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Lester, William, fl1820 - 1821 (engineer)

 Person

Found in 15 Collections and/or Records:

 Item

Correspondence regarding William Lester, 1821

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/12: 296-319
Scope and Contents

The letters concern his claims for the full reward offered for the discovery of an accurate method of finding longitude at sea.

Dates: 1821
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
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Explanation and technical drawings of William Lester's Solometer, 1821

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/40: 356-357
Scope and Contents From the Item: Fourteen letters from William Lester to the Board of Longitude, chiefly to Thomas Young, concerning his proposals to find longitude by means of the solar rays. The letters provide details of his proposed experiments and of his new invention, the 'Solometer'. Illustrations of this instrument are provided along with technical details on its construction [RGO 14/40: 351 and RGO 14/40: 356-357]. The files also include a related letter written on behalf of Young, and an illustrated legal patent...
Dates: 1821
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
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Explanation of the Solometer or Pencil for Ascertaining the Situation of Place, 1821-01-26

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/40: 351
Scope and Contents

Sent by Lester to the Board of Longitude, providing details on the technical construction of his invention, the Solometer.

Dates: 1821-01-26
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
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Legal patent with a drawing of Lester's 'Solometer', 1821-01-23 - 1821-02-01

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/40: 345
Scope and Contents Legal patent in which Lester embodied extracts from letters sent to the Board of Longitude between 3 January and 1 February 1821 concerning his solution to the longitude problem and his invention of the Solometer. The patent is illustrated with a drawing of the Solometer by Thomas Clark, and includes signed testimonies by both Clark and Rich Heath, a Staffordshire carpenter who constructed an example of the Solometer. It was witnessed by William Smith and John Lockett in the presence of John...
Dates: 1821-01-23 - 1821-02-01
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
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Letter from William Lester to Dr Thomas Young, 1821-01-09

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/40: 347
Scope and Contents

Outlining his planned solar experiments for finding longitude. As his experiments involved 'igniting' points on a globe of the earth using a lens, the letter has been marked 'burning a globe' by the Board.

Dates: 1821-01-09
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
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Letter from William Lester to Dr Thomas Young, 1821-01-12

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/40: 349
Scope and Contents

Originally enclosing further information on his proposals for finding longitude.

Dates: 1821-01-12
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
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Letter from William Lester to Dr Thomas Young, 1821-01-20

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/40: 350
Scope and Contents

In which Lester provides further information on his proposal to find longitude by means of the solar rays.

Dates: 1821-01-20
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
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Letter from William Lester to Dr Thomas Young, 1821-05-07

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/40: 353-354
Scope and Contents

Suggesting that his Solometer could be used in conjunction with a pyrometer to ascertain longitude.

Dates: 1821-05-07
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
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Letter from William Lester to Dr Thomas Young, 1821-05-24

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/40: 355
Scope and Contents

Enclosing an explanation and drawings of his Solometer; see [RGO 14/40: 356-357].

Dates: 1821-05-24
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
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Letter from William Lester to Dr Thomas Young, 1821-06-03

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/40: 358a
Scope and Contents

Enclosing the letter now at [RGO 14/40: 359] for consideration by the Board of Longitude.

Dates: 1821-06-03
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
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Letter from William Lester to the Board of Longitude, 1821-01-09

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/40: 346-346a
Scope and Contents

In which Lester states that he had heard that the reward for finding longitude was twenty thousand pounds and asks to submit his solution before the Board.

Dates: 1821-01-09
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
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Letter from William Lester to the Board of Longitude, 1821-01-12

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/40: 348
Scope and Contents

Outlining his planned solar experiments for finding longitude, which involved igniting points on a globe of the earth with a lens. The Board have underlined his statement that if the Globe is correct and properly adjusted 'you will set fire to London'.

Dates: 1821-01-12
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
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Letter from William Lester to the Board of Longitude, 1821-06-03

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/40: 359
Scope and Contents

Stating that he had a forwarded a box containing proper instructions for the use of his Solometer.

Dates: 1821-06-03
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
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Letters from William Lester to the Board of Longitude, 1821-01-03

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/40: 342-344a
Scope and Contents

Letter outlining his invention for finding longitude based on measurements of solar light; preceded by a cover letter addressed to Thomas Young.

Dates: 1821-01-03
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).
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Letters from William Lester to the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty, 1820-12-25

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 14/40: 340-341
Scope and Contents

Letter in which Lester states that he had been conducting experiments with light and proposed to find longitude without the use of a chronometer; he also enquires about a reward. Preceded by a related cover letter addressed to John Wilson Croaker [Croker].

Dates: 1820-12-25
Conditions Governing Access: From the Management Group: Unless restrictions apply, the collection is open for consultation by researchers using the Manuscripts Reading Room at Cambridge University Library. For further details on conditions governing access please contact mss@lib.cam.ac.uk. Information about opening hours and obtaining a Cambridge University Library reader's ticket is available from the Library's website (www.lib.cam.ac.uk).

Additional filters:

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London 13
Burton on Trent 12
Ashby-de-la-Zouch 1
Staffordshire 1
Stoke-on-Trent 1