Tuesday October 30, 1894

Discussed with M^r Skinner (from Mess^rs Troughton & Simms) plans for new Astrographic micrometer and for Photographic spectroscope.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... On another topic, Graham Dolan has kindly send me an image of the Great Equatorial Building's balcony under construction - see entry for 19 October. He tells me that this picture can be dated to the summer of 1898, so it seems that it took some time to do the work. It is always interesting to see in these old images that, although the Observatory was closed to the public, it was still a sight for visitors to Greenwich Park - even if they were chiefly there for the view down to the river that the people on the benches at the right of the picture are enjoying.

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Wednesday October 24 to Sunday October 28, 1894

Went to Deal returning on Sunday evening.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Monday October 22, 1894

Work on new Buildings (Altazimuth Pavilion) & Physical Obs^y (N. wing &c.) commenced.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... At last! Although both buildings still had a long way to go before completion - the Physical Observatory, in particular, for which funding was only secured piecemeal, wing by wing. Building works, of course, had been almost a constant throughout the history of the Observatory.

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Coincidentally, today, 22 October 2009, marks the 125th anniversary of the vote held at the international conference in Washington, D.C., that selected the Greenwich meridian as the Prime Meridian of the world. That vote, however, only led to recommendations being passed on to the 25 governments that sent delegates, only one of which (Japan) acted. In 1894, 10 years after the conference, Christie was still working on a Committee of the Science and Art Department to see how the Washington recommendations could be adopted.

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 October 15, 1894

Dined with Clockmakers’ C^o in evening returning thanks for the Livery. Met M^r Buckney & had conversation with him about timeball at Sheerness, chronometers &c.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Friday October 12, 1894

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

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

Wednesday October 10, 1894

Arranged for light hinged cover to 28ⁱⁿ O.G. as suggested by M^r Lewis.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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RH says..... It is interesting to see Thomas Lewis, whose official responsibility was the Time Department, being involved with the 28-inch telescope in this way. Under the previous Astronomer Royal, George Airy, staff seem to have been discouraged from taking an interest in instruments and activities outside their remit.