Royal Greenwich Observatory.
Royal Observatory papers of Harold Spencer Jones, 1920-1968.
Contains: A. Correspondence and records which formed the working papers of the Royal Observatory, maintained in a filing system; B. Documentation of important events and topics, such as the international observation programme to observe the minor planet Eros at its opposition of 1930-1931, to determine the solar parallax; the move of the Royal Observatory from Greenwich to Herstmonceux, 1948-1957; the initiation of the project to construct the Isaac Newton Telescope at Herstmonceux; H M Nautical Almanac Office, an independent office under the Admiralty from ca. 1832, becomes part of the Royal Observatory under the direct control of the Astronomer Royal, 1937; wartime bomb damage to the Greenwich Observatory; war-time work of the Observatory. 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. Adams, Miss A. Airy, Sir E. Appleton; A. Ashton; R. Atkinson; Mrs. K. Baxter; A. Blaauw; Prof. Bondi; Charles II (King); Mrs. B. Christian; Sir J. Cockroft; Sir G. Darwin; G. De-Beer; Dr. C. Desch; Sir F. Dyson; Queen Elizabeth II; J. Evershed; Prof. Freundlich; Sir C. Gibb; Mrs. M. Goddard; Sir A. Gordon-Smith; Dr. Y. Haghihara; Dr. E. Hertzsprung; Sir W. Hodge; Dr. A. Hunter; P. Janssen; Dr. Jolly; Prof. Kaminski; Dr. G. Kuiper; M. Marconi; Rev. N. Maskelyne; Prof. J. Mitchell; Mrs. M. Nevill; Sir M. Oliphant; M. Oppenheimer; Prof. Orlov; Sir C. Parsons; Miss C. Penny; C. Perrine; H. Piggot; Prof. H. Plaskett; J. Proudman; Dr. A. Rankine; Herr Schmitt; Dr. Shane; W. H. Shortt; L. Simon; Dr. A. Singh; C. W. Smith; H. M. Smith; Sir H. Spencer-Jones; Dr. H. Stoy; F. W. Thorne; Dr. Trebble; M. A. Tuve; A. M. Uttley; Prof. Whipple; Sir E. Whittaker; R. Wooley; C. Zeiss; Sir S. Zuckerman, among others.
Jones (1890-1960) was tenth Astronomer Royal, in office 1933-1955; Chief Assistant, 1913-1923. Receiving parental encouragement to study mathematics, Jones won a scholarship to Jesus College, Cambridge. He was classed amongst the foremost mathematicians of the year he graduated, 1911, and he became a Fellow of Jesus College in 1913. When Arthur Eddington resigned as chief Assistant at Greenwich to return to Cambridge, Dyson apponted Jones to the vacant position. Except for war work, Jones remained at the Royal Observatory for ten years, until being appointed to succeed S. S. Hough as His Majesty's Astronomer at the Cape of Good Hope. Faced with the difficult working conditions and poor staff relationships when he arrived, Jones was able to completely revitalize the Cape Observatory. Making observations to determine the solar parallax was central to Jones's work at this time, firstly by observations of Mars at its close approach during the opposition of 1924, then in a more celebrated manner by organizing the international programme to observe the minor planet Eros at its favourable opposition in 1930-1931. Frank Dyson retired as Astronomer Royal in 1933 and Jones was appointed in his place at Greenwich, where he brought into operation the 36-inch Yapp reflecting telescope and the Cooke Reversible Transit Circle, which replaced the Airy instrument of 1850. Though the outbreak of the war interrupted progress, the move of the Royal Observatory away from the atmospheric pollution and glare became of paramount importance in the early years of Jones's tenure, discussion on the possibility of moving the Observatory having taken place even in Dyson's period. Some 70 or 80 possible sites were identified in the last years of the world war and in 1946 the Admiralty purchased Herstmonceux Castle and estate to be the new site of the Royal Observatory. The move was dogged by administrative delays; post war shortages of housing and materials also retarded the project, and though Jones moved to Herstmonceaux in 1948, it was another decade, and after Jones's retirement, that the move was completed.
Appleton, Edward Victor, Sir, 1892-1965.
Blaauw, Adriaan.
Charles II, King of England,
Cockcroft, John, Sir, 1897-1967
Dyson, Frank Watson, 1868-1939.
Elizabeth II Queen of Great Britain, 1926-
Jones, H. Spencer (Harold Spencer), 1890-
Maskelyne, Nevil, 1732-1811.
Great Britain. Admiralty.
Royal Greenwich Observatory -- Administration.
Astronomical observatories -- England.
Astronomy -- Research.
Asteroids -- Observations.
Eros (Asteroid) -- Observations.
Telescopes (Astronomy) -- Design and construction -- England.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Destruction and pillage -- England.
World War, 1939-1945 -- Science -- England.
World War, 1939-1945 -- War work -- England.
Adams, J.
Airy, A., Miss
Ashton, A.
Atkinson, R.
Baxter, K., Mrs.
Bondi, Prof.
Christian, B., Mrs.
Darwin, George Howard, Sir, 1845-1912.
De-Beer, G.
Desch, C., Dr.
Evershed, John, 1864-1956.
Freundlich, Prof.
Gibb, C., Sir.
Gordon-Smith, A., Sir.
Haghihara, Yukio, Dr., 1923-
Hertzsprung, Ejnar, 1873-1967.
Hodge, W. V. D. (William Vallance Douglas), 1903-
Hunter, A.
Janssen, Jules, 1824-1907.
Jolly, Dr.
Kaminski, Prof.
Kuiper, Gerard P. (Gerard Peter), 1905-1973
Marconi, M.
Mitchell, J., Prof.
Nevill, M., Mrs.
Oliphant, Mark, 1901-2000
Oppenheimer, M.
Orlov, Prof.
Parsons, C., Sir.
Penny, C., Miss.
Perrine, C.
Piggot, H.
Plaskett, Harry Hemley, 1893-
Proudman, J.
Rankine, A., Dr.
Schmitt, Herr.
Shane, D., Dr.
Shortt, W. H.
Simon, L.
Singh, A., Dr.
Smith, C. W.
Smith, H. M.
Stoy, Richard Hugh, 1910-
Thorne, F. W.
Trebble, Dr.
Tuve, Merle Antony, 1901-1982.
Uttley, A. M.
Whipple, Prof.
Whittaker, E., Sir.
Woolley, Richard van der Riet, Sir.
Zeiss, C.
Zuckerman, S., Sir.
Great Britain. H M Nautical Almanac Office.
Isaac Newton Telescope -- Remodeling.
AIP-ICOS
Royal Greenwich Observatory Archives Department of Manuscripts and University Archives. Cambridge University Library, West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DR, England UK