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

8

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 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

8*

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.
*

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

*

*

*

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.