William Herschel's Residence in Bath,1799–1801

The story of William Herschel Caroline has recently been retold in Hoskin Michael , Discoverers of the universe: William and Caroline Herschel (Princton, 2011).

Royal Astronomical Society Herschel Archive (hereafter: RAS), W.2/3.8, sweep 980.

Hoskin Michael , “Herschel's 40ft reflector: Funding and functions”, Journal for the history of astronomy, xxxiv (2003), 1–32, p. 7.

RAS W.7/15.

For a biographical sketch of Alexander, see Hoskin Michael , The Herschels of Hanover (Cambridge, 2007).

RAS W.6/8.

Ibid.

RAS W.1/13.T.10; W.5/12.3, expt 547; 5/14.1, f. 13v.

Herschel John Mrs , Memoir and correspondence of Caroline Herschel , 2nd edn (London, 1879; hereafter: Mem.), 99.

Information courtesy of Michael Tabb.

Marshall C. H. , “List of subscribers to the Library, 1793 to 1799”, Bath Reference Library, MS23922, 272 (courtesy of Michael Tabb). It would have been out of the question for the wealthy King's Astronomer to resume work as a professional musician, so Herschel probably intended private performances, no doubt involving his cellist brother Alexander.

Cited from the original minutes, 1799–1801, then in Bath Central Library, by Shum Frederick , A catalogue of Bath books (Bath, 1913), 20, information courtesy of Fawcett Trevor Tabb Michael .

Hoskin Michael (ed.), Caroline Herschel's autobiographies (Cambridge, 2003), 65: “A new 7 f^t Stand and Steps were made to go in a moderate sized box for to be screwed together on the spot where wanted.”

“sceleton reflector for travelling; the same which in the year 1792 June 17th I carried upon Snowdon with me”, RAS W.2/2.6, 29 June 1801.

RAS W.2/2.5, 3 March 1799.

RAS W.5/12.3, expt 563.

Mem. (ref. 9), 99; Mem., 103–4; Mem., 100; RAS W.2/2.5; Mem., 104; RAS W.3/1.12, p. 15; Mem., 104.

RAS W.5/12.3, expts 547–63.

Notably when Herschel returned to Bath in December 1782 to collect the fragments of the ill-fated 3-ft mirror, when he and Alexander cast a 12-inch mirror for the (small) 20-ft, Caroline Herschel's autobiographies (ref. 13), 69. The furnace survived at least as late as 1785, RAS W.1/5.1.

As shown by the Water Rate book (information courtesy of Michael Tabb).

RAS W.2/2.5, f. 52v. On the later history of this reflector, see Maurer Andreas , “Lucien Bonaparte and his Herschel telescopes”, Journal of the Antique Telescope Society, no. 33 (spring 2011), 3–5.

RAS W.2/2.6, f. 5v.

Mem. (ref. 9), 105.

Mem. (ref. 9), 105.

“June 29th [1800]. I dined with Mrs. H. and went with her to the Terrace, where I took leave of my friends at the Lodge”, Mem. (ref. 4), 105. George III and Queen Charlotte lived in Queen's Lodge in preference to the nearby Castle which was in disrepair.

As shown by the Water Rate, City Rate and Poor Rate books (information courtesy of Michael Tabb).

Mem. (ref. 9), 105.

Mem. (ref. 9), 106.

Mem. (ref. 9), 106.

Mem. (ref. 9), 107.

RAS W.1/8.17.

Mem. (ref. 9), 107.

RAS W.1/13.W.69.

He observed the Sun from Bath on 13 June with a 4-ft Gregorian reflector, RAS W.2/2.6.

Mem. (ref. 9), 108.

“1801 From goods sold at Bath”, John Herschel's notes from his mother's accounts, “From ‘Cash Book’ I”, p. 1, copy in Anthony J. Turner papers.

As shown by the Water Rate book (information courtesy of Michael Tabb).

RAS W.7/15, p. 229.