George Riebau was a bookseller and bookbinder in Blandford Street,

London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...

to whom

Michael Faraday Michael Faraday (; 22 September 1791 – 25 August 1867) was an English chemist and physicist who contributed to the study of electrochemistry and electromagnetism. His main discoveries include the principles underlying electromagnetic inducti ...

was apprenticed in 1805 at the age of fourteen. During his seven years' apprenticeship, Faraday made good use of the priceless access to books which his employment gave him and which his generous employer allowed: "Whilst an apprentice, I loved to read the scientific books which were under my hands." Riebau later wrote: "If I had any curious book from my customers to bind, with plates, he would copy such as he thought singular or clever." It was Riebau who arranged, through one of his customers, for to be given tickets to hear

Humphry Davy Sir Humphry Davy, 1st Baronet (17 December 177829 May 1829) was a British chemist and inventor who invented the Davy lamp and a very early form of arc lamp. He is also remembered for isolating, by using electricity, several Chemical element, e ...

lecture on Chemistry at the

Royal Institution The Royal Institution of Great Britain (often the Royal Institution, Ri or RI) is an organisation for scientific education and research, based in the City of Westminster. It was founded in 1799 by the leading British scientists of the age, inc ...

; Faraday took notes which he later showed to Davy and which led to his joining the RI, the start of his distinguished scientific career. Many years later Faraday dedicated a book to Riebau, writing: "...you kindly interested yourself in the progress I made in the knowledge of facts relating to the different theories in existence, readily permitting me to examine those books in your possession that were in any way related to the subjects occupying my attention."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Riebau, George Businesspeople from London English booksellers Year of death unknown Year of birth missing Bookbinders Michael Faraday