Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 18th century-19th century (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
2 files
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Sir William Herschel (1738-1822) was born in Hanover and came to England in 1757, where he taught music in Leeds, Halifax and Bath. He devoted himself to the study of mathematics and astronomy, built his own telescope in c 1773, and with it discovered the planet Uranus in 1781 (which he named 'Georgium Sidus' in honour of George III). He was appointed private astronomer to George III in 1782 and knighted in 1816, and is regarded as the virtual founder of sidereal science.
His sister Caroline Lucretia Herschel (1750-1848) discovered eight comets, receiving a salary from George III in 1787. She received the Astronomical Society's gold medal for her catalogue of Sir William Herschel's star clusters and nebulae, 1828, and was created an honorary member of the Society in 1835.
Sir John Frederick William Herschel (1792-1871), the son of Sir William Herschel, was a fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, and obtained his M.A. in 1816. With George Peacock (1791-1858) he translated Lacroix's Elementary Treatise on the Differential Calculus, and was elected FRS in 1813.
His son Alexander Stewart Herschel (1836-1907) was born in South Africa, and studied meteorology at the Royal School of Mines, London, 1861. He was professor of physics at Glasgow, 1866-1871 and at Durham College, Newcastle, 1871-1886. He reported on observation of meteors to the British Association, 1862-1881, observing a solar eclipse in Spain in 1905, and was elected FRS in 1884.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0120 MSS.7867-7868 18th century-19th century Collection (fonds) 2 files Herschel , Sir , William , 1738-1822 , Knight , astronomer and musician
Herschel , Caroline Lucretia , 1750-1848 , astronomer
Herschel , Sir , John Frederick William , 1792-1871 , 1st Baronet , astronomer
Herschel , Alexander Stewart , 1836-1907 , astronomer
Sir William Herschel (1738-1822) was born in Hanover and came to England in 1757, where he taught music in Leeds, Halifax and Bath. He devoted himself to the study of mathematics and astronomy, built his own telescope in c 1773, and with it discovered the planet Uranus in 1781 (which he named 'Georgium Sidus' in honour of George III). He was appointed private astronomer to George III in 1782 and knighted in 1816, and is regarded as the virtual founder of sidereal science.
His sister Caroline Lucretia Herschel (1750-1848) discovered eight comets, receiving a salary from George III in 1787. She received the Astronomical Society's gold medal for her catalogue of Sir William Herschel's star clusters and nebulae, 1828, and was created an honorary member of the Society in 1835.
Sir John Frederick William Herschel (1792-1871), the son of Sir William Herschel, was a fellow of St John's College, Cambridge, and obtained his M.A. in 1816. With George Peacock (1791-1858) he translated Lacroix's Elementary Treatise on the Differential Calculus, and was elected FRS in 1813.
His son Alexander Stewart Herschel (1836-1907) was born in South Africa, and studied meteorology at the Royal School of Mines, London, 1861. He was professor of physics at Glasgow, 1866-1871 and at Durham College, Newcastle, 1871-1886. He reported on observation of meteors to the British Association, 1862-1881, observing a solar eclipse in Spain in 1905, and was elected FRS in 1884.
Purchased from: Stevens, London, July 1923 (acc.89267), August 1930 (acc.63313), January 1931 (acc.68115), March 1931 (acc.56482, 68134); R.V. Westcott, May 1927 (acc.45498); Tregaskis, December 1927 (acc.68037); Sotheby's, London, December 1929 (acc.52331), May 1930 (acc.52792), July 1931 (acc.57468), February 1932 (acc.76066, 76088), November 1933 (acc.67469), April 1934 (acc.66602); Mrs. Barrett, London, March 1930 (acc.91327); Puttick and Simpson, May 1930 (acc.62824); Desgranges, Paris, June 1930 (acc.67390), February 1931 (acc.64689), September 1931 (acc.64710), September 1932 (acc.65659), July 1934 (acc.67124), either from Desgranges, Paris, January 1936, or Glendining, London, c.1932 (acc.69293, 69294); Glendining, London, December 1931 (acc.67597), March 1932 (acc.67624), August 1932 (acc.67694); Transferred from Wellcome Historical Medical Museum, c.1939 (acc.91800); no accession details recorded for nos.4, 11-12, 23, 30, 73-75, 81, 83, 91, 98.
Letters to and from various members of the Herschel family. MS.7867 contains material relating to Sir William Herschel (1738-1822), Caroline Lucretia Herschel (1750-1848) and Alexander Stewart Herschel (1836-1907); MS.7868 centres on Sir John Frederick William Herschel (1792-1871).
The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.
Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. Readers are restricted to 100 photocopies in twelve months. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.
English
Described in Richard Aspin and Christopher Hilton's typescript supplement to S.A.J Moorat's Catalogue of Western Manuscripts
Copied from the Wellcome Library catalogue by Sarah Drewery.
In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Jan 2009 Herschel , Sir , John Frederick William , 1792-1871 , 1st Baronet , astronomer Herschel , Caroline Lucretia , 1750-1848 , astronomer Astronomy Herschel , Sir , William , 1738-1822 , Knight , astronomer and musician Literature Astronomers Literary forms and genres Poetry Herschel , Alexander Stewart , 1836-1907 , astronomer
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Purchased from: Stevens, London, July 1923 (acc.89267), August 1930 (acc.63313), January 1931 (acc.68115), March 1931 (acc.56482, 68134); R.V. Westcott, May 1927 (acc.45498); Tregaskis, December 1927 (acc.68037); Sotheby's, London, December 1929 (acc.52331), May 1930 (acc.52792), July 1931 (acc.57468), February 1932 (acc.76066, 76088), November 1933 (acc.67469), April 1934 (acc.66602); Mrs. Barrett, London, March 1930 (acc.91327); Puttick and Simpson, May 1930 (acc.62824); Desgranges, Paris, June 1930 (acc.67390), February 1931 (acc.64689), September 1931 (acc.64710), September 1932 (acc.65659), July 1934 (acc.67124), either from Desgranges, Paris, January 1936, or Glendining, London, c.1932 (acc.69293, 69294); Glendining, London, December 1931 (acc.67597), March 1932 (acc.67624), August 1932 (acc.67694); Transferred from Wellcome Historical Medical Museum, c.1939 (acc.91800); no accession details recorded for nos.4, 11-12, 23, 30, 73-75, 81, 83, 91, 98.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Letters to and from various members of the Herschel family. MS.7867 contains material relating to Sir William Herschel (1738-1822), Caroline Lucretia Herschel (1750-1848) and Alexander Stewart Herschel (1836-1907); MS.7868 centres on Sir John Frederick William Herschel (1792-1871).
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
The papers are available subject to the usual conditions of access to Archives and Manuscripts material, after the completion of a Reader's Undertaking.
Conditions governing reproduction
Photocopies/photographs/microfilm are supplied for private research only at the Archivist's discretion. Please note that material may be unsuitable for copying on conservation grounds, and that photographs cannot be photocopied in any circumstances. Readers are restricted to 100 photocopies in twelve months. Researchers who wish to publish material must seek copyright permission from the copyright owner.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Described in Richard Aspin and Christopher Hilton's typescript supplement to S.A.J Moorat's Catalogue of Western Manuscripts
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
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Description control area
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Rules and/or conventions used
In compliance with ISAD (G): General International Standard Archival Description - 2nd Edition (1999); UNESCO Thesaurus, December 2001; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English