SHA County Coordinator: Mark Hurn Email: hurnm@ast.cam.ac.uk
Astronomers
Associated People (Authors, Lecturers, broadcasters)
Berry, Arthur [OBE; FRAS](c.1859-1925) Vice-Provost of King’s College, Cambridge, FRAS and author of A Short History of Astronomy – 1898 (Obit., MNRAS, 90 (1930), 358).
Newton, Sir Isaac [FRS] (1642-1727), born at Woolsthorpe Manor, near Colsterworth, Newton was a mathematician and natural philosopher He attended School in Grantham and continued his studies at Cambridge University. Shortly after his graduated in 1665, the University was due to the Great Plague and Newton returned to Woolsthorpe, where during the next 18 months, he developed the method of ‘fluxions’ – basis of the calculus. He also continued his studies on light and optics, including the famous experiment, passing a beam of sunlight through a prism to split it into its constituent colours. Perhaps most famous, he allegedly observed an apple fall, which led him to develop the concept of gravitation (see Lincs; ODNB; O’Connor and Robertson; Parsons; English, 1977; Ketteringham, 1995).
Stuart, James (1843-1913), born Balgonie, Fife he was educated at Madras College, St Andrews and grauated from St Andrews University. Later he gained a fellowship at Trinity College, Cambridge gaining a fellowship in 1866. A pioneer of education for the masses, especially women, he organized university extension lectures that were given throughout the north of England. These included astronomy, an interest developed during his early Cambridge days, receiving direct tuition from G B Airy (ODNB; Barnard 2013).
Makers/Manufacturers
Cambridge Scientific Instrument Company (1881-1919), (founded by Horace Darwin and Albert George Dew-Smith in Cambridge. Name changed in 1920 when It took over the R. W. Paul Instrument Co, of London, and becaming the Cambridge and Paul Instrument Co Ltd – later (1924) becomes Cambridge Instrument Company (Grace’s Guide).
Observatories
Astronomy Groups
Publishers
Cambridge University Press
Museums
(Please note this section contains only museums likely to be of relevance to astronomy or science)
Fitzwilliam Museum
(A major museum and art gallery)
Whipple Museum of the History of Science
(Based on the collection of Robert Stewart Whipple (1871-1953) a collection of scientific instruments including telescopes and astrolabes)
Useful addresses
Institute of Astronomy Library
Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0HA (Tel. 01223 337537; www.ast.cam.ac.uk/library/ )
Sources
Cambridgeshire Association for Local History (CALH)
Secretary: Mr Andrew Westwood-Bate (info@calh.org.uk)
PO Box 1112, Blasham, Cambridge, CB21 4WP
Cambridgeshire Family History Society
http://www.cfhs.org.uk
County Record Office
Cambridgeshire County Record Office
Cambridge Shire Hall, Cambridge, CB3 0AP (Tel 01223 717281; http://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk)
For full details go to ARCHON Directory
Survey of Astronomical History 