- ROBERTS, ISAAC (1829–1904), amateur astronomer, son of William Roberts, a farmer of Groes, near Denbigh, North Wales, was born at that place on 27 Jan. 1829; though in childhood he left Wales with his family for Liverpool, he retained a knowledge of Welsh through life. In 1844 he was apprenticed for seven years to the firm of John Johnson & Son, afterwards Johnson & Robinson, builders and lime burners, of Liverpool. One of the partners, Robinson, died in 1855, and Roberts was made manager…