Why should we be interested in reading a book about the life and work of an obscure Herefordshire parson–astronomer? Perhaps if he had written a book which influenced several generations of amateur astronomers, perhaps if that book gives us a glimpse of the fascinating world of nineteenth-century amateur science, and perhaps if he had inspired a society which continues his work to this day. All of these can be said of this biography of the Reverend T. W. Webb (1806–85).

The book consists of chapters written by a distinguished collection of contributors headed up with a foreword by Sir Patrick Moore. It starts with a couple of chapters by the editors covering Webb's life and career. Here the resources of local and family history have been applied and a wide range of sources consulted, including diaries, letters, logbooks, newspapers, sketches and memorials. Webb is a fascinating character himself, but we are also treated to a chapter on ‘Clerical astronomers’ by Allan Chapman and one on ‘Webb's telescopes’ by Robert Marriott. These give background and also widen the appeal of this book. There is even a chapter on ‘Webb's observations of earthquakes’ by Roger M. W. Musson of the British Geological Survey, where we learn that Webb was witness to a series of earthquakes centred near Herefordshire and the Welsh borders in the 1880s.

There are a series of chapters on Webb's astronomical work, which included observations of the Moon, planets and comets. Webb discovered ten double stars and the variable star S Orionis. However, his astronomy was very much ‘stargazing’ – for the pleasure of observing itself, much in the way an amateur naturalist might observe flowers, insects and birds as an appreciation of the natural world in all its forms. Webb's most famous contribution was his book Celestial Objects for Common Telescopes (1859). A guide to the skies for serious amateur astronomers, it went through several editions. The philosophy behind the book was appropriate to Webb's profession as a Christian minister, for he regarded the starry skies as evidence of God's Creation and magnificence. If Webb's book was never a mass-market success, it did find a niche in the community of amateur astronomers.

The Stargazer of Hardwicke concludes with a short history of the Webb Society, a group of amateur astronomers devoted to continuing Webb's observational astronomy. There is also a comprehensive bibliography of Webb, including his many contributions to periodicals. On the negative side, some of the illustrations are poorly reproduced. Also, it would have been nice to read further from Webb's observing logs than the extracts provided. Nevertheless, the book is well worth its modest price and will be a fascinating read for anyone interested in Victorian science, whether astronomer or not.