Preparing for Visitation Day

RH says..... Visitation Day was not only an inspection of the Observatory by the Board of Visitors, but it was also an open day for a large number of guests, including journalists (as this Times report for the 1898 Visitation shows), and required a lot of preparation.



Chief Assistant Frank Dyson was also preparing for his upcoming wedding and to move into a new home, and in her biography of Dyson, his daughter writes of this period: “With his new work at the Observatory and his private plans, Frank spent March, April, May and early June in a fever of excitement and activity. The first Saturday in June was the traditional Visitation Day..... There was a luncheon in the octagon room and a garden party afterwards. Lord Kelvin, as President of the Royal Society, was Chairman of the Board of Visitors in 1894. At any ordinary time Dyson would have been thrilled at the opportunity of talking to this famous scientist and of meeting so many other eminent men. But his mind was in such a whirl between stars and carpets, telescopes and mahogany furniture, that his first Visitation Day (which should have been a red-letter day) passed by almost unnoticed.” - although we'll shortly see from Frank's journal that the day certainly did not go unrecorded.

Sunday May 27, 1894

Finished Report, sending off last Section “General Remarks” to Printers.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... The annual report had to be ready for the Board of Visitors' inspection on the first Saturday in June. See the post for 24 May for some detail on the contents of the Report and Christie's 'General Remarks'.

Saturday May 26, 1894

Kept as Queen’s Birthday

Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant

Friday May 25, 1894

The Upper & Lower Computing rooms were cleaned previous to the Visitation.
Afternoon. A half-holiday was granted by the Astronomer Royal in recognition of the excellent way the computing had been kept up to day.

Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant

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Went to Deal in afternoon returning Sunday

Observatory closed this afternoon & tomorrow, Saturday, (Queen’s Birthday)

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William Christie, Astronomer Royal

RH says..... Readers may be interested to know that staff working at the ROG are still given a day off in honour of Queen Victoria's birthday (24th May). Since this Monday was a bank holiday, my four-day weekend has resulted in a slight delay in putting up posts.....

Thursday May 24, 1894

Writing Report &c. Readjusted tilt of 28ⁱⁿ O.G. pushing out S. part of crown lens very slightly.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... The Astronomer Royal's report was clearly quite a burden on top of normal work. For the year 1893-94 is was 27 pages long and, as usual, contained sections on all areas of the ROG's activities. The section-headings for this year are: the buildings, portable instruments and library; astronomical observations (with sections on observations made with each of the principal instruments); spectroscopic and photographic observations; magnetic observations; meteorological observations; printing and distribution of Greenwich publications; chronometers, time-signals and longitude operations; personal establishment (i.e. staff); and general remarks.

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In the general remarks Christie commented that "During the past year the work of the Observatory has been exceptionally heavy, and it has had to be carried out under conditions which have made it very difficult." His principal gripes related to lack of staff accommodation, on-going building works and the need for a reformed staff structure. His final paragraph reported that "The 28-inch Refractor has been mounted, and got into working order both for visual and photographic observation", though his continued fiddling with the lens might suggest otherwise.

Wednesday May 23, 1894

Writing Report to B of V. & preparing for Visⁿ, Meeting of Gov^t Grant Com^ee at R.S. at 4.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Tuesday May 22, 1894

Writing Report to B of V. & looking up things for Visⁿ &c.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Monday May 21, 1894

Adjusted tilt of 28ⁱⁿ O.G. pushing out S.W. part of crown lens slightly. Writing report to B. of V. Mr H. Outhwaite entered on his duties as Clerk.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Saturday May 19, 1894

A wall letterbox was fixed near Observatory entrance by P.O. contractors.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

RH says..... Christie presumably recorded this entry after he returned from Deal on the Sunday, as recorded on 17 May. See entry for 16 March for an image that just reveals the letter-box in situ.

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Those who worry about Christie's frequent absences from Greenwich may be interested to know that the RGO archives suggest that he did, sometimes at least, continue official correspondence from the coast. There is, for example, a letter he sent in 1888 to his then Chief Assistant, H.H. Turner, from Westgate on Sea about examining naval telescopes on behalf of the Admiralty. This letter also reports that "Neuralgia has bothered me the last two or three days...", a condition that may explain his April visit to Malvern, well known for its water cure and spa.

Friday May 18, 1894

The frame of the Personal Equation Machine was sent to Troughton & Simms to be adapted to the new system of wires in the T.C.

Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant

RH says..... Christie described the Observatory's Personal Equation Machine in an article for the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1887, explaining that it was used with the Airy Transit Circle "with a view of determining absolute personal equations, the variations of personal equation depending upon the direction of movement, the velocity, and the magnitude of the star observed, and personality in observations of limbs of the Sun, Moon, or planets."

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E. Walter Maunder in his 1900 book on the Observatory, explained how a transit measurement was made at Greenwich, with the "system of wires" Dyson refers to here.

"The watcher who wishes to observe the passing of a star must note two things: he must know in what direction to point his telescope, and at what time to look for the star. Then, about two minutes before the appointed time, he takes his place at the eyepiece. As he looks in he sees a number of vertical lines across his field of view. These are spider-threads placed in the focus of the eye-piece. Presently, as he looks, a bright point of silver light, often surrounded by little flashing, vibrating rays of colour, comes moving quickly, steadily onward -- 'swims into his ken,' as the poet has it. The watcher's hand seeks the side of the telescope till his finger finds a little button, over which it poises itself to strike. On comes the star, 'without haste, without rest,' till it reaches one of the gleaming threads. Tap! The watcher's finger falls sharply on the button. Some three or four seconds later and the star has reached another 'wire,' as the spider-threads are commonly called. Tap! Again the button is struck."

Thursday May 17, 1894

Went to Deal in evening returning Sunday evening May 20.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

RH says..... Presumably Christie was off on a yachting weekend again.

Wednesday May 16, 1894

R.O. Hockey Club meeting in Octagon Room. Commenced writing Report to Board of Visitors.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

RH says..... The Royal Observatory Hockey Club was founded in Christie's time and, as this series of later photographs shows, existed at least into the 1930s. This photograph, which identifies the several members of staff on the team, is interesting for showing both H.H. Turner and Frank Dyson, the successive Chief Assistants. Both seem to have been keen players and Dyson's daughter wrote:

"[Dyson] became an enthusiastic member of the Observatory team, playing half-back where he acquired a name for speed. Most of the younger men on the staff played hockey, though the Club was not very vigorous till Dyson joined it and galvanised it into greater activity.... Sometimes there would be practice games with other local teams, such as the Blackheath Proprietary School. Largely owing to Dyson's energy and keenness, the Observatory team challenged the various hockey clubs of South London. It could hold its own against any of them."

Tuesday May 15, 1894

Adjusted tilt of 28ⁱⁿ O.G. slightly. Separation of lenses 3ⁱⁿ.55 relatively to visual position. A P.O. official called about wall letterbox, which was to be of usual size of opening, large packets being handed to the postman.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Sunday May 13 & Monday May 14, 1894

Whitsunday. M^r Common came in afternoon staying till Tuesday, discussing eclipse of 1896, stars photo’s, 28ⁱⁿ O.G., new altaz., dome & building &c. On Monday night examined 13ⁱⁿ Merz telescope on Moon & stars, also photo’s taken with 28ⁱⁿ O.G. We agreed that for the publication of the star map, it would be advisable to begin by having prints from transparencies, which could be purchased singly or by the dozen by any person applying for them, the prints being taken by a photographer at an agreed rate as required, and sold at a price to cover expenses.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... Andrew Common was an amateur astronomer with a particular interest in photography. He also designed his own innovative instruments and was experienced in making large telescope mirrors. Because of this he supurvised the making of the 30-inch mirror for the ROG's Thompson Photographic Reflector (mounted in 1896). He was an important member of the British scientific community and was a member of the Board of Visitors to the ROG.

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Common was not directly involved with the Carte du ciel mapping project, which Christie refers to here, but because of his innovations in photography had been invited to the original international conference and advised various participants.

Friday May 11, 1894

M^r Loughborough came up about the colouring of the terracotta in the new Building contrary to specification. R.A.S. Council Evening meeting.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Mr Julitt West, Berlin, Engineer called to see arrangements for time signals. He called again on May 16 & went into details of several points – viz – comparison of clocks – construction of Mean Solar clock Shepherd – Method of correcting Mean Solar Clock for small errors – Registration of signals on Chronograph – Barometric correction of S. S. Clock – Method of dropping Time Ball.

Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant

RH says..... There is a clear difference in the colour of the terracotta on the later wings of the South Building, which may be what is referred to here. It is testament to the length of time it took to complete all four wings and to the difficulties that were encountered in supply of terracotta - frost and strikes had both caused severe delays.

Thursday May 10, 1894

M^r Hughes from Director of Stores Depart^t made out his list of Office furniture required for new building South Wing. M^r Simms Jun^r commenced mounting Simms & Cooke Equatorials & Water Telescope in South Wing Basement. Mr McGilicuddy[?] from Doching[?] & Son called about a mistake in no of copies of Astr. Results 1891, the 180 separate copies not having been struck off. I complained to him of the slow rate of printing. Settled [illegible] details of mounting of Spectroscope on 28 inch telescope. Went to meeting of R.S. (Papers on Eclipse of 1893 April 16) & to dinner of R.S. Club.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... E.Walter Maunder had this to say about the Water Telescope:

"An ingenious telescope was set up by Sir George Airy in order to ascertain if the speed of light were different when passing through water than when passing through air. Or, in other words, if the aberration of light would give the same value as at present if we observed through water. The water telescope, as it was called, is kept on the ground floor of the central octagon of the new observatory. The observations obtained with it were hardly quite satisfactory, but gave on the whole a negative result."

The Royal Society Club was a dining club, for the inner circles of the Royal Society. See Archibald Geikie's 1917 Annals of the Royal Society Club; the record of a London dining-club in the eighteenth & nineteenth centuries for background.

Wednesday May 9, 1894

Meeting of Antarctic Com^ee of R.S. at 11.30. Saw M^r Jenkins at Adm^y about vacancies in staff.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

RH says..... The Antarctic Committee was actually a joint committee of the Royal Society and the Royal Geographical Society, founded after the RGS president, Sir Clements Markam, began to promote an Antarctic voyage. The RS seems to have been a bit ambivalent and it was to take Markam several more years before funding and enthusiasm reached the necessary levels and the British National Antarctic Expedition of 1901-04 could go ahead.

Tuesday May 8, 1894

M^r Crisp came down with M^r Grundy about warming Physical Obs^y by hot air.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

RH says.... Some information about Mr Grundy and his company can be found here. The company (under John Grundy senior) filed a patent for heating rooms and buildings by hot air in 1864, a system that was adapted with improvements patented in 1889. This drawing is, I assume, from the original patent and may reflect what is still present in today's South Building at the ROG.

Saturday May 5, 1894

The Porter (McManus) fell in a fainting fit on stone step of his Lodge cutting his head badly. I was not informed of it till after he had left for home about 2pm.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Friday May 4, 1894

Discussed with Prof. Turner arrangements for Eclipse expedition to Japan in 1896 Aug.Went to R.A. private view in afternoon.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... For one perspective on the 1896 eclipse expedition see this link. The paintings at the 1894 Royal Academy exhibition were a rather different kettle of fish - as this engraving of Sir Frederick Leighton's 'The Spirit of the Summit' from the Illustrated London News shows. More engravings from the 1894 exhibition can currently be seen here. Probably not my favourite style of art....

Thursday May 3, 1894

Arranged with Desforges (from Troughton & Simms) mounting of Half prism spectroscope on Great Equatorial (28ⁱⁿ). Meeting of Board A of Gov^t Grant Com^ee at R.S. at 3.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal
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RH says..... The Government Grant Committee of the Royal Society, as the name suggests, met to decide how to distribute the sum that the government voted annually for the direct support of scientific research. This scheme dated back to 1850, although only became an annual payment in 1856. Subcommittees were formed for the various branches of science - astronomy and mathematics, as at the British Association for the Advancement of Science, was section A.

Wednesday May 2, 1894

M^r Plummer left, having completed his obs^ns for personal equation with the portable Transit in the Transit Pavilion.
Meting of Solar Eclipse Com^ee at the R.A.S. at 3 & 4. Royal Society Soiree.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

RH says..... This event at the Royal Society - one of their regular soirees or conversazione - was reported in the journal Nature on 10 May 1894 (which, unfortunately, you can only see if you or your institution subscribes - which mine does not). This fantastic image illustrating a Royal Society 'gentleman's conversazione' is from the Daily Graphic in 1890. See more here.

Tuesday May 1, 1894

Went to Troughton & Simms in the afternoon about new Altazimuth (in progress), glass diaphragm with scales at right angles for measure of star photo’s, mounting of spectroscope on Great Equatorial &c. M^r Simms showed me an alloy of platinum (2 parts) & copper (1 part) recommended by Johnson & Matthey as uncorrodible, which he proposed to use for the circle of the new Altazimuth.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... Christie here refers to the Great Equatorial, which is the name normally associated with the 12.8-inch Merz, installed when George Airy was Astronomer Royal. The 28-inch had replaced this in the ROG's Great Equatorial Building, and Christie evidently transferred the name. Johnson and Matthey, a company that still exists, was a precious metals assayer that had produced the standard weights and measures for the International Metric Commission.

The 28-inch telescope had a half-prism spectroscope, designed by Christie himself, that had to be mounted underneath the telescope - a much larger instrument than the one that the building and mount had originally supported. According to the obituary of Christie by Turner, this half-prism design was pioneering, but the "soundness of its principles has since been questioned".