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Minutes of the Board of Visitors, 1784 - 1830

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Reference Code: GBR/0180/RGO 6/22

Scope and Contents

Minutes of the Council of the Royal Society:

27 May 1784: resolving that the printing bill for the second volume of the 'Greenwich Observations' be paid.

24 June 1784: concerning the King's approval of a proposal for ascertaining the relative situations of the observatories at Greenwich and Paris.

29 July 1784: concerning and including a letter from Lieut. General Roy, dated 28 June 1784, on the measurement of a base line. The minutes also cover Visitation arrangements.

12 August 1784: concerning the printing of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1783.

11 November 1784: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Observatory, dated 13 August 1784.

16 December 1784: concerning the distribution of the 'Greenwich Observations'.

13 January 1785: concerning the completion of the printing of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1783.

14 April 1785: concerning and including a letter from one of the Secretaries of State about the distribution of the 'Astronomical Observations'.

16 July 1785: concerning the delivery of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1784.

30 June 1785: concerning Visitation arrangements.

18 August 1785: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 29 July 1785.

19 January 1786: concerning the 'Greenwich Observations' intended for presents.

16 February 1786: concerning the bill for printing the 'Greenwich Observations', 1783 and 1784.

29 June 1786: concerning copies of the 'Philosophical Transactions' and of the 'Greenwich Observations' to be sent to the American Society at Cambridge.

27 July 1786: concerning the delivery of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1785 and Visitation arrangements.

16 November 1786: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 4 August 1786.

23 November 1786: concerning the lending of equipment to the marines.

25 January 1787: concerning the return of the equipment lent to the marines.

29 July 1787: concerning Visitation arrangements.

8 November 1787: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 27 July 1787.

20 December 1787: concerning the bills for printing the 'Greenwich Observations' for the years 1785 and 1786.

17 January 1788: concerning an estimate for the alterations and additions proposed to be made in the instruments.

5 June 1788: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1787.

26 June 1788: concerning Visitation arrangements.

13 November 1788: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 1 August 1788.

19 February 1789: concerning bills for instruments and printing the 'Observations' for the year 1787.

25 June 1789: concerning a defect in the ground spirit level for the transit instrument.

9 July 1789: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1788 and Visitation arrangements.

5 November 1789: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 31 July 1789.

29 April 1790: concerning bills for printing the 'Observations' for the year 1783 and also for repairs to the instruments.

1 July 1790: concerning Visitation arrangements.

11 November 1790: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 6 July 1790.

18 November 1790: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1789 and the order to print.

26 May 1791: concerning Bradley's observations.

9 June 1791: concerning bills for work done at the Royal Observatory.

14 July 1791: concerning bills for paper for printing and also Visitation arrangements.

17 November 1791: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 29 July 1791.

15 March 1792: concerning bills presented to the Council by the Astronomer Royal.

5 July 1792: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1791 and also Visitation arrangements.

9 August 1792: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 13 July 1792.

20 June 1793: concerning bill for printing the 'Observations' for the year 1791, proposed alterations to the transit clock and Visitation arrangements.

18 July 1793: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 5 July 1793.

5 March 1794: concerning a bill for printing the 'Observations' for the year 1792.

17 July 1794: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1793 and also Visitation arrangements.

19 March 1795: concerning bills for printing and repairs to the instruments.

2 July 1795: concerning Visitation arrangements and the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1794.

12 November 1795: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 10 July 1795.

10 March 1796: concerning bills for printing and repairs to the instruments.

23 June 1796: concerning Visitation arrangements.

17 November 1796: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 1 July 1796, and the deliverance of the 'Observations', 1795.

24 November 1796: ordering the immediate printing of the 'Greenwich Observations'.

9 February 1797: concerning the bill for printing, and also concerning the purchasing of two achromatic telescopes, one 10 foot and the other 5 foot.

11 May 1797: concerning the application by Trinity College, Dublin, for the loan of a 40 inch quadrant.

22 June 1797: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1796.

13 July 1797: concerning Visitation arrangements.

16 November 1797: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 21 July 1797.

8 February 1798: concerning bills for printing and work done to the Royal Observatory.

14 June 1798: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1797.

28 June 1798: concerning Visitation arrangements.

19 July 1798: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 13 July 1798.

23 May 1799: concerning bills for printing.

27 June 1799: concerning Visitation arrangements.

14 November 1799: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 5 July 1799, and the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1798.

13 March 1800: concerning bills for printing.

10 July 1800: concerning Visitation arrangements, a bill for repairs, and the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1799.

20 November 1800: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 18 July 1800.

5 March 1801: concerning the bills for printing the 'Greenwich Observations' and also concerning an achromatic object glass for the zenith sector.

21 May 1801: concerning Mr Piazzi, Astronomer Royal at Palermo.

2 July 1801: concerning Visitation arrangements.

12 November 1801: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 10 July 1801, and the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1800.

15 April 1802: concerning bills for printing and for work done at the Royal Observatory.

15 July 1802: concerning Visitation arrangements.

11 November 1802: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 23 July 1802, and the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1801.

31 March 1803: concerning bills for printing and the purchase of a pair of geographical globes.

14 July 1803: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1802, and visitation arrangements.

17 November 1803: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 29 July 1803.

17 May 1804: concerning bills for printing and other work done for the Royal Observatory.

28 June 1804: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1803 and Visitation arrangements.

15 November 1804: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 6 July 1804.

9 May 1805: concerning bills for printing and other work done for the Royal Observatory.

18 July 1805: concerning Visitation arrangements.

14 November 1805: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 29 July 1805, and the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1804.

24 April 1806: concerning bills for printing.

3 July 1806: concerning Visitation arrangements.

13 November 1806: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 11 July 1806, as well as the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations', 1805, and alterations to the instruments.

8 January 1807: concerning the appointment of a committee to consider the request for new instruments for the Royal Observatory.

19 March 1807: concerning and including the report of the committee appointed to take into consideration the alterations proposed at the Royal Observatory. The minutes also cover bills for printing dated 22 January 1807.

23 April 1807: concerning a letter from the Board of Ordnance and the resolution that the committee which considered the alterations to be made at the Royal Observatory be summoned again.

14 May 1807: concerning the attendances of Mr Rennie at the meeting of the Astronomical Committee.

28 May 1807: concerning and including the report of the committee appointed to take into consideration the alterations proposed at the Royal Observatory.

18 June 1807: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations', dated 1806, and Visitation arrangements.

9 July 1807: concerning copies of the communications concerning the instruments to be made for the Royal Observatory.

12 November 1807: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 10 July 1807.

24 March 1807: concerning the bill for printing.

11 July 1808: concerning Visitation arrangements.

17 November 1808: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 22 July 1808. The minutes also cover the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1807.

2 February 1809: concerning bills for printing.

8 June 1809: concerning Visitation arrangements.

29 June 1809: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1808.

16 November 1809: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 7 July 1809.

21 December 1809: concerning bills for printing.

29 March 1810: concerning a memorial from the Astronomer Royal asking for a rise in salary for his assistant.

26 July 1810: concerning deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1809 and Visitation arrangements.

23 August 1810: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 3 August 1810.

13 December 1810: concerning bills for printing.

21 March 1811: concerning the removal of Mrs Maskelyne from the Royal Observatory.

25 April 1811: concerning a list of the manuscript papers of Maskelyne and the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1810, which were delivered to John Pond for printing. The minutes cover the formation of an astronomical library.

23 May 1811: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 7 May 1811.

11 July 1811: concerning Visitation arrangements and the bill for the purchase of books from Maskelyne's library.

18 July 1811: concerning Pond borrowing catalogues from the Royal Society library.

14 November 1811: concerning and including the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 19 July 1811.

21 November 1811: concerning bills for books bought for the Royal Observatory and a bill for printing the 'Greenwich Observations'.

30 January 1812: concerning the bill for Mr Hardy's clock.

5 March 1812: concerning Mr Hardy's clock.

14 May 1812: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1811, and bills for instruments and books bought by the Royal Observatory.

8 July 1812: concerning the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 3 July 1812, as well as the recommendation to the Board of Ordnance for several instruments and the need for a new assistant. There is also the report of the committee appointed to receive the equatorial instrument of the late Sir G.S. Evelyn.

14 January 1813: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1812 and the paying of the bill for the mural circle.

25 February 1813: concerning bills for books sold to the library at the Royal Observatory and a letter requesting the grant of land for an observatory building in the Park.

18 March 1813: concerning a bill for books purchased at the sale of Maskelyne's library.

3 June 1813: concerning a bill for paper sent to the Royal Observatory.

15 July 1813: concerning the bill for printing the 'Greenwich Observations' and regarding Visitation arrangements.

11 November 1813: concerning the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 23 July 1813, and bills for coals, candles, masonry work and incidental expenses.

16 December 1813: concerning the Board of Ordnance's reply to the bills for coals and candles.

27 January 1814: concerning a memorial to the Treasury for another assistant, the payment of the bills for coals and candles, and the enclosure of the garden.

1 May 1814: concerning the bills for coals and candles to be sent to the Board of Ordnance.

14 July 1814: concerning Visitation arrangements.

4 August 1814: concerning the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 22 July 1814, as well as the need for a well, the expense to the assistants of having their apartments cleaned, the need for a warehouse for instruments that are no longer in use, and bills for thermometers, barometers, etc.

17 November 1814: concerning bills for coals.

26 January 1815: concerning the delivery by Pond to the Council of several bills for various items.

9 March 1815: concerning bills for microscopes and other work done to the mural circle.

22 June 1815: concerning Visitation arrangements.

6 July 1815: concerning bills which were forwarded to the Board of Ordnance for payment. The minutes also cover the Report of the Visitors to the Royal Observatory, dated 30 June 1815; resolutions on the pier for the equatorial instrument; and the salaries of the assistants.

16 November 1815: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the years 1813 and 1814.

11 January 1816: concerning the loan of the large theodolite to Lt. General Roy.

14 March 1816: concerning bills for printing the 'Greenwich Observations'.

28 March 1816: concerning a letter from the Secretary of State to ascertain the length of the pendulum vibrating seconds at the Royal Observatory.

16 May 1816: concerning and including the report of the committee for considering the proper means of ascertaining the length of a pendulum beating seconds in the latitude of London, dated 6 April 1816.

13 June 1816: concerning and including the report of the committee for considering the proper means of ascertaining the length of a pendulum beating seconds in the latitude of London, dated 20 May 1816.

11 July 1816: concerning Visitation arrangements.

7 November 1816: concerning the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 19 July 1816. The minutes also cover the need for a wage increase for the First Assistant, the need for the Royal Observatory to be governable by only one body and not three, and the bill for a new transit instrument.

14 November 1816: concerning two bills for coals and candles.

21 November 1816: concerning bills for objects or services supplied to the Royal Observatory.

24 April 1817: concerning a bill for sundry disbursements.

12 May 1817: concerning two bills for coals and candles.

3 July 1817: concerning Visitation arrangements and sundry bills from the Royal Observatory.

26 March 1818: concerning the absence since 1813 of the 'Greenwich Observations'.

16 April 1818: concerning bills from printers, etc., and from coal merchants and candlemakers.

21 May 1818: concerning the payment of the bills discussed in the minutes of 16 April 1818.

18 June 1818: concerning sundry bills from the Royal Observatory, the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1817, and Visitation arrangements.

12 November 1818: concerning the reading of the minutes of the last Visitation of the Royal Observatory.

24 December 1818: concerning the manuscript copies of the 'Greenwich Observations'. The final part is missing.

11 February 1819: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1818.

25 February 1819: concerning the payment of bills by the Navy Board.

18 March 1819: concerning the presentation of copies of the 'Greenwich Observations'.

8 July 1819: concerning various bills and Visitation arrangements.

29 July 1819: concerning the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory and their recommendations.

18 November 1819: concerning the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory relating to a clock and an object glass.

27 January 1820: concerning bills for instruments.

16 March 1820: concerning the presentation of the 'Greenwich Observations'.

20 April 1820: concerning bills for the printing of the 'Greenwich Observations' and for coals and candles.

1 June 1820: concerning and including the Royal Warrant and Orders to the Royal Society and the Astronomer Royal.

7 July 1820: concerning Visitation arrangements, bills from the Royal Observatory and an advance on the payment for the zenith sector.

16 November 1820: concerning letters from the Admiralty on the bills laid before the Council on 7 July 1820.

8 March 1821: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1820.

29 March 1821: concerning the repair of the equatorial sector.

10 May 1821: concerning bills from the Royal Observatory.

31 May 1821: concerning and including letters from the Admiralty relating to the bills and also Visitation arrangements.

17 July 1821: concerning the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory, dated 30 June 1821, and their recommendations, as well as bills for coals, candles and a micrometer.

23 November 1821: concerning and including a letter from John Pond on a fault in the mural circle.

21 February 1822: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1821, bills from the Royal Observatory, copies of county maps, and the formation of a committee to study the cause of the errors in the mural circle.

14 March 1822: concerning the Admiralty's replies to the letters of the Minutes of the Council of the Royal Society, 21 February 1822.

28 March 1822: concerning a letter from the Admiralty on the zenith sector and the report of the committee appointed to inquire into the defects discovered by the Astronomer Royal in the mural circle at Greenwich and to examine the remedy applied, dated 22 March 1822.

23 May 1822: concerning Visitation arrangements.

4 July 1822: concerning the need for two more assistants to the Astronomer Royal.

14 November 1822: concerning two letters from the Admiralty about a bill for books and the need for two more assistants, and concerning the land for a granite column to act as a meridian mark.

13 February 1823: concerning the salaries of the Astronomer Royal's two assistants, the erection of a granite column and bills from the Royal Observatory.

6 March 1823: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1822.

20 March 1823: concerning the letter from the Admiralty on salary rises and new assistants.

17 April 1823: concerning communicating the Admiralty's letter to the Astronomer Royal.

15 May 1823: concerning Visitation arrangements.

12 June 1823: concerning a letter from the Council to the Admiralty agreeing with the Admiralty's letter read in the minutes of March 1823.

21 June 1823: concerning John Pond's request for a second mural circle.

20 November 1823: concerning the Admiralty's reply to the letter regarding a second mural circle and concerning remuneration for the temporary assistants.

18 December 1823: concerning a letter from the Admiralty regarding the new assistants.

26 February 1824: concerning bills from the Royal Observatory.

18 March 1824: concerning the assistants employed at the Royal Observatory.

6 May 1824: concerning a letter from the Admiralty regarding the assistants and concerning Visitation arrangements.

24 June 1824: concerning the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1823, bills from the Royal Observatory, an equatorial instrument for the Observatory, a new theodolite, the erection of a meridian mark, and books recommended to be purchased.

18 November 1824: concerning letters from candidates for the post of assistant and the delay in the completion of the mural circle.

3 March 1825: concerning the projected obelisk; errors in the 'Greenwich Observations', 1822; and the deliverance of the 'Greenwich Observations' for the year 1824.

17 March 1825: concerning 6 collimators for the use of the Royal Observatory and several bills from the Royal Observatory.

5 May 1825: concerning papers laid before the Council on the 'Greenwich Observations' for 1822; J. Lee's remarks on the 'Greenwich Observations' for 1822; and John Pond's answer. The minutes also cover the formation of a committee for the purpose of examining the charges brought by Lee, the advantages of two mural circles, and the need for another assistant. There are also Lee's letters on the inaccuracies of the 'Greenwich Observations' and Pond's letters of reply.

2 June 1825: concerning Visitation arrangements.

16 June 1825: concerning and including the reports of the committee to consider the errors in the 'Greenwich Observations'.

23 June 1825: concerning the Report of the Visitors to the Royal Observatory and their recommendations for more assistants, the payment of two bills and the purchase of several books.

17 November 1825: concerning Admiralty correspondence on the recommendations of the Visitors to the Royal Observatory in the Minutes of the Council of the Royal Society, 23 June 1825.

15 December 1825: concerning a letter to the Council from J. Lee.

26 January 1826: concerning the presentation of the complete 'Greenwich Observations' to Marseille and the 'Greenwich Observations' for 1819 to the Royal Institute of Paris.

9 March 1826: concerning bills from the Royal Observatory.

6 April 1826: concerning a letter from John Pond to Dr Wollaston on the class of assistant he would prefer.

13 April 1826: ordering a sub-committee to reply to John Pond's letter in the Council Minutes of 6 April 1826.

4 May 1826: concerning a letter from the Admiralty on the change in opinion of the Council regarding the class of assistants.

26 May 1826: concerning Visitation arrangements.

15 June 1826: concerning the reading of the Report of the Visitors of the Royal Observatory.

17 June 1826: concerning a bill from the Royal Observatory for instruments.

16 November 1826: concerning a bill from the Astronomer Royal for extra assistants.

7 December 1826: concerning a letter from the Admiralty agreeing to the bill for extra assistants.

21 December 1826: concerning the copying of the 'Greenwich Observations'.

8 February 1827: concerning the selling of the 'Greenwich Observations' as waste paper and concerning the bills for 1826.

1 March 1827: concerning the Report of the committee appointed to examine the accounts of the Royal Observatory.

31 May 1827: concerning Visitation arrangements.

25 June 1827: concerning the Report of the Visitors to the Royal Observatory and their recommendations.

6 November 1827: concerning a letter from the Admiralty relating to a pay rise for the assistants.

8 November 1827: concerning a request to Sir J. South to ascertain the existence of an object glass alluded to in his letter.

13 December 1827: concerning the steps to be taken to make a catalogue of the manuscripts of the Royal Observatory.

17 January 1828: concerning the examination of bills relating to the Royal Observatory and of Airy's letter on astronomical reductions.

31 January 1828: concerning Airy's letter on reducing the observations of the Sun, Moon and planets made at the Royal Observatory.

14 February 1828: concerning a letter from the Admiralty relating to the Minutes of the Council, 17 and 31 January 1828.

2 May 1828: concerning Visitation arrangements.

12 June 1828: concerning the reading of the Minutes of the Visitation.

26 June 1828: concerning a memorial addressed to the Astronomer Royal by the assistants.

13 November 1828: concerning a letter from the Admiralty relating to a salary increase for the assistants.

22 June 1829: concerning bills from the Royal Observatory.

24 March 1829: concerning the inconvenience caused the Astronomer Royal by the necessity of making a specific application to the Navy Board on every occasion that a workman is required. The minutes also cover the examination of Edmond Halley's manuscripts in the library of the Royal Observatory.

7 May 1829: concerning the making of a copy of Dr Halley's manuscripts for the library of the Royal Society.

14 May 1829: concerning a bill for one quarter's salary for an assistant and also concerning Visitation arrangements.

28 May 1829: concerning Visitation arrangements.

19 June 1829: concerning astronomical observations from the colonies.

19 November 1829: concerning bills relating to the Royal Observatory.

4 February 1830: concerning bills relating to the Royal Observatory.

11 March 1830: concerning Sir J. South's application for an official copy of the report of the committee appointed to take into consideration J. Lee's charges against the Royal Observatory.

22 April 1830: concerning Sir J. South's desire to publish the report concerning J. Lee's charges against the Royal Observatory.

13 May 1830: concerning Visitation arrangements.

10 June 1830: concerning the reading of the Minutes of the Visitation of the Royal Observatory.

28 June 1830: concerning Mr Hardy's clock and bills relating to the Royal Observatory.

Dates

  • Creation: 1784 - 1830

Creator

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).

Extent

1 volume(s) (1 volume)

Language of Materials

English

Former / Other Reference

M1/52

Finding aid date

2006-01-03 10:54:29+00:00

Includes index.

Geographic

Repository Details

Part of the Cambridge University Library Repository

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