Pencil sketch showing Flamsteed House from Greenwich Park. While the artist is not specified, this may be the work Richarda Airy, her sisters, Elizabeth or Caroline Smith, or one of the Airy children.

Flamsteed House, the original Observatory building, was built by Sir Christopher Wren in 1675-1676. The large Octagon Room on the first floor originally served as the observing area, with the dwelling rooms of the Astronomer Royal on the ground and basement levels below. The dwelling house was extended several times; the 1835-1836 extension was built to accommodate George Airy’s growing family. In this drawing, the Time Ball, mounted in 1833 as a time signal for mariners, is shown in a lowered position. To the right of the house, the main Observatory buildings can be seen. In the foreground two figures stand in Greenwich Park, to the left of a grazing deer.