
Amongst the eminent writers engaged by Rees were Dr Charles Burney (1726–1814) who wrote on music and musical biography; Dr Lant Carpenter (1780–1870) on education, mental and moral philosophy; Tiberius Cavallo (1799–1809) on electricity and magnetism; John Farey, sr. (1766–1826), on canals, geology, music and surveying; John Farey, jr. (1791–1851) on machinery, manufactures, steam engine, and water. He also contributed a great number of the illustrations; John Flaxman (1755–1826) on sculpture; Luke Howard (1772–1867) on meteorology; John Landseer (1769–1852) on engraving; Sir William Lawrence, (1783–1867) on human and comparative anatomy; Sir James Edward Smith (1759–1828) on botany; David Mushet on metallurgy and chemistry; Rev. William Pearson (1767–1847) on astronomy; Sir Thomas Phillips (1770–1875) on painting.
Among the artists and engravers employed were Aaron Arrowsmith (1750–1823) who engraved the maps; William Blake (1757–1827) who made engravings to illustrate some of the sculpture articles; Thomas Milton (1743–1827) who engraved most of the natural history plates; Wilson Lowry (1762–1824) who engraved numerous of the plates especially those relating to architecture, machinery and scientific instruments.
With the exception of the botanical articles by Sir James Edward Smith, none of the articles are signed. Names were recorded in the Prospectus of 1802, the introduction at the start of the first volume, the paper covers of the unbound parts which have survived, and in a paper in the Philosophical Magazine, published in 1820. The following alphabetical list has been compiled from the foregoing sources. The majority appear in the Dictionary of National Biography, and in sources listed in the British Biographical Index, but these accounts rarely record an involvement with the Cyclopædia.
| Name | Topics | |
|---|---|---|
| John Abernethy (1764–1831) | Anatomy, Physiology | |
| Arthur Aikin (1773–1854) | Chemistry, Geology, Mineralogy | |
| Charles Rochmont Aikin (1775–1847) | Topics not Stated | |
| Edmund Aikin (1780–1820) | Architecture | |
| William Anderson (1757–1837) | Made drawings (perhaps of marine topics) | |
| Aaron Arrowsmith (1750–1823) | Directed Maps | |
| John Bacon (1777–1859) | Sculpture | |
| Robert Bakewell (1768–1843) | Geology, Mineralogy, Rock, Strata, Wool, Worsted | |
| Peter Barlow (1776–1862) | Algebra, Analysis, Geometry, Strength of Materials | |
| Thomas Bateman (1778–1821) | Medicine | |
| Delabere Pritchett Blaine (1768–1845) | Veterinary art; Sporting life | |
| William Blair (1766–1822) | Cipher, Stenography, Surgery | |
| Robert Bland (1730–1816) | Midwifery | |
| John Bonnycastle (1780?–1821) | Algebra, Analysis, Astronomy | |
| Thomas Bradley (1751–1813) | Medicine (Not listed in Phil. Mag. but on Prospectus) | |
| William Thomas Brande (1788–1866) | Chemistry | |
| John Britton (1771–1857) | Topography | |
| Charles Burney (1726–1814) | Musical biography, Music | |
| Lant Carpenter (1780–1840) | Education, Language, Mental & Moral Philosophy | |
| Tiberius Cavallo (1749–1809) | Electricity, Machinery, Mechanics | |
| Bracy Clark (1771–1860) | Comparative Anatomy (Not listed in Phil. Mag. but on a cover) | |
| Thomas Clarkson (1760–1846) | Various articles (?Slavery etc) | |
| John Clennell (1772–1822) | Topics not stated | |
| Edward Coleman(1766–1839) | Topics not stated (?Farriery) | |
| Sir Astley Cooper (1768–1871) | Topics not stated (?Medicine/Surgery) | |
| Samuel Cooper (1780–1848) | Surgery | |
| William Crowe (1745–1829) | Topics not stated (?Poetry) | |
| John Cuthbertson (1743–1816) | Electricity? | |
| John Dalton (1766–1844) | Chemistry, Meteorology | |
| Thomas Daniell (1749–1840) | Made drawings | |
| William Daniell (1769–1837) | Made drawings | |
| Humphry Davy (1778–1829) | Chemistry | |
| John Davy (1790–1868) | Chemistry | |
| Richard Watson Dickson (1759–1824) | Agriculture, Meteorology | |
| Edward Donovan (1768–1837) | Conchology, Entomology etc Made drawings and arranged natural history plates | |
| John Duncan fl. 1800 | Manufactures, Weaving | |
| Sydenham Edwards (1769?–1819) | Made Natural History drawings | |
| Henry Ellis (1777–1869) | Antiquities and various articles | |
| John Farey, sr. (1766–1826) | Canals, Geology, Measures, Music, Trig. Survey | |
| John Farey, jr. (1791–1851) | Machinery, Manufactures, Mechanics Mill, Steam Engine, Water etc. Made numerous mechanical drawings. | |
| Joseph Farey (1796–1829) | Made many mechanical and miscellaneous drawings | |
| John Flaxman (1855–1826) | Sculpture | |
| John Fletcher Not identified | Chemistry | |
| Henry Fuseli (1741–1825) | (Painting/Art?) In American prospectus only | |
| James Glenie (1750–1817) | Artillery carriages, Cannon, Fortification | |
| George Glover (fl 1800) | Naval Architecture. The writer is probably pseudonymous. | |
| Agnes C. Hall (1777–1846) | French School of Engraving | |
| John Haslam (1764–1844) | Mental derangement | |
| Alexander Henderson (1780–1863) | Medicine | |
| Thomas Dix Hincks (1767–1857) | Geography | |
| Prince Hoare (1755–1834) | Sculpture | |
| Henry Howard (1769–1847) | Drawing, and various articles | |
| Luke Howard (1772–1864) | Meteorology | |
| James Ivory (1765–1842) | Conic Sections, Curves, Geometry | |
| John Jones (1766? – 1827) | Grammar, Language | |
| Jeremiah Joyce (1763–1816) | Various articles | |
| Patrick Kelly (1756–1842) | Coinage, Exchanges, Standard, Weight | |
| Kirkman (Dates not known) | Made drawings | |
| Charles Konig (1774–1851) | Gem, Gem engraving, Geognosy, Mineralogy | |
| John Landseer (1769–1852) | Schools of engraving | |
| William Lawrence (1783–1867) | Anatomy, Human and Comparative Physiology | |
| John Leslie (1766–1832) | (? Mathematics) | |
| Wilson Lowry (1762–1824) | Made drawings for some and engraved very numerous plates. | |
| James Macartney (1770–1843) | Comparative Anatomy, Physiology | |
| Andrew Mackay (1760–1809) | Navigation | |
| Benjamin Heath Malkin (1769–1842) | Biographies | |
| Alexander Marcet (1770–1822) | Chemistry | |
| John Milner (1752–1826) | Gothic Architecture | |
| Thomas Milton (1743–1827) | Engraved Natural History Plates | |
| Edward Moor (1771–1848) | Indian Mythology | |
| William Morgan (1750–1833) | Annuities, Insurance[1] | |
| David Mushet (1772–1847) | Blast and Blowing Furnaces, Iron manufacture | |
| George Nayler (1764?–1831) | Heraldry | |
| Peter Nicholson (1765–1844) | Architecture, Carpentry, Joinery, Panorama, Perspective, Projection, Proportional Compasses, Shadows, Stereography, Stereometry. | |
| John Opie (1761–1807) | Painting | |
| William Young Ottley (1771–1836) | Painting | |
| H. Parker | Prosody, Versification | |
| Samuel Parkes (1761–1825) | Manufactures | |
| Richard Pearson (1756–1836) | Topics not stated (?Medicine) | |
| William Pearson (1767–1847) | Astronomical, Chronometrical, Optical etc. Instruments, Horology, Planetary Machines, Watch etc | |
| Thomas Phillips (1770–1845) | Painting | |
| John Pond (1767–1836) | Algebra, Analysis, Astronomy, Degree, Diophantine, Force etc | |
| William Porden (1755–1822) | Architecture | |
| William Owen Pughe (1759–1835) | English History | |
| Abraham Rees (1743–1825) | Gen. Editor; Atmosphere, Hydrostatics and various articles | |
| Thomas Rees (1777–1864) | Biography, various articles, examined and described the plates | |
| Sweating sickness, symptom, synocha, synochus, tabes, tetanus. | ||
| John Russell (1745–1806) | Painting | |
| George Sanderson | Arch | |
| John Scott (1774–1827) | Engraved Natural History Plates | |
| James Edward Smith (1759–1828) | Botanical Biography, Botany D to the end | |
| James Sowerby (1757–1822) | Made Natural History drawings | |
| Jonathan Stokes (1755–1831) | Botany [sic] (Printed in the Prospectus in error) | |
| Joseph Strutt (1749–1802) | Antiquities | |
| George Stubbs (1724–1806) | Made Drawings | |
| Charles Sylvester (? – 1828) | Chemistry, Definite Proportions, File Cutting, Galvanism, Pottery, Voltaism etc. | |
| W. Symonds | Topics not stated | |
| Charles Taylor(– 1816) | Bleaching | |
| John Taylor (1779–1863) | Mining | |
| William Thomas (Dates not known) | Topics not stated | |
| James Thomson (1779–1850) | Cotton spinning and manufacture | |
| William Tooke (1744–1820) | Geography (?of Russia) | |
| Sharon Turner (1768–1847) | English History | |
| Edmund Turrell (d. 1835) | Enamelling | |
| Thomas Webster (1773–1844) | Architecture, Aquatinta | |
| William Wood (1745–1808) | Botany B to end of C | |
| William Woodville (1752–1805) | Botany A |
The previous list has been sorted into subject areas. It allows contributors of many single articles, usually of monograph length, to be identified. However a number of subjects, such as architecture and chemistry, have multiple contributors, so individual attributions are not possible.
The following are noted as contributors of unidentified topics:Abraham Rees, Charles Rochmont Aikin, Edward Coleman, Henry Ellis, Henry Howard, Jeremiah Joyce, John Clennel, Sir Astley Cooper, W. Crowe, (?Thomas) Clarkson, Richard Pearson, Thomas Rees, W. Symonds, and William Thomas.
Artists not listed as contributors:
| Name | Plates | |
|---|---|---|
| James Brown | Cotton Manufacture IV | |
| Instruments of Music | ||
| Cotton Manufacture II, III, VII | ||
| Chemistry XVI, XVII | ||
| Richard Duppa (1770–1831) | Natural History, V, IV (Mount Vesuvius sketched 1797) | |
| Edward Kennyon [sic Kennion] (1744–1809) | Clouds I, II | |
| John Laporte (1761–1839) | Drawing, Plate 8. Plate 9 | |
| I. Glover [some just Glover] | Naval Architecture II, VI, VIII, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV; Rigging I, II, III,IV; Ships masts VII | |
| Astronomy, I, II; Constellation I, II; Woollen manufacture I [NB W. Hebert, artist, fl at end of C18] | ||
| Geographiæ Antiquæ I, II, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XVII, XVIII, XIX, XX, XXI, XXII | ||
| Strange (Dates not known) | Ancient Musical Instruments IV | |
| William Thomson (c1702-1802) | Chemistry XX; Cotton Manufacture I | |
| Cornelius Varley (1781–1873) | Bleaching | |
| Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy (1780–1854) | Horology XLVI | |
| Musical Instruments, XI, XII, XII XII, XIV, XV, [This is not likely to be the Thomas Webster of the previous list] |
Engravers not listed as contributors:
| Name | Plates | |
|---|---|---|
| William? Bond ft 1803 | Basso Relievo 1, 11 | |
| William Blake (1757–1827) | Armour; Basso Releivo IV; Sculpture I, II, III, IV | |
| J. Bye, 34 Duke Street, Smithfield | Spain and Portugal | |
| John Cooke, Camden Town fl 1800 | Switzerland, East Germany, West Germany, Cape of Good Hope | |
| Geographiæ Antiquæ VI, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XX, XXI; British Isles, Scotland, Ireland, Sweden & Denmark, S. Part of Russia in Europe, The Seven United Provinces, Hungary, Arabia, Persia, China, East India Islands, Pacific Ocean | ||
| Robert Hartley Cromeck (1770–1812) | Sculpture I | |
| Alex. Findlay (1790–1870) | Geographim Antique I, III; Canals [etc] of Great Britain | |
| South Italy in Atlas | ||
| Hewitt, Queen Street, Bloomsbury | England & Wales | |
| Edward Jones, West Square. fl 1770 | France, Asia, United States | |
| Charles Knight (1743–1827?) | Drawing IV | |
| Jel- fecit [= [[John Landseer]] who wrote the articles] | Monograms etc of French engravers Monograms etc of German engravers 1, 2, 3 Monograms etc of Low Countries engravers 2 Monograms etc of Italian engravers 1, 2, 3 | |
| Music I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV, XV, XVI, XVII, XVII; XIX, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII; XXIV, XXV, XXVII, XXVIII; XXIX, XXX, XII, XXXIII; XLV, Plate Euclid, XLVIII; Ancient Musical Instruments III, IV, V; Instruments of Music VI,;Musical Instruments VII, VIII, IX; X, XI, X11, X111,XIV, XV; Writing by cipher II | ||
| Lewis | Architecture XXVI | |
| The world on Mercator's Projection | ||
| Henry Noses (1782?–1870) | Composition I, II | |
| James Parker (1750–1805) | Basso Relievo III |
Pseudonymous and unknown contributors are very few. Contributor Richard Watson Dickson published a book about gardening in 1807 under the name of Alexander MacDonald. At about this time there seems to have been a genre established of books on practical topics for craftsmen, containing information taken from the various encyclopædias being published then and written by journalists. One such was "Thomas Martin", The Circle of the Mechanical Arts.[2] Another was "John Nicholson", The Operative Mechanic, 1825.[3] Both the writers were described as civil engineers, yet are quite unknown in the profession and published nothing more.
A handful of contributors are just recorded by name, with no indication of what they contributed, nor whom they might be.
The articles are:
These articles were reprinted (with the one by John Farey on the manufacture of Ship's Blocks, from Volume 22), by David & Charles in 1972 with the title Rees's Naval Architecture. All the Glover articles have elements from the 1794 edition of Steel's Rigging and Seamanship and the 1818 edition of The Art of Rigging.