Wednesday December 19, 1894

M^r Crisp called to discuss new Altaz dome

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... This image shows the dome of the Altazimuth Pavilion today, although it no longer contains Christie's altazimuth telescope, the Universal Transit Circle. The building wasn't completed until 1899 and the weathervane was only put up in 1901. It shows Halley's Comet as depicated in the Bayeux Tapestry, in rememberance of Edmond Halley, the second astronomer royal, and in anticipation of the 1909/10 return of the comet.

Friday December 14, 1894

R.A.S. meeting. Eclipse Com^ee 2.30, Photo. Com^ee 3.15, Council 4-6.15.
M^r Crisp came down to arrange about roof & dome of Altaz. building.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... The RAS council meeting included a contribution by Frederick Howlett, a rector and astronomer dedicated to the study of sunspots. This caught my eye as I have recently been looking at the history of solar observation for a display called 'Solar Story' opening at the ROG in January. This will coincide with a new planetarium show, Secrets of the Sun, and the ROG's contribution to a citizen science project working with the data of the STEREO mission. It is a good opportunity to highlight the work of Maunder and the observatory's magnetic department.

Wednesday December 11, 1894

M^r Crisp came down to discuss new buildings.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Monday November 26, 1894

M^r Crisp came down & discussed various questions about the new buildings.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Friday October 19, 1894

M^r Crisp & M^r Loughborough with M^r Awdry discussed the above. Also discussed, with M^r Crisp proposed Magnetic Pavilion in the Park and balcony below 36^ft Dome.

Discussed with M^r Simms plans for new Astrographic micrometer & Photographic spectroscope.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... The 36-foot dome was the new onion-shaped dome that accommodated the larger 28-inch telescope instead of the Great Equatorial telescope that the building had originally contained. This postcard clearly shows the balcony that Christie discussed today.

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The Magnetic House at this time was still where it had been since the 1840s - in the south part of the Royal Observatory's site, but north of the New Physical Observatory. This area today is covered by the dome of the Peter Harrison Planetarium. Despite Christie performing apparently satisfactory experiments to test the effect of ironwork in the new buildings on the magnetic observations, it had obviously become clear that the would have to be performed away from the main site. The picture below shows the new Magnetic Pavilion, built in 1899, in the area of Greenwich Park that became known as the Christie Enclosure. This area, 350 yards east from the main site, once held several telescope domes, including that of the Yapp 36-inch telescope, as well as the Magnetic Pavilion and Magnetograph House. It was all dismantled and returned to the Park when the Observatory moved to Herstmonceux and the Greenwich site became part of the National Maritime Museum.

Wednesday October 17, 1894

Called at Director of Works’ Department and arranged for M^r Crisp to come down to settle various matters in connection with the new buildings to be commenced next Monday.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Monday August 20, 1894

M^r Crisp called wanting to know whether Cooke’s tender for removing & remounting Lassell dome included the race. I shewed him the papers on the subject, but we found no definite statement whether this was included in the term “dome”. He explained that he intended to insert words like “including the race” in accepting the tender.

Frank Dyson, Chief Assistant

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RH says..... I am not sure what the "race" of the dome is, and may well have mis-read it. All suggestions welcome!

Tuesday August 7, 1894

Saw Assis^t. Director of Works & M^r Crisp at Adm^y about plans for new Altaz. Building.

M^r G.F. Millin of the Daily news came to enquire about progress of new Altazimuth & other works.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... Plans and designs for the new building works still rumble on, and clearly were of interest to the press. This journalist was George F. Millin and, according to one of his books, Life in Our Villages (1891), he was the Special Commissioner of the Daily News. He is also described in the catalogue of the National Archives as "a Liberal propagandist for social causes".

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This visit resulted in an article in the Daily News on 23 August 1894 which is very supportive of Christie's attempts to modernise the ROG. It begins "Greenwich Observatory, which at one time was rather discreditably behind several other similar establishments in different parts of the world, is rapidly moving to the front. Mr Christie seems determined that Greenwich shall take its proper place in the front rank, if not in the actual load, in the astronomical world...". Millin approved of the (eventual) willingness of the Admiralty and Treasury to fund the new buildings and instruments and believed that the ROG"little by little is really becoming a splendidly equipped institution" and that they would "make Greenwich Observatory somewhat worthier of its fame, not only in point of efficiency, but in appearance and as a great public institution".

Friday June 22, 1894

M^r Crisp called to discuss arrangements for the new Buildings.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... The south wing of the Physical Observatory had been completed in April and Christie was hoping to press on with the completion of the dome (to hold the Thompson telescopes) above the central portion (known as the 'Museum', or instrument store) and begin work on the north wing (which would house his own office). Work was also about to start on the Altazimuth Pavilion. Christie did his best to stress to the Admiralty the importance of continuing work, highlighting the need to be ready to receive Thompson's generous gift and the danger that prolonged building work would put Observatory business at risk. At the June Visitation he explained that “A number of the moveable instruments are now being arranged in the glass cases in the Museum, or set up in the South wing as a preliminary to the completion of the inventory, but the work cannot be satisfactorily finished till the North wing is completed, as the building operations greatly hamper the arrangements."

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.

Monday April 30, 1894

M^r Crisp came down to discuss final plans for new Altazimuth building. Went to Adm^y about reorganisation of Staff & appointment of successor to Le Brun. Crown lens of 28ⁱⁿ O.G. released from constraint (on E side) and reversed to photo-position.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Monday March 19, 1894

Saw Major Pilkington & M^r Crisp at Adm^y about new buildings, also Capt. Wharton. M^r Le Brun handed in a letter to Adm^y stating that he was unable to perform his duties on account of ill health. Athenaeum Election. M^r Le Brun did not come to the Observatory after this day.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

RH says..... Again we see what a 'clubable' person that Astronomer Royal was expected to be: here Christie records his election to the Athenaeum Club in London's Pall Mall. A.J. Meadows in the ODNB entry on Christie writes that, "Though rather reserved by nature", he "was an affable man who enjoyed company".

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.

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.

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.

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.