Astronomical Regulator: Arnold (hour angle/degree clock)

 

page under construction

The proposed gift of the Shukburgh Equatorial Telescope to the Royal Observatory (and presumably the clock to go with it) was announced on 19 July 1811 at the Visitation of the Royal Observatroy by the President of the Royal Society (who by virtue of his position as President was also chairman of the Observatory’s Board of Visitors). The Visitors resolved to accept it and also to place upon it an inscription ‘for the purpose of recording Sir George Shuckburgh Evelyn’s skill in astronomy and the liberality of Mr Jenkinson’ (RS MS600/66 & RGO6/22/67–8). The instrument was subsequently received from Jenkinson by a committee appointed from the Visitors. It had been packed into cases by Matthew Berge (Ramsden’s former head workman who had taken over the business on his death in 1800).

An undated inventory (RGO6/54/14–18), post 1818, but seemingly taken before 1821, lists the clock. The listing is a later insertion and although it appears to have been tagged on to the end of the Quadrant Room lisiting, it may in fact be at the start of that for the Enlarged Room.

The 1824 inventory (RS MS/371/70) lists it in the Enlarged Room

The 1831 inventory (RGO64/37) lists it as being in the Advanced Building

The 1840 inventory (RGO39/1/11) lists it as being in the Advanced Building, with a note that it was in good condition in 1841

The clock is now in the care of the National Maritime Museum (Object I.D. ZAA0563), where a full description of the clock can be found