Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Thames Observatories of John Grigg

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Exploring the History of New Zealand Astronomy

Part of the book series: Astrophysics and Space Science Library ((ASSL,volume 422))

  • 577 Accesses

Abstract

In the course of a thirty year ‘career’ as an amateur astronomer John Grigg constructed two different observatories in Thames, and installed a small Wray refractor and a transit telescope in these. He used the refractor mainly to observe known comets and discover new ones, and to pioneer astrophotography in New Zealand. He also maintained a local time-service, and was an avid populariser of astronomer. Early in the twentieth century he was New Zealand’s leading amateur astronomer.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    Nowhere does Grigg indicate who loaned him this telescope.

  2. 2.

    Pohutakawa was a native tree of New Zealand with excellent timber that was widely used in the building industry during the nineteenth century.

  3. 3.

    Mackrell (1985: 75) errs in suggesting that this was the first observatory erected by an amateur astronomer in New Zealand. Those who maintained private observatories prior to 1885 included Thomas Cheeseman of Auckland, Stephen Carkeek of Featherstone (Orchiston 2001c and Chap. 8 in this book), Henry Jackson of Lower Hutt (Hector 1935), Thomas King of Wellington (Seymour 1995), James Townsend of Christchurch, and Arthur Beverly and Henry Skey of Dunedin.

  4. 4.

    This warehouse formed part of Grigg’s business premises in Pollen Street, Thames.

  5. 5.

    McIntosh (1958: 21) incorrectly states that Grigg’s second Thames Observatory was constructed in “About 1884 …”.

References

  • The following abbreviation is used:

    Google Scholar 

  • TL = Letters to John Tebbutt (1860–1915), comprising 46 volumes of bound letters and documents in the Mitchell Library, Sydney.

    Google Scholar 

  • An Astronomical Society on the Thames. Thames Star, August 10, 1901 (p. 2).

    Google Scholar 

  • Andrews, A. D. (1997). Cyclopaedia of telescope-makers. Part 7 (T–Z). Irish Astronomical Journal, 24, 125–192.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Austin, A. W. (1901). Letter to J. Tebbutt, dated June 3, In TL

    Google Scholar 

  • Calder, D. (1978). Joseph Ward: pioneer astronomer and telescope maker. Southern Stars, 27, 104–108.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, R. N. (2001a). Arthur Beverly 1822–1907. Southern Stars, 40(3), 23–24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, R. N. (2001b). Henry Skey 1836–1914. Southern Stars, 40(2), 11–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clerke, A. (1893). A Popular History of Astronomy During the Nineteenth Century. London: Adam and Charles Black.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crommelin, A. C. D. (1921). Obituary notices: John Grigg. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 81, 258–259.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Dick, S., Orchiston, W., & Love, T. (1998). Simon Newcomb, William Harkness and the nineteenth century American transit of Venus expeditions. Journal for the History of Astronomy, 29, 221–255.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Donnelly, M. C. (1973). A Short History of Observatories. Eugene: University of Oregon.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eiby, G. A. (1971). Astronomy in New Zealand. Sky and Telescope, 42(1), 18–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eiby, G. A. (1977). The New Zealand Government time service: an informal history. Southern Stars, 27, 15–34.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Eiby, G. A. (1978). History, astronomy and New Zealand. Southern Stars, 27, 118–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, R. W., & Lucas, K. J. (1989). The Skey-Ashburton College telescope. Southern Stars, 33, 178–187.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs, F. G. (n.d.). Notes on the history of astronomy in Nelson. Copy of a manuscript, Nelson Provincial Museum (MSS 289).

    Google Scholar 

  • Giordano, M. (1995). Watcher of the Skies. The Story of Alfred Barrett Biggs Pioneer in Astronomy. Launceston: Regal Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goodman, D. (1976). A brief history of the Atkinson Observatory, Nelson. Southern Stars, 26, 164–166.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1902a). Über die Entdeckung eines neuen Cometen 1902c. Astronomische Nachrichten, 159, 389–392.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1902b). Photography with a small telescope. Journal of the British Astronomical Association, 12, 125–126.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1902c). Letter to John Tebbutt, dated August 2, In TL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1902d). Letter to John Tebbutt, dated September 16, In TL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1902e). Letter to John Tebbutt, dated December 3, In TL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1903a). Comet in Virgo 1902 observed at Thames N.Z. Astronomische Nachrichten, 160, 213–214.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1903b). Comet 1902 b (Perrine). Journal of the British Astronomical Association, 13(169), 284–285.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1903c). Comet 1903 b. Journal of the British Astronomical Association, 14, 77–78.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1903d). Letter to John Tebbutt, dated June 13, In TL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1903e). Letter to John Tebbutt, dated November 28, In TL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1904). Letter to John Tebbutt, dated December 17, In TL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1906a). Reports of the Observing Sections. The Comet Section. Journal of the British Astronomical Association, 16, 271–272.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1906b). Comet 1906 c. Journal of the British Astronomical Association., 16, 319.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1906c). Letter to John Tebbutt, dated April 20, in TL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1906d). Letter to T. Lewis, dated August 16, in the Royal Astronomical Society Library.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, J. (1907). Letter to John Tebbutt, dated May 22, In TL.

    Google Scholar 

  • Grigg, M. (Ed.), (1970). John Grigg, FRAS of Thames, New Zealand. Together with Some Genealogical Memorials of his Family and Glimpses of Pioneer Life in New Zealand. Unpublished typescript (copy in Orchiston Collection).

    Google Scholar 

  • Hector, C. M. (1935). Links with the past. Southern Stars, 1, 115–117.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hughes, D. W. (1991). J. Grigg, J. F. Skjellerup and their comets. Vistas in Astronomy, 34, 1–10.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Isdale, A. (1967). History of the River Thames N.Z. Thames: printed for the author.

    Google Scholar 

  • Journal of the British Astronomical Association, 18, 55–56 (1907).

    Google Scholar 

  • Lankford, J. (1984) The impact of photography on astronomy. In O. Gingerich (Ed.), The General History of Astronomy (Vol. 4). Astrophysics and Twentieth-Century Astronomy to 1950: Part A. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 16–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Loomis, E. (1861). An Introduction to Practical Astronomy. New York: Harper.

    Google Scholar 

  • McIntosh, R. A. (1958). The astronomical history of the Auckland Province Part IV: John Grigg. Amateur Astronomer, 18(2), 20–23.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • McIntosh, R. A. (1970). Early New Zealand astronomy. Southern Stars, 23, 101–108.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Mackrell, B. (1985). Halley’s Comet over New Zealand. Auckland: Reed-Methuen.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsden, B. G. & Williams, G. V. (1999). Catalogue of Cometary Orbits 1999 (13th ed.). Cambridge: Minor Planet Center.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mr Grigg’s Observatory. Thames Advertiser, March 20, 1885 (p. 3).

    Google Scholar 

  • Mr  John Grigg elected F.R.A. Society. Thames Star, August 23, 1906 (p. 2).

    Google Scholar 

  • Norman, D. (1938). The development of astronomical photography. Osiris, 5, 560–594.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (1983). C.J. Westland and Comet 1914IV: a forgotten episode in New Zealand cometary astronomy. Southern Stars, 30, 339–345.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (1985a). The contribution of Alfred Barrett Biggs to Australian and Tasmanian astronomy. Records of the Queen Victoria Museum, 89, 1–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (1985b). A survey of manuscript material in the Mitchell Library (Sydney) relating to the history of astronomy in New Zealand. Southern Stars, 31, 225–238.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (1986). Towards an accurate history of early New Zealand astronomy. Southern Stars, 31, 257–266.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (1988). Illuminating incidents in antipodean astronomy: John Tebbutt and the Sydney Observatory directorship of 1862. Australian Journal of Astronomy, 2, 149–158.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (1989). The role of the amateur in early Australian astronomy. Search, 20, 16–23.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W., & Brewer, A. (1990). David Ross and the development of amateur astronomy in Victoria. Journal of the British Astronomical Association, 100, 173–181.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (1993). John Grigg, and the genesis of cometary astronomy in New Zealand. Journal of the British Astronomical Association, 103, 67–76.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (1995). John Grigg, and the development of astrophotography in New Zealand. Australian Journal of Astronomy, 6, 1–14.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (1996a). Grigg, John 1838–1920. In C. Orange et al. (Ed.), The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography (Vol. 3, pp. 188–189, 1901–1920). Auckland: Auckland University Press and Department of Internal Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (1996b). Ward, Joseph Thomas 1862–1927. In C. Orange (Ed.), The Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. (Vol. 3, p. 555, 1901–1920). Auckland: Auckland University Press and Department of Internal Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (1998a). Mission impossible: William Scott and the first Sydney Observatory directorship. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 1, 21–43.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (1998b). Nautical Astronomy in New Zealand. The Voyages of James Cook. Wellington: Carter Observatory.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (1999a). Comets and communication: amateur-professional tension in Australian astronomy. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 16, 212–221.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (1999b). Of comets and variable stars: the Afro-Australian astronomical activities of J.F. Skjellerup. Journal of the British Astronomical Association, 109, 328–338.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (2001a). From amateur astronomer to observatory director: the curious case of RTA Innes. Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 18, 317–327.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (2001b). Henry Severn: Thames’ other nineteenth century astronomer. Southern Stars, 40(2), 8–10.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (2001c). Stephen Carkeek and New Zealand’s oldest surviving observatory. Journal of the Antique Telescope Society, 20, 19–24.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (2001d). The Thames observatories of John Grigg. Southern Stars, 40(3), 14–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (2002). Joseph Ward: pioneer New Zealand telescope-maker. Southern Stars, 41, 13–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (2003a). J.F. Skjellerup: a forgotten name in South African cometary astronomy. Monthly Notices of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa, 62, 54–73.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (2003b). Passion and patronage: the Afro-Australian astronomy of Robert Thorburn Ayton Innes. Monthly Notices of the Astronomical Society of Southern Africa, 62, 4–13.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (2004). John Tebbutt and observational astronomy at Windsor Observatory. Journal of the British Astronomical Association, 114, 141–154.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Orchiston, W. (2015). The amateur-turned-professional (ATP) syndrome: two Australian case studies. In W. Orchiston, D. Green, & R. Strom (Eds.), New Insights from Recent Studies in Historical Astronomy: Following in the Footsteps of F. Richard Stephenson. (pp. 259–350). New York: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perdrix, J. L. (1979). Baracchi, Pietro Paulo Giovanni Ernesto (1851–1926. In Australian Dictionary of Biography (Vol. 7, pp. 166–167). Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rice, P. (1982). The story of Ward Observatory. Southern Stars, 29, 271–274.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ross, D. (1912). Correspondence. Journal of the British Astronomical Association, 23, 101–102.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rumsey, N. (1974). Astronomy in New Zealand. Southern Stars, 25, 171–207.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Scholefield, G. H. (Ed.), (1940). Dictionary of New Zealand Biography (Two Vols. ed.). Wellington: Department of Internal Affairs.

    Google Scholar 

  • Seymour, J. B. (1985). Palmerston North’s first observatory. Southern Stars, 31, 209–214.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Seymour, J. B. (1995). A history of the Thomas King Observatory, Wellington. Southern Stars, 36, 102–114.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Southern Stars, 5, 93 (1939).

    Google Scholar 

  • Southern Stars, 14, 129 (1950a).

    Google Scholar 

  • Southern Stars, 14, 130–131 (1950b).

    Google Scholar 

  • Stone, E. J. (1887). Transit of Venus, 1882. London: Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tebbutt, J. (1907). Comet Grigg, 1907, April. The Observatory, 30, 285–286.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Thames Star, May 4, 1900.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thames Star, November 8, 1901.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thames Star, August 8, 1904a.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thames Star, August 23, 1904b.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thames Star, February 1, 1905a.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thames Star, February 16, 1905b.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thames Star, April 19, 1907a.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thames Star, August 21, 1907b.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thames Star, June 2, 1908.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thames Star, October 13, 1909.

    Google Scholar 

  • Thames Star, June 21, 1920.

    Google Scholar 

  • Transit of Venus. The Thames Advertiser & Miners News, December 8, 1882.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner, E. F. (1968). History of the Atkinson Observatory. Nelson Provincial Museum: Typescript of an address to the Nelson Historical Society.

    Google Scholar 

  • Venimore, C. (1988). Good Viewing. (A History of the First Wanganui Astronomical Society and the Ward Observatory). Unpublished manuscript.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vsekhvyatskii, S. K. (1964). Physical Characteristics of Comets. Jerusalem: Israel Program for Scientific Translations.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wanganui Herald, October 19, 1904.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wesley, W. H. (1906). Letter to J. Grigg, dated September 25, in the Royal Astronomical Society Library.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wright, H. (1907). Letter to John Tebbutt, dated May 22, In TL.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

I am grateful to the following for their assistance: Mr and Mrs Paul Angus (Wellington, NZ), the late Graham Blow (Wellington, NZ), the late Peter Hingley (former RAS Librarian, London), the late Alistair Isdale (Thames, NZ), Dr Nick Lomb (ex-Sydney Observatory), John Seymour (Palmerston North, NZ), Ormond Warren (Auckland, NZ) and staff at the Mitchell Library (Sydney). I also wish to thank John Drummond (Patutahi, NZ) for reading and commenting on the first draft of this chapter, and the Ward (Wanganui) Observatory (through John Seymour) for kindly supplying Figs. 10.3 and 10.4.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand, Chiang Mai, Thailand

    Wayne Orchiston

Authors
  1. Wayne Orchiston
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Wayne Orchiston .

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Orchiston, W. (2016). The Thames Observatories of John Grigg. In: Exploring the History of New Zealand Astronomy. Astrophysics and Space Science Library, vol 422. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22566-1_10

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation