Email: Survey Officer
Astronomers
Observatories
Astronomy Groups
Useful addresses
Local History Centre
Kent Libraries and Archives HQ
Springfield, Royal Engineers Road, Maidstone, ME14 2LH (Tel: 01622 671411; fax: 01622 696450; libraries@kent.gov.uk )
Note on Cranbrook Observatory of Dawes.
Dawes ordered a 6 Paris inch (6.3 English inch) refractor and mount in 1845 from Merz and Mahler. The telescope was delayed by Mahler’s death in 1845 and was not delivered until late 1846 by which time the firm was trading as Merz and Son. Dawes telescope was signed Merz und Sohn in Munchen.
Regards
Bob Trotter
Western Australia
Are you aware of the observatory that was in the grounds of the Royal Hospital School, Greenwich, the buildings of which are now used by the National Maritime Museum? The observatory was there for almost 100 years I believe, although I don’t know the finer detail. It is said that it was constructed in about 1840, and extended in 1864. It was demolished after 1933, after the school moved to its present site in Suffolk. In its final form it had three “domes” and housed, amongst other instruments, a Dollond 11′ achromatic refractor telescope that was given to the school by Henry Lawson. The observatory was situated in the south-east corner of what is the curtilage of the NMM, just east of the south end of the eastern wing; I.e. as close to the Greenwich Meridian as it could be placed on the school’s land.
I was not aware of the observatory at the Royal Hospital School, Greenwich, but it does not surprise me as there is long tradition of school observatories. I am happy to add it to our site, but I would be grateful if you could indicate the source of your knowledge as I would like to follow-up on this lead.