Compasses and sinking ships: Mrs Janet Taylor’s contribution in the compass adjusting controversy of mid-nineteenth-century England

Abstract

The mid-nineteenth century was a highpoint of empire building, and reliable navigation across the oceans was crucial. While the effects of magnetic variation and deviation on compasses were well known by 1800, iron ships brought with them an even bigger challenge. The nautical world divided between ‘applied’ and ‘theoretical’ approaches to addressing the ‘compass problem’. This article focuses on the role of Janet Taylor, who lived and worked in the heart of this community, as a writer, teacher, inventor, chart-seller and compass adjuster, as a follower of the system of compass adjustment advocated by the Astronomer Royal, Professor George Airy. Janet Taylor’s achievements in the compass adjusting field and her interactions with the Astronomer Royal are explored, adding another insight into Mrs Taylor’s distinctive story.