Alexander Herschel: The Forgotten Partner

Caroline's memorandums, Harry Ransom Library, Humanities Research Center, University of Texas at Austin, M0683, also on British Library microfilm M/588(4).

BL MS Egerton 3761, cited in The Herschel chronicle: The life-story of William Herschel and his sister Caroline Herschel , ed. by Lubbock Constance A. (Cambridge, 1933; hereafter Chronicle ), 369.

Hoskin M. A. , William Herschel and the construction of the heavens (London, 1963), 20–24.

See ref. 1.

Transcribed in full in Appendix 1. Letters from Alexander to Caroline written early in 1816 after Alexander sustained an injury are quoted in Chronicle, 343–6.

For detailed information, with references, concerning Isaac and his family, see Michael Hoskin , The Herschel partnership: As viewed by Caroline (Cambridge, 2003; hereafter Partnership ) and Caroline Herschel's autobiographies , ed. by Michael Hoskin (Cambridge, 2003; hereafter Autobiographies ).

Partnership , 8–9.

Autobiographies , 25–26.

Partnership , 11–15.

Information contained in the memoir by their son George Ludolph Jacob Griesbach, in private possession.

Ibid. .

Chronicle , 32, states the Alexander was apprenticed in a Guild of Music, though it would be surprising if so small a town as Coppenbrügge had a Guild. George Griesbach's memoir makes it clear he was in fact apprenticed to his uncle, and that Griesbach actually took the boy with him when he moved from Hanover to Coppenbrügge. Caroline, who as we shall see blamed Griesbach for Alexander's defects of character, later wrote of “his spirits being infinitely broken during the few years he was under the care of my sister's husband while our father was wasting his last strength in the campaign of the 7 years war”, BL Microfilm 588(4).

Autobiographies , 107.

Autobiographies , 30.

See ref. 10.

Autobiographies , 107–8.

See ref. 10.

Autobiographies , 112.

Autobiographies , 18.

Autobiographies , 40.

Autobiographies , 41.

Autobiographies , 44.

Autobiographies , 45.

On musical life in Bath, and the part played in it by William Alexander Caroline , see Kenneth E. James , “Concert life in 18th century Bath”, Ph.D. thesis, London University, 1987. The activities of Alexander are discussed on pp. 390–4. I am grateful to Dr James for supplying me with a copy of the relevant sections of this important thesis.

Autobiographies , 54.

Cited in Memoir and correspondence of Caroline Herschel , by Mrs John Herschel , 2nd edn (London, 1879; hereafter Memoir ), 312.

They included Dr Henry Harrington , sometime mayor of Bath and a noted amateur musician ( Kenneth James ,personal comm., 2003), and Matthew Patton , proprietor of a musical establishment there (Euing Collection Rd 87/151, Glasgow University Library, courtesy of Anne Jarvis ).

According to John Marsh , manuscript memoirs, ix, 754 [Cambridge University Library, Add MS 7757], Alexander “was a true German; being a strict timist, but scouting the more delicate refinements of Italy; in consequence of which, whenever Tenducci sang at any concert at Bath, he and Herschel were always sparring, as whenever the former wished to lengthen a note, or vary a little from the strict time, when the expression of the sentiment seemed to require it, which he used to signify to the band with a motion of his hand, Herschel would always keep on without varying an iota but keeping rigidly to the time, saying there was no pause or adagio marked”. I owe this reference to Kenneth James .

James , op. cit. , 690. I am grateful to Dr James for supplying this quotation.

We learn of Alexander's involvement in the payments to Anna through the one letter dictated by her that survives (in a translation by Constance Lubbock in family possession). It is dated July or August 1782, and in it Anna says: “I have arranged with Jacob that he pays me every quarter the 25 (thalers?) and he receives it back from you and Alex when it comes.” On William's visit to Hanover , see Partnership , 23–24.

Partnership , 27–28.

Autobiographies , 51.

Caroline to Margaret Herschel , letter of 31 July 1841, BL Egerton 3762, cited in Memoir , 319.

“Anecdotes from Herschel's John F. , recorded by our uncle James Stewart's handwriting”, manuscript in family possession, 16.

Autobiographies , 52. It was Alexander (and not Caroline) who would listen to William's “astronomical Lecture” at breakfast when he expounded on what he had learned from his bedside reading the previous night, Autobiographies , 51.

Original typescript of Chronicle , manuscript in the possession of The William Herschel Society, XI, 28, from Journal of Mrs. Papendiek , whose father held the lease of the house at Slough before it was taken over by William . I am grateful to the Society for allowing me access to this valuable resource.

Autobiographies , 129.

Autobiographies , 128.

Autobiographies , 127. Angus Armitage , William Herschel (London, 1962), 41, describes the procedure in Robert Smith's Opticks ( William's guide in such matters) for making a mirror, as follows: “Circular brass gauges were first cut to the curvature prescribed for the speculum. These were employed in turning to a true figure a pewter pattern which, in its turn, served to shape a mould of sand into which the molten speculum metal was poured. There followed the laborious process of grinding and polishing the casting till it received the precise spherical or paraboloidal figure intended.” I thank David Dewhirst for drawing my attention to this explanation.

Autobiographies , 127–8.

Autobiographies , 55.

Autobiographies , 62.

A round-trip of some 24 miles. Alexander was remembered as a prodigious walker, who on one occasion covered the 45 miles from Slough to Hyde Park and back in a single day, “Anecdotes” (ref. 34), 16.

Autobiographies , 57.

RAS MS Herschel W.5/12.1, expt 202; so too on 27 April he says: “I prepared to repolish my brother John's 3-feet speculum” ( Alexander's first name being Johann ), ibid. , expt 217. W.2/1.4, entry for 3 March 1782.

Marsh , manuscript memoirs (ref. 28), ix, 753–4, tells of sitting next to William at supper in May 1782. “… entering into some discourse with him upon astronomy, which he then applied to much more than music, he told me of his being then at work upon a mirror for a large telescope, of the magnifying powers of which he was very sanguine in his hopes, and which proved to be the one which soon afterwards brought him to the notice of his majesty, and occasioned his removal to Windsor. His sister and his brother, who played the principal violoncello at Bath, was as fond of astronomy as himself and all used to sit up, star-gazing, in the coldest frosty nights.” Caroline's autobiographies contain no mention whatever of any observation she made at Bath.

Caroline to John Herschel , 18 April 1832, BL Egerton 3761.

On this see Michael Hoskin , “The Georgian Star”, forthcoming in a festschrift for Curtis Wilson. Remarkably, George III knew of Alexander and enquired after him, both from George Griesbach (”The King the first time he saw [Griesbach] at Windsor asked after his uncles at Bath”, letter of Watson to Banks, early April 1782, British Museum — Natural History, Dawson Turner Collection, ii, 118–19) and from William , who wrote to Caroline on 26 May 1782, “Tell Alexander that everything looks very likely as if I were to stay here. The King enquired after him…”, RAS MS Herschel W.1/8. It may be that Alexander had performed for the King at a musical concert at the suggestion of George Griesbach.

When he was in Bath out of season, however, he did undertake engagements there (and at Wells). Kenneth James (personal comm., 2003) has located advertisements that show that Alexander took part in concerts, mostly in Bath garden parade, in 1787 (Aug, Sept), 1788 (May, Aug), 1789 (Aug), 1790 (May, Aug), 1791 (May, June), 1796 (June, 1798 (June, Aug), and 1799 (May, June).

Partnership , 57–59. On William's commercial activities as a telescope maker, see John Tracy Spaight , “‘For the good of astronomy’: The manufacture, sale, and distant use of William Herschel's telescopes”, Journal for the history of astronomy , xxxv (2004), 45–69.

On 11 June 1784, for example, William recorded that his instrument had been disturbed in showing a nebula to Alexander, RAS MS Herschel W.2/1.9. In 1785 William wrote to Alexander in anticipation of his visit, see the quotation below (ref. 58). From 3 July to 16 August 1786, William and Alexander were away delivering to Göttingen one of the 10ft reflectors William had made for the King; on 19 October Alexander Aubert wrote to William presenting him with a clock by Shelton and adding: “I hope your brother is not gone and that the clock gets down time enough for him to put it up for you”, RAS MS Herschel W.1/13.A.26, Chronicle , 181. In 1787, however, Alexander “came only for a short time to give his brother the meeting, M^rs H. being too ill to be left alone” (Chronicle, 93). Alexander's wife died the following January, so that afterwards he was free again to help William, who notes on 9 September 1788: “My brother Alexander saw the satellites [of Saturn]”, W.2/1.12.

Chronicle , 135.

The letter from Dietrich is appended to one dictated to him by Anna and dating from July or August 1782, in response to the news of William's royal appointment; that from Jacob is dated 30 December 1782. Both are lost, but translations by Constance Lubbock survive in family possession.

Autobiographies , 68.

Translation by Constance Lubbock, in family possession.

“Thursday last was married at Walcot Church Mr Alexander Herschel, to Mrs Smith, both of this city”, Bath Chronicle , 7 August 1783. I owe this reference to Kenneth James .

Autobiographies , 68–69.

William Alexander , 10 March 1785, RAS MS Herschel W.1/9.3. A journeyman was a workman who had completed his apprenticeship.

Original typescript of Chronicle (ref. 36), XI, 14. The Slough lathe is now in the National Maritime Museum, though Anthony Turner suspects it may be of too late a date to be that referred to by Caroline (personal comm., 2003).

Watson William , RAS MS Herschel W.1/13.W.30.

Autobiographies , 128.

RAS MS Herschel W.2/1.7.

On 21 December 1784 he notes: “The greatest inaccuracy now remaining is owing to the clock not having a compound pendulum”, RAS MS Herschel W.2/1.10.

Aubert Alexander William , 19 October 1786 (ref. 51).

Autobiographies , 89.

Caroline to John Herschel , 18 April 1832, BL Egerton 3761.

Over thirty of Schröter's letters to William are preserved, but only a handful of William's replies. The handwriting of the incoming letters presents the historian with a daunting challenge, but one that William's granddaughter, Lady Lubbock , overcame, writing a valuable twelve-page analysis of the contents (included in RAS MS Herschel W.1/13).

According to Lady Lubbock , “Schroeter accepted the offer [of a 7ft by Alexander for 22 guineas] and was so well pleased with the purchase that he procured an order for a similar telescope from Bode at Berlin, and several more commissions for William's brother”, original typescript of Chronicle (ref. 36), XI, 16. Yet she herself notes in her summary of the Schröter-William letters that “strangely” there is no acknowledgement by Schröter of receipt of the 7ft mirrors, so it is puzzling to know the basis for this assertion.

For these documents see Spaight Tracy John , “Alexander Herschel as telescope maker”, Journal for the history of astronomy , xxxiv (2003), 95–96.

William's letter of condolence is dated 7 February 1788, RAS MS Herschel W.1/9.

The letter of condolence is addressed to 19 New King Street, but in 1800 Alexander was living at 3 Margaret's Hill, as evidenced by the Bath Directory for that year ( Kenneth James , personal comm., 2003).

“Anecdotes” (ref. 34), 15.

On this see Michael Hoskin , “Herschel's 40ft reflector: Funding and functions”, Journal for the history of astronomy , xxxiv (2003), 1–32.

Autobiographies , 73.

Autobiographies , 75.

Partnership , 81–83.

William Caroline , 1 August 1786, RAS MS Herschel W.1/8.

Her complaints are aired in Autobiographies , 86.

Autobiographies , 93–94. “Caroline destroyed every page of her Journals which contained any reference to this period of her life”, original typescript of Chronicle (ref. 36), XIII, 11.

RAS MS Herschel W.2/1.12.

RAS MS Herschel W.1/8.18.

It is illustrated in Hoskin , “Herschel's 40ft reflector” (ref. 73), Fig. 4.

See Hoskin , “Herschel's 40ft reflector” (ref. 73).

Memoir , 113.

Caroline to John Herschel , 14 July 1823, Memoir , 168.

Original typescript of Chronicle (ref. 36), XXIV, 30.

Chronicle , 343.

Chronicle , 344.

Chronicle , 345.

British Library microfilm M/588(4), quotation courtesy of Emily Winterburn.

Chronicle , 346.

Chronicle , 346; Memoir , 132.

Chronicle , 346–7. The date of death is from the register of the Aegidienkirche, Hanover (courtesy of Arndt Latusseck).

“There is one [stone] put worth 18 pence”, Caroline to Margaret Herschel , 4 February 1843, BL Egerton 3762.

Caroline to John Herschel , 4 June 1831, BL Egerton 3761.

BL Egerton 3761.

“Anecdotes” (ref. 34), 16.

As stated above, this had been presented to William in October 1786 by Alexander Aubert , letter of Aubert William , 19 October 1786 (ref. 51); it still keeps good time. As Caroline was primarily concerned with slowly moving comets, the occasions when she needed a very accurate time must have been rare. A bright meteor casually observed would be an example.

I owe this suggestion to Jonathan Betts .

John Herschel , “Account of some observations made with a 20-feet reflecting telescope”, Astronomical Society memoirs , ii (1826), 459–97, pp. 463–4.

Memoirs , 207.

“Anecdotes” (ref. 34), 9–10.

More exactly, with his usual magnification of 157, the field of view was 15′4′, William Herschel , “Catalogue of one thousand new nebulae and clusters of stars”, Philosophical transactions , lxxvi (1786), 457–99, p. 457.

Ibid. , 461, and cf. Bennett J. A. , “‘On the power of penetrating into space’: The telescopes of William Herschel”, Journal for the history of astronomy , vii (1976), 75–108, p. 86.

National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, MS/79/118.

RAS MS Herschel W.1/13.H.19.

When John Herschel was planning the republication of his father's work, he proposed to omit the three papers on Newton's rings published in Philosophical transactions in 1807–10 ( Chronicle , 285). Dreyer , in his collected edition, includes them “for the sake of completeness” (ii, 440).

RAS MS Herschel W.2/3.4, sweep 426, 27 August 1785.

See for example Bennett , op. cit. (ref. 104).

RAS MS Herschel W.2/3.1, sweep 136, 8 February 1784. On 30 January, sweep 134, William had noted: “Breadth by notice of bells.”.

William Herschel , “Description of a forty-feet reflecting telescope”, Philosophical transactions , lxxxv (1795), 347–409, pp. 402–3. The loop of rope wound on or off a ‘compound barrel’. This had two different diameters, and one end of the rope was attached to the smaller diameter and the other to the larger. If the barrel was turned one way, the rope would pay out from the smaller part of the barrel and wind onto the larger, and the loop itself would therefore shorten and the tube of the telescope be raised; if the barrel was turned the other way, the tube would be lowered.

A pinion is a small gear, usually of steel, which in clockwork forms part of a shaft known as an arbor and normally meshes with a larger brass wheel.

Brian Warner , “Sir John Herschel's description of his 20-feet reflector”, Vistas in astronomy , xxiii (1979), 75–107, pp. 94–95.

Herschel , “Description” (ref. 111), 398–401.

Ibid. , endmatter.