The accounts included in this section fall broadly into the following categories:
Not included are:
Additional material is in preparation and will be added to the list below over the coming months.
| Date: | 1710, June 12 |
| Author: | Zacharias Conrad von Uffenbach (1683–1734), German scholar, bibliophile, book-collector, traveller, palaeographer, and consul in Frankfurt am Main who is best known today for his published travelogues |
| Title: | Merkwürdige Reisen durch Niedersachsen Holland und Engelland (Ulm, 1753). Originally published in German, an English Translation (minus the relevant plate), was published in 1934 under the title London in 1710. |
| About: | During his travels, von Uffenbach visited Flamsteed at the Observatory on 12 June 1710. His account of this visit (pp. 445–451), includes a detailed description (with plate) of a quadrant housed in the Quadrant House (or possibly the Sextant House). Given the date of his visit, the instrument is most likely to have been Flamsteed’s Mural Arc, the only other instrument in the vicinity being Flamsteed’s 7-foot Equatorial Sextant. However, the published plate bears little resemblance to the view of the Mural Arc that was published in Flamsteed’s Historia Coelestis Britannica, (London, 1725). Nor does it resemble the plate of the Equatorial Sextant (engraved by Francis Place after Robert Thacker c.1676) that was also included in Flamsteed's Historia Coelestis Britannica. Nor does it resemble the Francis Place engraving of Hooke’s 10-foot Mural Quadrant, an earlier instrument that had long since abandoned by Flamsteed and almost certainly disposed of. Allan Chapman and Derek Howse (both leading authorities), believe the instrument described and illustrated to be Flamsteed’s Mural Arc. |
| Images: |
One plate (see above). |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1769, March 26 |
| Author: | Jean Bernouilli, Director of the Berlin Observatory |
| Title: | De l'Observeratoire de Greenwich |
| About: | In 1768 & 1769, Bernouilli visited a number of observatories in Europe to acquaint himself with the state of astronomy there. His findings were later published in book form as a series of letters in a volume titled: Lettres astronomiques où l'on donne une idée de l'état actuel de l'astronomie pratique dans plusieurs villes de l'Europe, (Berlin, 1771), which translates roughly as: Letters of an Astronomical nature, which give one an idea of the current state of practical astronomy in several towns in Europe. His account of the Observatory at Greenwich (pp.77–100) formed the content of letter six (Lettre sixieme). |
| Images: |
Several, including instrumental details and the earliest known image of Bradley's New Observatory. |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1777 |
| Author: | Thomas Bugge, professor of mathematics and astronomy at the University of Copenhagen |
| About: | Soon after Bugge was appointed professor of mathematics and astronomy at the University of Copenhagen in January 1777, he travelled to Holland and England to acquaint himself with the state of astronomy and instrument making in those countries. He kept an extensive journal of his travels and findings, which is preserved in the archives of Det Kongelige Bibliotek and can be consulted online, the relevant pages being: 72 recto – 72 verso & 86 verso – 91 recto. An English translation was published in 2010 under the title: An Observer of Observatories: The Journal of Thomas Bugge's Tour of Germany, Holland and England in 1777 (Aarthus University Press). |
| Images: | Numerous, including site plan, view of Flamsteed House from the river and various clocks and instruments. |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1798 |
| Author: | Thomas Evans, Assistant at the Royal Observatory (1796–98) |
| About: | In his book: The juvenile tourist, or, excursions through various parts of the island of Great-Britain; including the west of England, the midland counties, and the whole county of Kent; illustrated with maps, and interspersed with historical anecdotes and poetical extracts, for the improvement of the rising generation, in a series of letters to a pupil (London, 1804, 1805, 1809, 1810 & 1818), John Evans included nine pages of text written by Thomas Evans (pp.331–340 (1805 edition); 341–350 (1818 edition)). They contain the much quoted line ‘Nothing can exceed the tediousness and ennui of the life the assistant leads in this place’. |
| Images: | None |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1824 |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Title: | The Royal Observatory, Greenwich Park |
| About: | This brief historical account published by R. Ackermann in his Repository of arts, literature, fashions &c., The Third Series, Volume IV, No.XXII, (London), 1 Oct 1824, pp.186–188, is included here not for the text, but for its contemporary illustration which is the earliest known view of Flamsteed House from the north to include the lantern above Pond's 25-foot Great Zenith Tube. |
| Images: | One |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1829, with 1830 corrections |
| Author: | 1829 article, anonymous. Corrections by (JH) John Henry – Assistant at the Observatory since 1811. Henry, also went by the name of Belville. |
| Title: | Royal Observatory, Greenwich |
| About: | Published in The Mirror of Literature, Amusement and Instruction (J. Limbird, London), this account appeared in Vol. XIV, No. 404, pp.401 & 402 on Saturday 12 Dec 1829. The account was somewhat out dated, with significant amounts that appear to have been directly copied from the 1798 account written by Thomas Evans. Writing to the Editor, the Observatory's Second Assistant, John Henry wrote: "... I perceive you have availed yourself of an account which is rather imperfect for the present day. I will, therefore, with your leave, briefly state the additions and improvements recently made in that building." Henry's letter was published in Vol XV, No. 413, p.83 on Saturday 30 Jan 1830. On the matter of plagarism, Dick's account published in 1845 is remarkably similar. |
| Images: | One |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1833 |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Title: | Greenwich Observatory |
| About: | Published in The Penny Magazine of the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, (London, Charles Knight), Issue No. 87, 10 Aug 1833, pp.308–309; this brief historical account is included here not for the text, but for its contemporary illustration of Flamsteed House from the north. It shows a good view of the lantern above Pond's 25-foot Great Zenith Tube. |
| Images: | One |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1834 |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Title: | Time Ball, on the Greenwich Observatory |
| About: | Published in the The Mirror of Literature, Amusement and Instruction, Vol XXIII, No.642, pp.8–9, 4 Jan 1834, (J. Limbird, London), this account has what are probabally the first published drawings of the recently completed Greenwich time ball. |
| Images: | Three |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1834 |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Title: | Flamstead House |
| About: | This short piece was included in National History and Views of London and Its Environs;: Embracing Their Antiquities, Modern Improvements, &c., &c. from Original Drawings by Eminent Artists, Vol 1, (London, 1834), Edited by CF Partington, pp.76–77. The accompanying illustration of Flamstead House was drawn by TH Shepherd and published by WS Orr in 1832. |
| Images: | One |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1835 |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Title: | The Royal Observatory, Greenwich |
| About: | Published in four episodes in The Weekly Visitor (London, The Religious Tract Society), this mainly historic rather than contemporary account contains several unique illustrations, including a distant view from the north with the Ramage Telescope visible in the Courtyard, the only known plan showing the location of the Ramage Telescope, several important early images of the time ball mechanism and the only known illustration of Pond's 25-foot Great Zenith Tube (1833). The four episodes were preceeded by one titled Greenwich Castle, Kent. Publication details are as follows: |
| Greenwich Castle, Kent: Issue No. CXXI, 6 Jan 1835, pp. 1–2 | |
| The Royal Observatory, Greenwich No.1: Issue No. CXXVI, 3 Feb 1835, pp. 41–42 | |
| The Royal Observatory, Greenwich No.2: Issue No. CXXVII, 10 Feb 1835, pp. 53–55 | |
| The Royal Observatory, Greenwich No.3: Issue No. CXXVIII, 17 Feb 1835, pp. 63–64 | |
| The Royal Observatory, Greenwich No.4: Issue No. CXXIX, 24 Feb 1835, pp. 67–69 | |
| Images: | Nine |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1839 |
| Author: | George Airy, Astronomer Royal |
| About: | In his 1856 History and description of the Astronomical Observatory of Harvard College. (Metcalf and Co, Cambridge [Mass.]), William Cranch Bond reprinted as an appendix (pp.xcvii–ciii), the response he got from Airy to a letter he had sent on 10 April 1839, asking about "the history and present constitution of the Royal Observatory of Greenwich" Airy's reply contains information on salaries, costs of telescopes, and other information not readily available elsewhere. |
| Images: | None |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1840 |
| Author: | William H.C. Bartlett of West Point Military Academy USA |
| About: | In 1836, Bartlett was appointed to the post of professor of natural and experimental philosophy at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point New York. In 1840 with the aim of setting up an observatory, he applied for permission to go abroad to inspect the astronomical observatories and establishments of Europe. He subsequently visited the observatories of Greenwich, Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin, Armagh, Edinburgh, Paris, Munich and Brussels; and the workshops of Troughton and Simms, Dolland, Jones, Grubb, Gambey, Ertel, Merz, and others. The report of his visit currently exists only in manuscript form, the original being held in the U.S. Military Academy Library. Of the 52 pages, 9½ are devoted to Greenwich. The report is general in its nature, but details are given of devices and arrangements that seemed important. |
| Images: | None |
| Date: | 1842 |
| Author: | Anonymous & Orville James Victor |
| About: | In his book, Men of the Time: Being Biographies of Generals, Volume 3, (Beadle and Company, New York, 1863), pp.96–99, Victor describes how Major-General Ormsby McKnight Mitchel, professor of Astronomy at Cincinnati College and founder of the Cincinnati Observatory visited Airy at Greenwich prior to setting up the Cincinnati Observatory in 1842. It contains numerous quotes from ‘one who was at that time intimately acquainted with the Professor's movements’ and helps illuminate Airy’s attitude towards visitors. An almost, identical account of the visit was published the following year in: The portrait gallery of the war civil military and naval: A biographical record (Derby & Miller), a volume edited by Frank Moore. This volume was republished in 1865 by D.Van Nostrand, New York. |
| Images: | None |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1844 |
| Author: | James Glaisher, Superintendent of the Magnetic Observatory at Greenwich |
| Title: | The Magnetic and Meteorological Royal Observatory, just completed at Greenwich |
| About: | Although the descriptions of the magnetic and meteorological instruments published in the volumes of Greenwich Observations are superior, this account which was published in The Illustrated London News on 16 March 1844, pp.163–164, has the advantage of being illustrated. The Astronomer Royal, George Airy, was appalled that the account was published under Glaisher's name, believing instead that Glaisher should have had it published anonymously. |
| Images: | Seven |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1844 |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Title: | The Time Ball , Royal Observatory, Greenwich. From the "Illustrated London Almanack" for 1845, just published |
| About: | Published in The Illustrated London News on 9 November 1844, p.304, the account (unlike that of the 1834 account listed above), has detailed descriptions and illustrations of the component parts. Note: figures 6 & 7 are incorrectly labelled: figure 6 is actually part of figure 5 and figure 7 should have been labelled figure 6. |
| Images: | Seven |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1847 |
| Author: | George Airy, Astronomer Royal (main author) |
| Title: | The Altitude and Azimuth Instrument |
| About: | Published in The Illustrated London News on 2 October 1847, pp.221–222, this is probabally the earliest published article about Airy's Altazimuth Instrument. |
| Images: | One. The illustration is by Hare & Co. and was re-used in the 'official account' of the instrument which was published in 1849 as part of the 1847 volume of Greenwich Observations. Hare & Co. were draughtsmen and engravers specialising in agricultural and other machinery. They supplied illustrations for trade catalogues, advertisements and other promotional material for some of the leading machinery manufacturers of the day such as Ransome & May in Suffolk whom Airy had contracted to engineer the instrument |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1849 |
| Author: | GM |
| Title: | Visit to the Royal Observatory |
| About: | Published in The Visitor or Monthly Instructor, (London, The Religious Tract Society, 1849) pp. 233–236, this account was written by one of the magazine's regular authors. As well as being littered with biblical and poetic references, the account indicates the author as someone with little grasp of scientific matters who was in awe of those that had. |
| Images: | None |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1850 |
| Author: | Attributed to Frederick Knight Hunt |
| Title: | The planet-watchers of Greenwich / Greenwich weather-wisdom |
| About: | Originally published in Volume 1 of Household Words in 1850 (editions of 25 May (pp.200–204) and 1 June (pp.222–225)), these two articles of about 7800 words were republished in New York later that year in Volume 1 of Harper's New Monthly Magazine (pp.233–237 & 265–268). |
| Images: | None |
| Click here to read the accounts |
| Date: | 1850 |
| Author: | Robert Main, First Assistant at the Observatory |
| Title: | The Observatories of London and its vicinity |
| About: | This account was originally published in the book London and its Vicinity exhibited in 1851, (John Wheale, London, 1851). Intended to be an annual publication, a new edition was published in 1852. In 1854, the volume was republished by HG Bohn (London) under the title The Pictorial Handbook of London. Although Main's authorship is not acknowledged, p.29 of his book Rudimentary Astronomy makes reference to the fact that he was the author. The account contains the earliest known image of the Meridian Building following the alterations that were made to accomodate the Airy Transit Circle. |
| Images: | Seven |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1850 |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Title: | None |
| About: | The Edinburgh Review, April, 1850, No.CLXXXIV pp.299–356 consists of an article which is primarily about the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, with much of it devoted to the set up as it existed in 1850. |
| Images: | None |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1857 |
| Author: | Maria Mitchell, American astronomer |
| About: | Maria Mitchell shot to fame in 1847 when she became the second woman to discover a comet. In 1857, while on a trip to Europe, she visited and stayed with George airy at the Royal Observatory, the details of which she recorded in her journal. Extracts from the journal were later published under the title: Maria Mitchell: Life Letters and Journals (Boston 1896). Over the course of the years, Airy was host to many visitors. Mitchell sheds light on the domestic arrangements as well as recording details of her fellow diners General Sabine and Otto Struve, director of the Pulkowa Observatory. |
| Images: | None |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1858 |
| Author: | Probably James Glaisher, Superintendent of the Magnetic Observatory at Greenwich |
| Title: | The Royal Observatory |
| About: | This account was published on 1 July 1858 under the title of The Royal Observatory in the first ever edition of The Stereoscopic Magazine, (Lovell Reeve, London). The Stereoscopic Magazine was published monthly between July 1858 and February 1865 with each issue usually containing 3 stereoviews. Those of the first edition at least, were produced under the superintendence of James Glaisher, who had developed his photographic expertise during the course of his work at the Observatory. Whilst copies of the stereoviews are rare, preserved copies of the accompanying text are rarer still. Glaisher's account contains what is probabaly a unique description of the shrub plantings in the Observatory Courtyard. The stereoview of the Observatory exists in at least three (and probably more) different versions. This is because at that time, the printing process needed lengthy daylight exposures limiting production to perhaps just half a dozen prints per day from each set of plates. If he didn’t take them himself, it is likely, that Glaisher was present when the photographs were taken. |
| Images: | One (stereoview) |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1861 |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Title: | The Equatorial in Greenwich Observatory |
| About: | Published in The Illustrated London News on 24 August 1861, p.205, this is probabally the earliest published article about the Great Equatorial following its erection in 1860. The the ‘official account’ of the instrument was published in the volume of Greenwich Observations for 1868. |
| Images: | One |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1862 |
| Author: | Edwin Dunkin, Assistant at the Royal Observatory |
| Title: | A day at the Royal Observatory & A night at the Royal Observatory |
| About: | These two accounts were both published in The Leisure Hour, Vol XI (London), 1862. A day at the Royal Observatory was published in two parts, the first in edition No.524, 9 Jan 1862, pp. 22–26 and the second in edition No.525, 16 Jan 1862, pp.39–43. A night at the Royal Observatory was published in edition No. 526, 23 Jan 1862, pp.55–60. Dunkin's articles followed on directly from one on the Observatory's Origin and History, which had been written by James Glaisher and published in edition No.523, 2 Jan 1862, pp. 7–11. Dunkin's account was later partially updated and published in 1891 in a revised and extended edition of his book The Midnight Sky. |
| Images: | Six |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1863 |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Title: | A night at Greenwich Observatory |
| About: | Published as an article in The Cornhill Magazine, Vol VII, (London, Smith Elder & Co.), pp.381–389, March 1863. |
| Images: | None |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1866 |
| Author: | James Carpenter, Assistant at the Royal Observatory |
| Title: | John Flamsteed and the Greenwich Observatory |
| About: | Published in 1866 in three episodes in the Gentleman's Magazine (Bradbury Evans & Co, London), this extensive account is largerly contemporary rather than historical. Amongst his duties in 1866, Carpenter had the general charge of the Observatory Library and Manuscripts. The three episodes were published as follows: |
| Epsiode 1: Feb 1866, pp.239–252 | |
| Episode 2: Mar 1866, pp.378–386 | |
| Episode 3: Apr 1866, pp.449–558 | |
| Images: | 14 |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1866 |
| Author: | Alphonse Esquiros |
| Title: | English seamen and divers |
| About: | Written following a visit to the Observatory by Esquiros in June 1866, this extensive and largely contemporary account (which runs to some 87 pages) was published in 1868 by Chapman and Hall (Piccadilly). |
| Images: | None |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1866 |
| Author: | William Ellis, Assistant at the Royal Observatory |
| Title: | Lecture on the treatment of chronometers at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich |
| About: | This authoritative account comes from William Ellis who at that time was entrusted with the management of the galvanic apparatus for chronographic registry of Transits, movement of sympathetic clocks, and external distribution of time-signals; the receiving, issuing, and rating of chronometers; the raising or the Time-Signal-Ball at 1 o’clock; and the computations belonging to the same. The text of this lecture which was delivered on 1 March 1866 was published in the 1 April edition of The Horological Journal, (London) Vol. VII, (London) pp.85–92. |
| Images: | None |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1872 |
| Author: | George Forbes, Leader of the British party sent to observe the 1874 Transit of Venus from Hawaii and later Professor of Natural Philosophy at Anderson’s University, Glasgow |
| Title: | The Royal Observatory, Greenwich |
| About: | Published in 1872 in two episodes in Good Words (Strachan & Co, London), this extensive account appears to be based on a visit Forbes made to the Observatory that year. The timing of his visit means that it is the only account to describe either Airy’s Water Telescope or the temporary observing huts that were being prepared for the 1874 Transit of Venus expeditions. |
| Epsiode 1: pp.792–96 | |
| Episode 2: pp.855–58 | |
| Images: | None |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1872 |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Title: | Greenwich Observatory |
| About: | Published in 1872 in two episodes in The Globe newspaper, this account concentrates on the Transit Circle, the Altazimuth and the distribution of time |
| Epsiode 1: Thursday 26 September |
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| Episode 2: Friday 27 September |
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| Images: | None |
| Date: | 1887/8 |
| Author: | Albert Gustavus Winterhalter (U.S. Naval Observatory) |
| Title: | The Royal Observatory, Greenwich |
| About | In 1887–8, Winterhalter visited Europe to attend the International Astrophotographic Congress and visit a wide range of European Observatories and related institutions. He wrote an extensive report, which was published as appendix 1 to Observations made during the year 1885 at the United States Naval Observatory. Pages 143–163 of the Appendix cover his visit to Greenwich. The account is important as it contains details of the buildings and instruments not found in in the published volumes of Greenwich Observations. |
| Images: | None |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1888, January 28 |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Title: | A private view of the eclipse |
| About: | Published in the Pall Mall Gazette on 30 January 1888, this account gives the reader a sense of what it was like to be at the Observatory while nine telescopes were being used to observe the lunar eclipse of 28 January 1888. The observing programme for the evening was part of an international project in which a series of occulations were timed. The evening (which was partially clouded out) was also reported by the Astronomer Royal in his annual report to the Board of Visitors (click here to read it). |
| Images: |
Two, including the only known image of the Lassell Telescope in its dome at Greenwich. |
| The Pall Mall Gazette has been digitised by the British library. The relevant edition is available for viewing online, but is only partly legible. Click here for a link (subscription required). |
| Date: | 1889 |
| Author: | William Cudworth |
| Title: | Greenwich Observatory |
| About | At the end of his book: Life and Correspondence of Abraham Sharp, The Yorkshire Mathematician and Astronomer, and Assistant of Flamsteed; with Memorials of His Family, and Associated Families. London: S. Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington, Ltd.; [etc., etc.,], 1889, William Cudworth rather oddly decided to included a description of the Observatory as it was at the time of writing (pp.318–328). |
| Images: | Two, including the only known image (copied from the 30 January 1888 edition of the Pall Mall Gazette), of the Lassell Telescope in its dome at Greenwich. |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1891 |
| Author: | Edwin Dunkin, Former Chief Assistant at the Royal Observatory |
| Title: | The Royal Observatory, Greenwich |
| About: | Back in 1862, Dunkin had published a two accounts in The Leisure Hour, Vol XI (London). A day at the Royal Observatory was published in two parts, the first in edition No.524, 9 Jan 1862, pp. 22–26 and the second in edition No.525, 16 Jan 1862, pp.39–43. A night at the Royal Observatory was published in edition No. 526, 23 Jan 1862, pp.55–60. Later in 1868 and 1869, he had two further articles published, the Midnight Sky in London and the Midnight Sky in the Southern Hemisphere. Various aspects of these four works were incorporated into a book – The Midnight Sky, which was first published in 1869 by the same publisher, The Religious Tract Society. Several other editions followed. Originally, the book did not contain a specific section about the Royal Observatory at Greenwich (pp.151–176). This changed when a revised and enlarged and what turned out to be final edition was published in 1891. It is on pp.151–176 of this volume that the account can be found. The six accompanying illustrations are those which Dunkin used in his earlier 1862 account. |
| Images: | Six |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1893 |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Title: | A student of the stars – half an hour with Miss Alice Everett, M.A. |
| About: | Published in the 22 November 1893 edition of The Sketch (p.192), this 1351 word article features an interview with one of Christie ’s ‘Lady Computers ’ . |
| Images: | Portrait of Alice Everett by Morgan and Kidd |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1896 |
| Author: | Alfred T Story |
| Title: | Harnessing the stars |
| About: | Published in volume II of Pearson ’s Magazine pp.585–592, this account of the work done at the Observatory is illustrated with photographs supplied by the London Stereoscopic Company. |
| Images: | Seven |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1897 |
| Author: | William Ellis, Assistant at the Royal Observatory |
| Title: | Some Reminiscences |
| About | Both William Ellis and his father worked at the Observatory. Between them, they were at the Observatory from 1825–1893 when William retired. Published in two parts in The Observatory, Vol 20, p.312–318 & p.380–386 (1897). |
| Images: | None |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1897/98 |
| Author: | E Walter Maunder, Assistant at the Royal Observatory |
| Title: | Greenwich Observatory |
| About: | Maunder wrote six articles about the Observatory which were published in eight episodes in the 1897/8 volume of The Leisure Hour (Religious Tract Society, London). The six articles were: 1.Origin (pp.152–160), 2.Longitude Nought (pp.228–238), 3. Storm and Sun (pp.293–297 &, 375–379), 4. Census of the sky (pp.561–565 & 642–646), 5. Bond of the Universe (pp.695–702) and 6. Celestial Chemistry (pp.771–776). Containing numerous images, the articles were later re-packaged into a single volume titled: The Royal Observatory Greenwich, a glance at its history and work (Religious Tract Society, London, 1900). Not all the images were reused. Although the 1900 volume has become a standard reference work, the 1897/8 articles are worth consulting for the additional material that they contain. |
| Images: | 47 |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1900 |
| Author: | E Walter Maunder, Assistant at the Royal Observatory |
| Title: | The Royal Observatory Greenwich a glance at its history and its work |
| About: | Maunder wrote a series of six articles about the Observatory which were published in the 1897/8 volume of the Leisure Hour (Religious Tract Society, London). They were later re-packaged into a single volume. Published in 1900, it was titled: The Royal Observatory Greenwich, a glance at its history and work (Religious Tract Society, London). Although the 1900 volume has become a standard reference work, the 1897/8 articles are still worth consulting as they contain material that was not reused. The title pages of Religious Tract Society publications often lacked full publication details. This may be the case here, for although the book is known to have been produced with at least three different coloured covers, each has an identical title page. Of the three colours, dark blue, green and red, those that were dark blue or green seem to be the most common. |
| Images: | Numerous |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1901 |
| Author: | Philip Astor |
| Title: | The Centre of the World – How Time is Made |
| About: | Published in Volume 6 of The Harmsworth Magazine, pp.247–252, this is a well illustrated account of the mechanics of time finding and time distribution. |
| Images: | Eleven (including several relating to Airy’s Transit Circle) |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1901, March 23 |
| Author: | Thankfull Sturdee |
| Title: | Royal Observatory, Greenwich |
| About: | Published in Black and White Budget, pp.786–788. The author, who is remembered today as a local historian and photograher, was living just a mile from the Observatory in Deptford when this short account was published. The photgraphs were taken by the Author and include one of the Magnetic Observatory (taken prior to 31 March 1900) and three of the instruments inside it. |
| Images: | Eleven |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1902 |
| Author: | Cicely McDonell |
| Title: | What is Greenwich Time? – A visit to the Royal Observatory |
| About: | Published in 1902 in The New Penny Magazine, pp.24–28, this illustrated account is not focussed on time specifically. It contains two pictures of William Christie, the Astronomer Royal, which are not known to have been published elsewhere. |
| Images: | Six |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1906 |
| Author: | ESG |
| Title: | The Menace to the Meridian, Greenwich Observatory and the LCC |
| About: | Published in The Graphic on 23 June, 1906, p.809, this article covers the storm that blew up when the Observatory finally woke up to the fact that Greenwich Power Station was being constructed a short distance away on the line of the Meridian. |
| Images: | Five |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1894–1905 & 1910–1933 |
| Author: | Margaret Wilson (nee Dyson), daughter of the Astronomer Royal Frank Dyson |
| Title: | Ninth Astronomer Royal, A Life of Frank Watson Dyson |
| About: | Born in 1899, Margaret Dyson lived at the Observatory until 1905 and then again from 1910 until she got married in 1924. In this biography of her father, she draws on a variety of sources, presenting more than anything, a behind the scenes look at life in the Dyson household. |
| Images: | Numerous |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1923 |
| Author: | William Witchell, Assistant at the Royal Observatory |
| Title: | How Greenwich Time is obtained |
| About: | Published in The Illustrated London News on 21 April 1923, pp.642–44. Until the end of January 1923, Witchell was one of the observers on the Airy Transit Circle. This well illustrated account is both authoritative and informative, filling in many details about the process by which the accuracy of Greenwich Mean Time was maintained. |
| Images: | Seven |
| Date: | c.1930 |
| Author: | Royal Observatory, Greenwich |
| Title: | The Royal Observatory Greenwich: A brief history of the Observatory and its work |
| About: | Published in about 1930, this short pamphlet contains four images that were also sold as postcards. The pamphlet is undated and copies are extremely rare. |
| Images: | Four |
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| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1930–1972 |
| Author: | Donald H Sadler, former Superintendent of HM Nautical Almanac Office |
| Title: | A Personal History of HM Nautical Almanac Office, 30 October 1930–18 February 1972 |
| About: | Having joined HM Nautical Almanac Office in 1930, Sadler was appointed Superintendent in 1936, the year that the Office rejoined the Observatory. Sadler's account covers the evacuation of the Office to Bath, and contains much information that has not been recorded elsewhere. |
| Images: | One |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | Late 1930s |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Title: | Greenwich inaugure l'horloge a quartz, contemporaine de la bombe atomique |
| About: | Published in the 24 February 1946 edition of Le Patriote Illustré (p.122–125), this four page article is primarily about the new quartz clock at Greenwich. It contains numerous pre war illustrations, several of which are not known to exist elsewhere. The clock was installed in 1939 and moved to Abinger in 1943. |
| Images: | Fifteen |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1942–1949 |
| Author: | Clarice Chapman, former Junior Assistant in the Solar Department |
| Title: | Seven Years and Seven Days, Living and working with the Solar Department of the Royal Observatory Greenwich 1942–1949. A mini-autobiography |
| About: | Appointed as a youngster in 1942, Chapman was assigned to the Solar Department, which at that time, was the only department to be fully operational at Greenwich. Having moved with the Department to Herstmonceux in 1949, Chapman resigned just seven weeks later to care for her mother. Her permission to publish this account is gratefully acknowledged. |
| Images: | None |
| © Clarice Chapman, 2004 | |
| Transcript in preparation |
| Date: | 1948–1990 |
| Author: | George Alan Wilkins, former Superintendent of HM Nautical Almanac Office |
| Title: | A Personal History of the Royal Greenwich Observatory at Herstmonceux Castle 1948–1990 |
| About: | Having joined the Observatory in 1951, George Wilkins was appointed Superintendent of HM Nautical Almanac Office in 1970. His extensive account, which runs to over 350 pages is essential reading. It is meticulously organised into numerous sections with an abundance of useful appendices. |
| Images: | One |
| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1949 |
| Author: | B.A. Young |
| Title: | Longitude 0o0' |
| About: | Published in the 14 December 1949 edition of Punch (p.672–673), this two page article is primarily about the move of the Observatory from Greenwich to Herstmonceux. |
| Images: | One of the Observatory plus four others relating to the Naval College |
| Date: | 1951–1957 |
| Author: | Phillip Gething, former Scientific Officer in the Meridian Department |
| Title: | Recollections of Greenwich and Herstmonceux |
| About: | Dr Phillip Gething, joined the Meridian Department at Greenwich as a Scientific Officer in 1951. He moved with the Observatory to Herstmonceux in 1953, where he remained for several years. In retirement, he wrote his recollections. His permission to publish them on this website is gratefully acknowledged. |
| Images: | None |
| Copyright: | © Phillip Gething, 2014 |
| Click here to read the recollections |
| Date: | 1956–1990 |
| Author: | Bernard Pagel, former Head of the Department of Astrophysics and later a member of the Astronomy Support and Research Division |
| Title: | Untitled (some reminiscenses of early days at the RGO, Herstmonceux) |
| About: | Following the closure of the Royal Greenwich Observatory and the Royal Observatory Edinburgh, the Royal Astronomical Society devoted its first meeting of 1999 to celebrating some of the highlights from their long history. Amongst the speakers was Bernard Pagel who joined the Observatory in 1956 as a Principal Scientific Officer and initially headed the new Department of Astrophysics. He retired in 1990 as one of the most senior members of the Observator staff. His recollections were published in Observatory 119 pp.186–193 as part of the write up of the meeting. |
| Images: | None |
| Click here to read the recollections |
| Date: | 1956–1982 |
| Author: | Stuart Malin |
| Title: | Recollections (t.b.c.) |
| About: | Malin's story begins in 1956 when he attended his first Summer School at Herstmonceux. Appointed to the staff in 1958, Malin started work in the Magnetic Department. He then spent two years at the Radcliffe Observatory in South Africa before returning to his former department at Herstmonceux in 1965. By then, control of the Herstmonceux site had moved from the Admiralty to the newly formed Science Research Council. However, as part of the transfer, although still based at Herstmonceux, the Magnetic Department was administered not by the Science Research Council (SRC) but by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). Malin remained at Herstmonceux until 1976 when the department was moved to Scotland. He remained in Scotland until 1982 when he resigned to take up the post of Head of Astronomy and Navigation at the National Maritime Museum where he was based on the Observatory site. |
| Images: | t.b.c. |
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| Copyright: | Text & images © Stuart Malin |
| Click here to read the recollections |
| Date: | 1960 |
| Author: | Robert Atkinson, Chief Assistant 1937–1957, DCSO 1957–1964 |
| Title: | Royal Greenwich Observatory Herstmonceux |
| About: | This was the first guide book to be published by the Observatory after its move to Herstmonceux in 1948. Dr Robert Atkinson was the Observatory’s Chief Assistant from 1937–1957 and second only to the Astronomer Royal. He retired in 1964, having served under both Spencer Jones and Woolley. He was responsible for much of the design work when the Observatory was transferred to Herstmonceux and had a particular interest in meridian astronomy. |
| Images: | One |
| Click here to read the guide book |
| Date: | 1966 & 1968–1985 |
| Author: | Kenneth F Hartley (former Principal Scientific Officer) |
| Title: | Working at the Royal Greenwich Observatory, 1966 & 1968 to 1985 |
| About: | Having spent the summer of 1966 working under Alan Powell in Bernard Pagel’s research team during the Royal Observatory summer school at Herstmonceux, Ken Hartley was apponted to the Royal Observatory staff in 1968. He was initially assigned to Donald Lyndon Bell’s research team. In 1969, he was assigned to the Physics Department and in 1978, succeeded Albert Carter as Head of the Computer Department. He left the Observatory for a new role at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratoy (RAL) in 1985. |
| Images: | 32 |
| Copyright: | Text © Kenneth F Hartley, 2019 |
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| Click here to read the account |
| Date: | 1967 |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Title: | The Isaac Newton Telescope |
| About: | This small leaflet was produced by the Science Research Council to coincide with the opening of the Isaac Newton Telescope |
| Images: | Four |
| Click here to read the leaflet |
| Date: | 1970–1975 |
| Author: | Ian Glass, Infrared Astronomer |
| Title: | Royal Greenwich Observatory, October 1970 – September 1975 |
| About: | Ian Glass, joined the Observatory as a Senior Research Fellow, but was later appointed to the position of Senior Scientific Officer and then Principal Scientific Officer. Following a year at Herstmonceux, he spent the next three years at the Cape before returning to Herstmonceux in 1974. Although his time at the Observatory was relatively short, it encompassed a highly unsettled period which saw both the retirement of Richard Woolley and the rapid departure of his successor, the Observatory's first Director, Margaret Burbidge. |
| Images: | Five |
| Copyright: | Text © Ian Glass, 2017. Images © Ian Glass & Robin Catchpole, 2017 |
| Click here to read the recollections |
Greenwich inaugure l’horloge a quartz, contemporaine de la bombe atomique
© 2014 – 2024 Graham Dolan
Except where indicated, all text and images are the copyright of Graham Dolan