Wray telescopes

[canuck]

While I'm not expecting any essays, can anyone enlighten me with any highlights of Wray the telescope maker? I believe his first name was William.

The company operated in the late 1800's/early 1900's, were located in North London (HIghgate, I think) and were competition to Cooke, Grubb & others of the time. As with the aforementioned, Wray telescopes are also featured as illustrations in books from this period. Wray's telescope are excellent...does anyone have any theories about why there is so little information available about them? My theory (so far) is they may have simply been lost in T. Cooke & Sons shadow...

A pretty specific subject, but your thoughts are welcome.

[Brass n glass]

I use Wray 9X60 binoculars made in London in the 1960s, and they still perform quite well. I don't know about the early history of the Wray company but by the 1960s they were one of the biggest UK consumer optics companies, making mainly cameras, lenses and binoculars, but not telescopes. Wray closed in 1971; they were one of many UK optics companies swept away by Japanese imports.

I've seen one or two Wray refractors from about 1900, but I think they were probably rebadged Broadhurst Clarksons. They also made refractors themselves, but I think,that like a lot of British companies, they gave up after WW2 - Hugh.

[wingman]

There was a firm called Wray Optics or Optical in Bromley, I don't know if it's the same company or not

[canuck]

I don't know about the early history of the Wray company but by the 1960s they were one of the biggest UK consumer optics companies, making mainly cameras, lenses and binoculars, but not telescopes. Wray closed in 1971; they were one of many UK optics companies swept away by Japanese imports.

I've seen one or two Wray refractors from about 1900, but I think they were probably rebadged Broadhurst Clarksons. They also made refractors themselves, but I think,that like a lot of British companies, they gave up after WW2 - Hugh.

Thanks Hugh, I'd forgotten about the camera lens aspect of Wray...they made many lenses for reconnaissance cameras during the war, I believe.

I've never seen a Broadhurst Clarkson scope that looked like a Wray (or vice versa), but perhaps I've just not seen enough yet. The Wray I've seen looks very much like a Cooke (as do many of the pictures I've seen).

[Brass n glass]

That certainly looks like a Cooke tripod. In the years before WW1 there were loads of small optical companies often making very similar products, sometimes for each other. A lot of little workshops put out catalogues offering far more products than they could ever make themselves. And yes, Wingman's right, the Wray factory was in Bromley right to the end. I think I've got a 1950s-60s price list somewhere, but only binoculars, not telescopes - Hugh.

[Lady Isabella]

Hi

Firstly, can I say what a beautiful instrument you have there.

I have an astronomy book from 1951. It has a large picture (spreading over two pages) of a scope that is identical to the one that you have (scope and mount).

What I do notice is that your scope appears to have the finder dew cap missing.

My picture has a one third length dew cap that appears to be screwed into the brass fitting on the end of the finder.

My 1958 book by Sidgwick lists Wray (Ashgrove road, Bromley, Kent) as a manufacturer of photographic lenses.

[zero]

Wray were most noted for their photographic lenses upto 6" for feild cameras. Dr Steavenson fronm the RAS had one if I remember. Most refractor components of the day were re-badged, and most came from BC&Co as up till the late fifties, they had two optical factories. Mos of their business came from the MOD making binoculars and telescopes for the war office etc.. but the factories dwindled. There was a lot of surplus military lens blanks etc... Coupled with their engineering facility they ended up supplying to Dollond, Stanley, Ross of London, Ottway etc. If you look mainly at small fiels scopes, they alllook pretty much the same, just with a different name stamp. They were BC's. The other supplier was indeed Cooke, who completely over shadowed everyone really. If BC had not supplied evryone as a distributor, they may have ended up far more famous. Who knows. Your Wray scope is probably a Wray lens. The focusser speaks for itself, but I recognize the tube finish as a 'Ernie special'. I also know a BC cell when I see one. I could tell you if the lens was a wray if I saw it too.

It's all in the castings you know..

Cracking scope regardless

Nice find Rich,

Steve

[canuck]

Cracking scope regardless

Nice find Rich,

Steve

Thanks. It's not mine though...although I was very tempted!

[Brass n glass]

'Ernie special'.

Would that be Ernie Elliott, who ran the workshop at Telescope House?

[zero]

Indeed - and he has big shoes to fill...- I should know

[Lady Isabella]

Was clearing out some old journals and books today when I came across a Wray advertisement

for this telescope from the 1890s, and thought that the following may be of interest.

W.Wray is described as an optician operating from North Hill, Highgate, London.

The scope that you have is described as a "Special series of students telescopes".

Wray offered the scope in several apertures from 2.5 inch, up to 4.5 inch.

The scope in the advertisement is identical in every way to the one in your picture.

Like others, I feel that the scope is more than likely a re-badged one, probably from

Broadhurst Clarkson.

Hope this helps.

[frank rabbets]

Hi,

New to the forum and joined after noticing this old thread. I've just bought a Newton London telescope 1851-1860 in need of restoration. When I unscrewed the 3 1/2 inch object lens I found "WRAY LONDON" engraved on its perimeter. The tube was originally painted and witness paint under the fittings revealed a dark olive colour. Is this the Ernie finish? and if so could someone please explain. I took the tube to the auto paint shop and the nearest match was "Nato Green". I rubbed it all down, etch primed it and then applied cellulose paint with a satin finish. All very interesting.  The brass sight tubes have 4 lenses inside each. Do you think Wray made these? Came without tripod but a chance in a million happened and I got one off ebay!

 

Thanks