Bessemer, Sir Henry [FRS] (1813-1898), born Hitchen, Herts., an iron master who pioneered the steel making process that bears his name. A wealthy industrialist he settled in Dulwich, then on the edge of London. Here he pursued his interests which included the building of an observatory that was to house a 50-inch reflecting telescope. Construction of the instrument was never fully realised, although the mount was completed, the thin glass mirror was never a success despite the efforts of it maker, G. Calver of Ipswich (ODNB; Bessemer 1905; Grace’s Guide).
Bryan, Margaret (fl.1783-1816), natural philosopher and teacher of the Natural Sciences who ran a boarding-school (1795-1805) for girl at Blackheath. Known solely through her writings, she published A Compendious System of Astronomy, based on her early lectures. Later in 1815, she published An Astronomical and Geographical Class Book for Schools (ODNB; Bruck 2009, 15-9; Haley 2021a).
Hilger, Adam (1839-1897), Philosophical and optical instrument maker born Darnstadt, Germany who first worked at the Mint in his birth place. He then worked for Ertel before moving to the Paris Observatory under supervison of Foucault. Due to the Franco-Prussian War he was forced to move to London where he gained employment with John Browning. In 1874 he setup his own firm with his brother Otto trading as Adam Hilger until its merger with E.R. Watts (Obit., MNRAS, 58 (1898), 138; Grace’s Guide).
Hilger, Otto (1850-1902), born Darmstadt and brother of Adam Hilger who also worked at the Mint in the place of his birth. After working with his brother Adam in Frankfurt they both moved to Paris where they worked for the Paris Observatory. The outbreak of the Franco-Prussian forced then to relocate to London gaining employment with John Browning before they setup their own business. Otto took over the management of Adam Hilger on the death of his brother (Obit., MNRAS, 63 (1903), 199; Grace’s Guide).
Survey of Astronomical History 