Wednesday January 31, 1894

Forwarded Prof. Turner’s resignation of office of Chief Assis^t., as from Feb 28, to Adm^y & proposed appointment of M^r Dyson as his successor.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Rebekah Higgitt says.....
H. H. Turner's resignation and Frank Dyson's installation as Chief Assistant at the Observatory were long anticipated but could only be made official through the Admiralty, the government department that administered the Royal Observatory in Greenwich.

January & February

M^r Dyson practising, and learning the work generally.

H.H. Turner, Chief Assistant

Rebekah Higgitt says....
Throughout these months, Cambridge research student Frank Dyson was learning the practical skill necessary to take over from Herbert Turner as the Observatory's Chief Assistant.

Tuesday January 30, 1894

To Oxford in evening. Took M.A. degree on Feb 1.

H.H. Turner, Chief Assistant

Rebekah Higgitt says.....

Again in Oxford, in preparation for his new role as Savilian Professor of Astronomy, the taking of his Master of Arts degree was undoubtedly merely a formality, necessary in order to take up the professorship and the associated fellowship of New College, Oxford. Turner already held a Bachelors and Masters degree from the University of Cambridge.

Monday January 29, 1894

The laying of Brookes’ electric main was commenced. M^r Henry H. Vincent (stage manager) & M^r H.P. Hall (artist) of the St James’ theatre called with reference to an Observatory scene in a new play. Showed Great Equatorial, Lassell & Astrographic Equatorial. The last seemed the most suitable.

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William Christie, Astronomer Royal8

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Rebekah Higgitt says.....

Here we find another use for large telescopes - inspiration for theatre design! A review of the "Brilliant First Night" of Henry Arthur Jones's "The Masequeraders" at St James's Theatre in Picadilly in April 1894 can be found online, a performance that was only marred by a "short and weak last act". Presumably it is only coincidence that it was this act that featured the telescope: "The last scene is laid in the observatory on Mont Saint Garidelli, in the Maritime Alps, near Nice. The room is dark, save for a shaft of moonlight which illuminates the large equatorial telescope in the inner room".

Thursday January 25, 1894

The laying of the new gas main was commenced and completed on Monday morning Jan 29.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Tuesday January 23, 1894

Reversed crown lens of 28ⁱⁿ telescope for photography. M^r Simms called to arrange about the new slow motion screws & decⁿ clamp of Great Equatorial. Saw M^r Crisp at Adm^y about the new buildings and went with him to several shops to try to get suitable gas & electric light pendants.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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Rebekah Higgitt says.....

The lens of the new 28-inch telescope had been specially designed so that, by reversing it, the telescope could be used for photography as well as for visual observation. This experimental optical work on the use of lenses for astronomical photography and spectroscopy was of great interest to Christie. However, he seems to have been quite easily distracted by the prospect of more shopping for his new building.

Friday 19 January, 1894

Went to Oxford in evening, returning Monday morning.

H.H. Turner, Chief Assistant

Rebekah Higgitt says.....

Another trip to Oxford for the new Savilian Professor of Astronomy.

Friday 19 January, 1894

Col. Wheatley (Bailiff of Parks) came & sanctioned digging of trench for gas & electric mains in side avenue.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Thursday January 18, 1894

Valve to fireplug in Front Court failed to act when water was turned on at main in evening after being cut off all the afternoon. The flow of water was practically stopped by plugging the cap & the valve was repaired next afternoon, a new ball being put in.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Tuesday January 16, 1894

Arranged that Mess^rs Furner, Martin, Davidson, Edney & Claxton should work for an hour a day from 2.5 to 3.5 at the subjects of examination for junior assistants.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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Rebekah Higgitt says.....

Although, as Turner had stated, Christie's new scheme for the Observatory's staff had not yet been approved by the Admiralty, these five Computers were allowed an hour of study in the hope of gaining promotion. None of these individuals, in fact, were promoted until 1911, after Christie had retired.

Monday Janurary 15, 1894

Took to pieces the level for portable transits which had been damaged by a fall at Cairo; & examined the lever applied by M^r Simms to the micrometer screw.The Astronomer Royal gave notice to 5 computers that they might work from 2-3 every day at the subjects proposed for the examination for 3^rd Class Assistants; but that the proposal for such appointments had not yet been sanctioned by the Treasury.

H.H. Turner, Chief Assistant

Rebekah Higgitt says.....

Care and repair of the Observatory's instruments was an important part of the Chief Assistant's work. Here, Turner is referring to instruments used for the 1874 expedition to observe the transit (crossing) of Venus across the face of the sun. This rare event allows astronomers to make measurement to determine accurately the distance of the sun from the earth. The last transit was in 2004 and the next will be in 2012. After that we will have to wait until 2117. This instrument was one of five identical portable transit telescopes used at five observing stations in 1874, which are now at the National Maritime Museum. The record for another of these five instruments is online here.

Turner also refers to matters of staff education and promotion through an examination similar to those available to other Civil Servants. Further information about Christie's plans for staff reform can be seen here.

Monday Janurary 15, 1894

Went with M^r Crisp in afternoon to select mantelpiece & grate for new Building (Principal Room)

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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Rebekah Higgitt says.....

The Astronomer Royal was still busy shopping for his new building, this time considering the focal point of his new office.

Saturday January 13, 1894

Returned to Greenwich

H.H. Turner, Chief Assistant

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Rebekah Higgitt says.....

Turner records here that he returned from his trip to Oxford (see entry for 9th January), which seems strange since we know that he attended the RAS meeting in London on the 12th. It is, of course, quite possible that he stayed in London that evening and, therefore, only returned to Greenwich on this day.

Friday 12 January, 1894

Saw M^r Awdry at the Adm^y.

R.A.S. Eclipse Com^ee & Council. Went with M^r Crisp to see mantelpieces at Steel & Garland’s (Cork S^t.) & Cooper’s in interval between meetings in afternoon.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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Rebekah Higgitt says.....
Christie attended the same Royal Astronomical Society Council and Committee meetings as his Chief Assistant Turner (see previous post). The 'Eclipse Committee' was the Joint Permanent Eclipse Committee of the Royal Society and the Royal Astronomical Society, which was then planning an expedition to view the solar eclipse of 9 August 1896 in Japan. Christie and Turner were heavily involved with the planning and execution of this an several other eclipse expeditions.

Friday 12 January, 1894

***R.A.S.

H.H. Turner, Chief Assistant

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Rebekah Higgitt says...

Turner today attended a regular meeting of the Royal Astronomical Society in his role as one of the Secretaries. The other Secretary was another ROG employee, E. Walter Maunder. Turner was later, in 1903-1905, to be the Society's President. The proceedings of this day's meeting, as reported in The Observatory, a magazine founded in the 1870s by Christie, can be seen here.

Thursday 11 January, 1894

M^r Russell (from Messrs Johnson & Phillips) called about the laying of the electric main. M^r Jordan Superint^t of the park came with reference to proposed laying of gas & electric mains inside avenue. He arranged to have trial openings made to see whether roots of trees would there would be interference with the roots of trees. He called again on Saturday & arranged that Col. Wheatley should come down to settle the question in two or three days’ time.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Wednesday January 10, 1894

Went with M^r Crisp to Musgrave (New Bond S^t) Hollyer (Newcastle S^t), Wright (Queen Victoria S^t) Burmantoft & Steel & Garland’s (Charterhouse S^t.) to select stoves, grates, mantelpiece & W.C.’s for new Building.

M^r Bartom from Stationery Office called (just after I had left) about 1 with reference to supply of ink. M^r Criswick pointed out to him the defects of the black ink supplied in lieu of the blue black.
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William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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Rebekah Higgitt says....

The minutae of Observatory life: WCs and ink! This entry also provides a nice insight into shopping in late 19th-century London.

Tuesday January 9, 1894

Went to Oxford for a few days, to attend to various matters.

H.H. Turner, Chief Assistant

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Rebekah Higgitt says.....

Turner had been appointed Savilian Professor of Astronomy at the University of Oxford in 1893. He was, however, still based at Greenwich, finishing up business and training his successor, Frank Dyson, at the start of 1894.

Friday 5 January, 1894

The cold was very severe last night & throughout this day, much snow falling
Very little can be done by M^r Plummer or M^r Dyson.

H.H. Turner, Chief Assistant

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Rebekah Higgitt says.....

Frank Dyson was soon to be Turner's succesor as Chief Assistant. He was already at Greenwich adding the skills of the practical astronomer to his mathematical knowledge gained at Cambridge.

5 January 2009 has also seen low temperatures at the ROG and some snow. However, work for curators, if not astronomers, continues despite the cold and cloudy skies.....

Thursday 4 January, 1894

Simmons reported that some one had broken open the Lower Museum Door & the door of the Contractors’ Office in S. Ground & to the had stolen some articles belonging to the Contractors’ foreman, but no R.O. property. Saw M^r Awdry at the Adm^y about this & other matters concerning the staff. Met Sir H. Thompson at the Athenaeum and had a talk with him regarding his offer of £5000 to the Observatory for a new instrument.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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Rebekah Higgitt says.....

Christie was enaged with frequent discussions with the Admiralty about the Observatory's staff at this date. He aimed to increase numbers, particuarly of higher-grade staff, and to ensure longer service among the human computers by making the better permanent members of staff.

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This day also saw a meeting with Sir Henry Thompson at the Athenaeum Club on London's Pall Mall. His offer was to pay for a large, expensive new telescope. Thompson, a wealthy and distinguished surgeon and amateur astronomer, had already donated a 9-inch photoheliograph telescope to the Observatory in 1891.