The King's Observatory in the Old Deer Park at Kew (or more properly in West Sheen, Richmond ) in Surrey was built in the years 1768-9 on the foundations of a Carthusian priory not entirely destroyed during the suppression of the monasteries. The tutor to the Royal Family, Dr Stephen Charles Demainbray, interested George III in the observations planned for the transit of Venus across the face of the Sun and the King decided to erect his own observatory so that he and the Royal Family could join in the international programme. The site of the monastery was chosen in 1768 as the place for the erection of the King's Observatory, it was designed by William Chambers and completed on time for observations of the transit on 3 June 1769. Thereafter the King and Queen Charlotte used the observatory to house their collections of natural history specimens and of scientific apparatus in addition to the regular work of meridional astronomy. The astronomical work of the observatory ceased soon after the time of the accession of Queen Victoria, and the instruments were transferred to the Armagh Observatory and the Science Museum in South Kensington. The British Association took over the Kew Observatory in 1842 when it was resolved that it should become a physical laboratory, to house and test experimental, meteorological, electrical and magnetical equipment and clocks, perhaps most famously coming to certificate marine chronometers this work having been declined by the contemporary Astronomer Royal, George Airy. Francis Ronalds acted as Honorary Superintendent from 1842 and in 1849 the Kew Committee of the British Association was formed and it was under their direction that John Welsh was appointed Superintendent. The chief official of the observatory was initially known as the King's Observer. The post was held by Stephen Charles Triboudet Demainbray, 1769-82; and Stephen George Francis Triboudet Demainbray, 1782-1840. From 1842 an Observatory Superintendent was appointed. These were Francis Ronalds, 1842-51; John Welsh, 1852-9; Balfour Stewart, 1859-71; Samuel Jeffrey, 1871-6; George Mathews Whipple, 1876-93; Charles Chree, 1893-1925; Francis John Welsh Whipple, 1925-39; James Martin Stagg, 1939; George Simpson, 1939-46; James Martin Stagg, 1946-7; George David Robinson, 1947-57; Kenneth Hope Stewart, 1957-60; Robert Henry Collingbourne, 1960-6; Richard Alexander Hamilton, 1966-8; and Stanley Gershon Crawford, 1968. The Kew Observatory was also known as the King's Observatory, Royal Observatory or Richmond Observatory.