Australian Dictionary of Biography entry: https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/pigot-edward-francis-8048

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Fr David Strong SJ, The Australian dictionary of Jesuit biography 1848-2015, Second Edition, 2017:
Pigot, Edward Francis

Scientist and astronomer; born Dundrum, near Dublin, 18 September 1858; died Sydney, 22 May 1929, aged 70.

Edward Pigot's family was of Norman origin and settled in Co Cork, Ireland. The family was a famous legal family in Dublin. He was the grandson of Chief Baron Pigot, son of Judge David Pigot, brother of Judge John Pigot. He was the fourth of eight children, and was educated at home by a governess and tutors. The family was very musical, Edward playing the piano.

Pigot went to Trinity College, Dublin, and graduated BA in science in 1879. His mentor at the university in astronomy was Sir Robert Ball, then Royal Astronomer for Ireland and Professor of Astronomy. Pigot then studied medicine and graduated with high distinction in 1882, and after post-graduate studies practiced in Baggot Street, Dublin.

However, Pigot gave up this practice to join the Society of Jesus, 10 June 1885, at the age of 27. After a short teaching period at University College, Dublin, Pigot was sent to Australia in 1888 because of constant headaches, and he taught physics and physiology principally at St Ignatius' College, Riverview, 1890-92. He returned to Europe for further studies; philosophy in Jersey with the French Jesuits, 1892-95, and theology at Milltown Park, Dublin, where he was ordained priest in 1898. Tertianship followed immediately at Tullamore.

At the age of 41 and in ill health, Pigot volunteered for the Chinese mission in 1899, and was stationed at Zi-ka-Wei, near Shanghai, working on a world famous observatory, where meteorology, astronomy and terrestrial magnetism were fostered. Pigot specialised in astronomy and also studied Chinese. Like other missionaries of those days, he grew a beard and a pigtail. However, his health deteriorated and he was sent to Australia in 1903 for a few years. He then returned to Shanghai, 1905-07, before returning to Riverview in 1908.

After visiting the Manila Observatory, he formulated plans for starting an observatory at Riverview, an activity that he believed would bring recognition for the excellence in research that he expected at the Riverview observatory. He believed that seismology was best suited to the location. Pigot obtained the best equipment available for his work, with the gracious benefaction of the Hon Louis F Heydon, MLC. He personally visited other observatories around the world to gain ideas and experience, as well as attending many international conferences over the years. One result of his visit to Samoa was the building and fittings for the instruments in the half-underground, vaulted, brick building at Riverview. Brothers Forster and Girschik performed the work. Some instruments, called the Wiechert Seismographs, came from Germany.

He became a member of the Australian National Research Council at its inception in 1921, and foundation member of the Australian Committee on Astronomy, as well as that on Geodosy and Geophysics. He served on the Council of the Royal Society of NSW, and was President of the British Astronomical Association (NSW Branch), 1923-24.

The upkeep of the Riverview observatory was borne by the Australian Jesuits, and Riverview. Family and friends also gave funds for this work. When he died from pneumonia, he left at the Riverview observatory, five double-component seismometers, two telescopes fully equipped for visual and photographic work, a wireless installation, clocks specially designed for extreme accuracy, an extensive scientific library, a complete set of meteorological instruments, and a solar radiation station, possessing rare and costly instruments.

Pigot's work at Riverview included working on scientific problems of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, experiments at the construction of the Burrenjuck Dam, in geophysics at the Cobar mines, and his pendulum experiments in the Queen Victoria Market Buildings in Sydney. In 1910 he took part in a solar eclipse expedition to Tasmania. In April 1911 he went with the warship Encounter on a similar expedition to the Tongan Islands in the Pacific, and was prominent in the Goondiwindi Solar Eclipse Expedition in 1922.

Pigot was appointed by the Commonwealth Government to represent Australia at the International Seismological Congress at St Petersburg in 1914. He was secretary of the seismological section of the Pan-Pacific Science Congress in Sydney, 1923, and in 1926, once more represented the Commonwealth Government as a member of the Australian Delegation at the Pan-Pacific Congress, Tokyo. In 1928 he was elected a member of an International Commission of Research, which was part of the International Bureau of Seismology, centered at Strasburg.

He was highly esteemed by his colleagues for his friendship, high scholarship, modest and unassuming demeanour, and nobility of character. Upon his death the rector of Riverview received a letter from the acting-premier, describing Pigot as one of NSWs 'most distinguished citizens', and Sir Edgeworth David praised his magnetic personality, and eagerness and enthusiasm in discussing plans for the better pursuit of scientific truth.

Edward Pigot, tall and lanky, frail and often in weak health, was also a fine priest, always a helper of the poor, and exemplary in the practice of poverty. He did pastoral work in a quiet way. On his scientific expeditions, he was always willing to help the local clergy and their scattered flocks. He was genuinely modest, humble, and courteous to all. Yet he was naturally a very sensitive and even passionate man, with a temperament that he did not find easy to control. He disagreed strongly with Dr Mannix on the issue of conscription - the Pigots were decidedly Anglo-Irish - and positively refused to entertain the idea of setting up an observatory at Newman under the archbishop's aegis.

His extremely high standards of scientific accuracy and integrity made it difficult for him to find an assistant he could work with, or who could work with him: George Downey, Robert McCarthy, and Wilfrid Ryan, all failed to satisfy. However, when he met the young scholastic Daniel O'Connell he found a man after his own heart. When he found death approaching he was afraid, not of death, but because O'Connell was still only a theologian and not ready to take over the observatory. Happily, the Irish province was willing to release his other great friend, William O'Leary, to fill the gap.

(Reproduced by permission of Fr David Strong SJ.)