Royal Greenwich Observatory
William Henry Mahoney Christie papers, 1878-1940.
Contains principally: A. Correspondence and working papers, together with many administrative records related to the running of the Royal Observatory. B. Documentation of important topics and events, such as: the construction of the 28-inch and 26-inch refracting telescopes and of the 30-inch reflecting telescope at Greenwich; expeditions to observe the solar eclipses of 1898, 1900, and 1905, beginning the tradition of Royal Observatory eclipse expeditions; the international programme to undertake the photographic "Carte du Ciel" was initiated during Christie's tenure; the encouragement of the pursuit of astrophysical research at the Observatory, in addition rather than in place of its traditional astrometric work. C. The following is a partial list of the names of correspondents and others as they appear in the handlist to this class of papers in RGO Archives. It must be remembered that this is not necessarily an exhaustive list of names as they appear in the papers themselves. Researchers interested in a particular period are invited to write to the RGO Archivist at the above address if they are interested in particular individuals whose names do not appear below, but who could possibly have been in correspondence with the person or institution responsible for creating the class. Correspondents: J. C. Adams; Sir G. B. Airy; H. Albrecht; Dr. Anwers; F. Arago; Arnold; Lord Baden-Powell; Prof. Bakhayson; Prof. Balchevaroff; A. Bateman; Princess Beatrice; F. H. Bigelow; H. Blackett; Rev. Bliss; W. C. Bond; G. Borrel; Prof. Boss; K. Bottomley; C. V. Boys; J. Bradford; J. Bradley; J. Brashear; J. Bullard; S. C. Chandler; M. Chevalier; Sir W. Christie; Dr. Common; B. Copeland; P. H. Cowell; A. Crommelin; W. Curtis; Prof. Darwin; M. Defforges; W. Denning; M. Deslandres; A. Downing; J. Dreyer; W. Duncan; P. Dupere; F. Dyson; Sir F. W. Dyson; A. Eddington; Edward VII (King); C. Elder; W. Ellis; Prof. Ewing; R. Ferguson; Finley; Sir G. F. Fitzgerald; M. Fizeau; J. Flamsteed; W. H. Flower; E. F. Freumdlich; Sir A. Geikie; D. Gill; J. Glaisher; C. Greaves; W. Grimaldi; Sir H. Grubb; G. Hale; Mr. Hall E. Halley; J. H. Harding; Prof. Harkness; Henry VIII (King); Sir W. Herschel; E. Hilbert; V. R. Hind; P. J. Janssen; Sir J. Jeans; Prof. Joly; Prof. Kapteyn; A. G. Kayser; Lord Kelvin; J. Kepler; U. Le Verrier; Sir O. Lodge; E. J. Love; J. P. MacLear; E. W. Maunder; Prof. R. Millikan; A. Milne; C. Nash; Prof. Newall; Prof. Newcomb; H. Newton; G. E. Nibblet; D. Nightingale; Prof. Niven; J. Opie; J. Poincare; Prof. Pritchard; J. C. Respighi; E. Roberts; Lord Rosse; R. Sampson; G. Schiaparelli; H. Schumacher; T. See; A. Schuster; Spottiswoode; Prof. Tait; Thorne; and Queen Victoria; among others.
Christie (1845-1922) was Eighth Astronomer Royal, in office 1881-1910; Chief Assistant 1870-1881. Born in Woolwich, London, in 1845, Christie graduated amongst the finest mathematicians of his year at the University of Cambridge (1868). In 1970 he was appointed Chief Assistant to G. B. Airy, Astonomer Royal on Airy's retirement, though Airy's presence on the Board of Visitors to the Royal Observatory meant that Christie was not always free of his influence. Nonetheless, Christie was much more interested than Airy in the astrophysical side of his science, and during his tenure of office several modern instrumnts were erected at Greenwich. He retired at the age of 65 in 1910 and died at sea Near Gibraltar in 1922.
Airy, George Biddell, 1801-1892
Eddington, Arthur Stanley, Sir, 1882-1944
Edward VII, King of Great Britain, 1841-1910.
Flamsteed, John, 1646-1719.
Halley, Edmond, 1656-1742.
Henry VIII, King of England, 1491-1547.
Herschel, William, 1738-1822
Le Verrier, U.-J. (Urbain J.), 1811-1877.
Lodge, Oliver, Sir, 1851-1940
Victoria, Queen of Great Britain, 1819-1901.
Royal Greenwich Observatory -- Administration -- England
Astronomical instruments
Astronomical observatories -- Administration -- England.
Astronomy -- Observations -- International cooperation.
Astrophysics -- Research -- England.
Eclipses, Solar -- 1898.
Eclipses, Solar -- 1900.
Eclipses, Solar -- 1905.
Scientific expeditions.
Reflecting telescopes -- Design and construction -- England.
Telescopes (Astronomy) -- England.
Adams, J. C.
Albrecht, H.
Anwers, Dr.
Arago, F.
Arnold.
Baden-Powell, Lord.
Bakhayson, Prof.
Balchevaroff, Prof.
Bateman, A.
Beatrice, Princess.
Biglow, F. H.
Blackett, H.
Bliss, Rev.
Bond, W. C.
Borrel, G.
Boss, Prof.
Bottomley, K.
Boys, C. V. (Charles Vernon), 1855-1944.
Bradford, J.
Bradley, J.
Brashear, John A. (John Alfred), 1840-1920.
Bullard, J.
Chandler, Seth Carlo, 1846-1913
Chevalier, M.
Christie, William Henry Mahoney, Sir, 1878-1940 -- Records and correspondence.
Common, Dr.
Copeland, B.
Cowell, P. H.
Crommelin, A.
Curtis, W.
Darwin, Prof.
Defforges, M.
Denning, W.
Deslandres, M.
Downing, A.
Dreyer, J.
Duncan, W.
Dupere, P.
Dyson, Frank Watson, 1868-1939.
Elder, C.
Ellis, W.
Ewing, Prof.
Ferguson, R.
Finley.
Fitzgerald, George Francis, 1851-1901
Fizeau, M.
Flower, W. H.
Freumdlich, E. F.
Geikie, Archibald, Sir, 1835-1924.
Gill, D.
Glaisher, J.
Greaves, C.
Grimaldi, W.
Grubb, Howard, Sir, 1844-1931.
Hale, George Ellery, 1868-1938
Hall, Mr.
Harding, J. H.
Harkness, Prof.
Hilbert, E.
Hind, V. R.
Janssen, Jules, 1824-1907.
Jeans, James Hopwood, Sir, 1877-1946.
Joly, Prof.
Kapteyn, Prof.
Kayser, A. G.
Kelvin, William Thomson, Baron, 1824-1907
Kepler, Johannes, 1571-1630
Love, E. J.
Maclear, J. P.
Maunder, E. W.
Millikan, R., Prof.
Milne, A.
Nash, C.
Newall, Prof.
Newcomb, Prof.
Nibblet, G. E.
Nightingale, D.
Niven, Prof.
Opie, J.
Poincare, J.
Pritchard, Prof.
Respighi, C.
Roberts, E.
Rosse, Lord.
Sampson, R.
Schiaparelli, G.
Schumacher, H.
Spottiswoode.
Tait, Prof.
Thorne.
Thwaiates, L.
AIP-ICOS
Royal Greenwich Observatory Archives Department of Manuscripts and University Archives. Cambridge University Library, West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DR, England UK