Correspondence map
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John Phillips
John Frederick William Herschel
Mary Somerville publishes Mechanism of the Heavens
1831
Sir John Herschel is created Knight of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphic Order
1831
Sir John Herschel publishes Preliminary Discourse on the Study of Natural Philosophy as part of Dionysius Lardner’s Cabinet Cyclopaedia.
1831
Birth of Isabella Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
5 June 1831
Copy of a letter. Other engagements preclude John Frederick William Herschel from accepting John Philips's invitation to present a paper at the 'general Scientific meeting' [inaugural meeting of the B.A.A.S.] to be held at York.
30 July 1831 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/21/86
1833
Sir John Herschel receives the Royal Medal from the Royal Society
1833:
The Medal is awarded "For his paper on nebulae and clusters of stars, published in the Philosophical Transactions for 1833."
Sir John Herschel publishes A treatise on astronomy as part of Dionysius Lardner’s Cabinet Cyclopaedia.
1833
Birth of William James Herschel, son of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1833
Sir John Herschel departs for South Africa with his wife and their three children
13 November 1833
1834
Birth of Margaret Louisa Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1834
1835
Sir John Herschel serves as President of the Literary and Philosophical Society of the Cape of Good Hope
1835
Halley’s comet becomes visible
28 November 1835
1836
Birth of Alexander Stewart Herschel, son of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
5 February 1836
1837
Victoria becomes Queen of the United Kingdom
20 June 1837
Birth of John Herschel, son of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
29 October 1837
1838
Sir John Herschel returns from South Africa
1838: A banquet in presence of Queen Victoria is given to celebrate his return to Britain and made a Baronet.
Copy of a letter. Informs John Frederick William Herschel that he has been appointed member of a B.A.A.S. committee to translate and publish in England foreign scientific memoirs.
1838-8-20 or later Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/26/1
1839
Sir John Herschel serves his first term as President of the Royal Astronomical Society
1839: to 1841
Birth of Maria Sophia Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1839
William Henry Fox Talbot presents his paper-based photographic process at the Royal Society
1839
Autograph letter signed by sender, with annotations by recipient. Discusses need for barometric observations; asks if John Frederick William Herschel has plans to build a barometer.
26 March 1839 Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/14/158
Copy of a letter. Sends plans to construct barometer that he never built; invites John Philips to use the plans.
6 April 1839 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/22/7
Letter in hand of amanuensis, partly signed by sender. Informs John Frederick William Herschel that the B.A.A.S. has again placed him on a committee to translate and publish foreign scientific memoirs.
25 November 1839 Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/26/2
1840
Sir John Herschel publishes in the Philosophical Transactions
1840: Sir John Herschel publishes “On the chemical action of the rays of the solar spectrum on preparations of silver and other substances, both metallic and non-metallic; and on some photographic processes”
Copy of a letter. Requests John Philips send John Frederick William Herschel's projected barometer observation to W. R. Birt.
17 December 1840 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/22/73
Letter in hand of amanuensis, partly signed by sender. Informs John Frederick William Herschel that the B.A.A.S. has placed him on a committee to provide two actinometers for observing high in the Alps.
19 October 1840 Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/26/3
Letter in hand of amanuensis, partly signed by sender, with annotations by recipient. Informs John Frederick William Herschel that the B.A.A.S. has placed him on a committee to study the possibility of using balloon ascents to study the upper atmosphere.
19 October 1840 Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/26/4
Letter in hand of amanuensis, partly signed by sender. Informs John Frederick William Herschel that the B.A.A.S. has again placed him on the committee to supervise the translation and publication of foreign scientific memoirs.
19 October 1840 Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/26/5
1841
Sir Robert Peel becomes Prime Minister
1841
Birth of Amelia Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1841
Part autographed letter. John Frederick William Herschel continues to serve on the committee to supervise and translate foreign scientific memoirs [see John Philips's 1840-10-19].
10 September 1841 Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/26/6
Part autographed letter. Informs John Frederick William Herschel that the B.A.A.S. has placed him on a committee to conduct experiments by capture balloon on the atmosphere.
10 September 1841 Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/26/7
1842
Birth of Julia Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1842
Sir John Herschel publishes in the Philosophical Transactions
1842: Sir John Herschel publishes “On the action of the rays of the solar spectrum on vegetable colours, and on some new photographic processes”
Part autographed letter. Informs John Frederick William Herschel that the B.A.A.S. has place him on a committee to conduct experiments by capture balloon on the atmosphere.
10 July 1842 Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/26/8
Part autographed letter. Informs John Frederick William Herschel that the B.A.A.S. has placed him on a committee to supervise the translation and publication of foreign scientific memoirs.
10 July 1842 Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/26/9
1844
Birth of Matilda Rose Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart
1844
1845
Sir John Herschel serves as President of the British Association
1845
Part autographed letter. Informs John Frederick William Herschel that he is to work with a committee of the B.A.A.S. to prepare a map of the distribution of coal around the world.
1845-7 Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/26/12
Autographed letter . Expands on the work of the coal map committee [see John Philips's 1845-7] by sending along the resolution that created it.
1845-7 Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/26/13
Part autographed letter. Informs John Frederick William Herschel that John Frederick William Herschel together with several others will be responsible for the distribution of the B.A.A.S. catalogue of stars.
1845-7 Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/26/14
Letter. Invites John Frederick William Herschel to come to the magnetic conference meeting being held at the B.A.A.S. meeting.
18 June 1845 Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/27/66
Letter. Sends John Frederick William Herschel a copy of the resolution dealing with the publication of Fauna Antiqua Sivalensis.
1845 -7 Sender: John Phillips Reference number: HS/27/67