Friday November 30, 1894

Col. Wheatley (Bailiff of Parks) called with M^r Jordan (Super^t Greenwich Park) with reference to improvement of west boundary of Obs^y from point of view of Park. He proposed to access[?] portion of garden between existing fence & west wall of Lawn & west side of garden house. I told him that questions of modification of boundary should be considered as a whole & explained to him the modification I should propose round Physical Obs^y and on east side. It was understood that he would raise the question of the alteration of west fence.

Sir H. Thompson dined with me at R.S. anniversary dinner.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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D^r Dyson made an observation of the Sun’s Transit across two plumb lines to determine the Meridian line of the New Altazimuth. The result agreed closely with the line obtained by M^r Nash by Magnetic Observations. The two plumb lines were 37^ft apart. The Centre of the Sun & the second limb crossed the line 5^s too soon: giving an error of 2^s. M^r Nash’s line was compared with Col: Tupman’s & agreed well.

Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant

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RH says..... Christie's plans for the Physical Observatory had always required that a small parcel of land from the Royal Park be brought within the Royal Observatory's boundary. His tagging of this issue onto the question of improving the western boundary around Flamsteed House is decidedly sneaky.

30 November, St Andrew's Day, is the anniversary of the Royal Society's foundation in 1660: 2010 (or technically 1 December 2009 to 30 November 2010) will be a celebration of the Society's 350th anniversary.

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Lieutenant Colonel Tupman, mentioned by Dyson, had had a connection with the Royal Observatory in 1874, having organised one of the transit of Venus observing expeditions, but archives from the Observatory in Cambridge show that he continued observing at Hillfoot Observatory in Harrow.

Wednesday November 14, 1894

Annual Meeting of Charity Organisation Soc^y in Octagon Room at 4.30. About 70 present. Very wet day, keeping many people away.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... This clearly demonstrates how the Octagon Room - Flamsteed's Great Star Chamber - was so often used in the 19th century. 70 people seems a fair amount to fit into this room (these days public talks there are limited to 50-60) so it must have been a real squeeze at an event like this on a fine day. I can certainly vouch for the fact that a wet day in Greenwich Park keeps a large proportion of potential visitors to the ROG at home.

Friday October 12, 1894

Sir H. Grubb discussed plans of 26ⁱⁿ Photo-Equatorial & specification for new Altaz dome.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Visitation Day: Saturday June 2, 1894

Visitation Day

Meeting of Board at 12 noon adjourning about 1.20 for lunch & inspection of Observatory meeting again 3.30 to 4.30.

351 Visitors including 47 ladies – too great a crowd. Former computers &c who ask for a card every year may be struck off next time. Plans of Obs^y & Grounds?? On scale of the lithographed Plan in ‘Greenwich Observations’ to be prepared & put up in prominent posⁿ with places of principal instruments &c marked. Arrangements to be made if possible to admit Visitors in batches only to Ball Lobby, Chronometer Room, Great Equatorial (staircase) & other places where there is likely to be a block. The Altaz. & Sheepshanks might be locked up, only visitors who specially ask to see these instr^s being taken up there. More milk wanted for the chocolate, owing to increase in number of Visitors. Copies of Report to B of V. not received till 1.15. 50 advance copies should be supplied in future for use of B of V. at meeting at noon. Sir Ughtred K. Shuttleworth (Sec^y of Adm^y) went round Observatory.

Dinner at Criterion at 6.30. Only 26 present.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Visitation day: 300 visitors including 50 or 60 ladies. There was rather a crush on the staircase leading to the Great Equatorial. The Chronometer room was crowded most of the afternoon. At times the 28 Inch Dome, the Longitude Pavilion, & the new South Wing were crowded. Very few visited the Lassell Dome or the Sheepshanks Equatorial. 30 or 40 went up to the Altazimuth. It will be well to consider whether the doors of the Chronometer room and Great Equatorial had not better be shut when about a dozen people are in the room. The computer in charge of the Water Clock might see to this.

Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant

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."

Friday March 16, 1894

A Post Office Official (M^r Shaw) called & discussed arrangements for a Wall letter-box to be fixed at the Observatory with collections at 12. 3 & 5, and also for 9 & 11pm. if Park keys could be supplied for use of postmen, It was arranged that the Postmaster of SE. District (D.H. Somerville Esq.) would communicate with me on the subject.
Arranged for Dallmeyer Photoheliograph & Hut to be mounted at once on Terrace roof of S. Wing of Physical Observatory.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

RH says..... In this image, from about 1900, you can just make out the letter-box in the wall to the left hand side. In front of it, under the small protective shade, are the standard lengths available for the public to check their rulers and to the right of the gate is the 24-hour Shepherd Clock dial, displaying GMT to passers-by. The roof of Flamsteed House, Christie's residence, is bristling with meteorological equipment as well as the time ball, which is raised at 12.58 and drops at 1pm every day.

There is a gap in both journals for the next couple of days - and I am on leave from work - so I will meet you again on the 19th!

IYA's UK launch today

RH says.....
Today sees the official UK launch of the International Year of Astronomy, here at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. During the evening I will be based in the South Building's Endeavour Room - which is, in fact, the Lassell Dome, surmounting what was once known as the New Physical Observatory. It has changed a bit since the 1890s, but spot the telltale porthole windows....

In the dome of the New Physical Observatory: an observer with his eye to the Great Equatorial telescope, mounted on two of the telescopes donated by Sir Henry Thompson, the 26-inch refractor and 9-inch photoheliograph.

In the dome today: the Endeavour Room of the South Building.

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