How to use a Grubb refractor - 19th century go-to?

[Putaendo Patrick]

William John Macdonnell was one of the leading amateur astronomers in late 19th century Australia. Since he was a child, Macdonnell was fascinated by the the stars and went on to own several good refractor telescopes, two of which have survived.

In the 1880s Macdonnell was branch manager of the Bank of New South Wales at Port Macquarie and constructed an observatory in the backyard of the bank! Around 1885 he bought a 6" Grubb refractor which was imported from Dublin and cost 250 pounds. By the 1890s however Australia was in severe economic recession; Macdonnell was forced to sell his telescope and left the bank. He found new work as a financial consultant in Sydney with a salary of 50 pounds per year! The Grubb refractor changed hands several times, at one point being used by another important amateur, E H Beattie, until it was put in storage in 1921. Fast forward to 2005 when the telescope was finally bought by the National Museum of Australia and restored to its original condition.

The link below shows a video of Hermann Wehner demonsrating how the telescope was set up and used:

http://www.nma.gov.au/av/portmacquarie/the-southern-sky/a-night-of-observing/

It appears that Macdonnell's fortunes slowly recovered and in retirement he was able to purchase a 4.75 inch refractor made by James Parkes and Son of Birmingham in November 1907. Macdonnell died in 1910 and the telescope was subsequently bought by Sydney industrailist Ernest Wunderlich who later donated it to the New South Wales branch of the British Astronomical Association. It is now preserved by the Sydney City Skywatchers.

Macdonnell with his Parkes telescope

 

[Starwiz]

Amazing!  From the days of true craftsmanship.

Thanks for sharing.

[des anderson]

Now that`s history,just wonderful.Des

[FenlandPaul]

Great article - thanks for posting.  The gravity drive reminds me of the one I was taught to use with the Fry telescope (an 8" Cooke refractor) at UCL's observatory in Mill Hill.

I have to say the guys in the 1800s certainly had patience.  I'm afraid I much prefer the simplicity with which I can set my dob up and get a session underway!!  

[laudropb]

Very interesting article.

[Physopto]

Excellent story of astronomy history. Thanks.

Derek

[Dave Lloyd]

Looks great, like one of Tim's.

[jambouk]

Very interesting article.

In the second photograph, I wonder what the wires are in the lower right of the image? When did electricity and amateur astronomy first cross paths?

James

 

[Putaendo Patrick]

Jambouk, while I'd like to think Macdonnell was an early user of Stellarium on his laptop, I think what you see are cords rather than cables and were used to open and close the observing hatch. Still it's an interesting question - my feeling is most smaller telescopes used clockwork tracking well into the 1950s or 60s, but I may well be wrong.

[Putaendo Patrick]

This is the tracking motor of the Thorrowgood telescope in use from the 1960s through to 1998. The telescope is an 8"  f14 refractor made by Cooke & Sons in 1864, and was originally used by the Revd. William Rutter "eagle-eye" Dawes. The telescope is now preserved (and still used) at Cambridge University although I believe technically it belongs to the RAS.

[skybadger]

I once serviced a 6"Cooke including repairing the clock drive. Used to be very reliable and lovely to use. I also used the Fry refractory at Mill Hill, visited the Cooke at Preston Horrock's observatory and the 8" Cooke at Up Holland Seminary before the building was converted. Wonder what happened to that? The OG had a chip that required masking to 7" and was painted a lovely red colour IIRC..

Mike