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The Royal Society: Science in the Making

Correspondence Explorer

Choose two people to view all letters between them.

Showing 53 letters from 1800–1871

19 letters from John Frederick William Herschel; 34 letters from Warren de la Rue

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Interact with the map by zooming, clicking hotspots, and selecting items to see more details. Hit play on the timeline to show correspondence over time.

Rough copy of figure 'sent to Delarue, July 24' placing astronomical object in relation to sun, with axis of the eye-piece. Written at the back of an official communication listing names, including Her Majesty the Queen, Major General Vincent Eyne, The Science and Art Department, South Kensington etc..

Reference number: HS/19/198
1812

Charles Babbage, John Frederick William Herschel and George Peacock found the Analytical Society

3 March 1812

John Frederick William Herschel presents his first scientific paper

12 November 1812:

John Frederick William Herschel communicates a paper on Cote’s theorem to the Royal Society

1813

John Frederick William Herschel graduates Senior Wrangler at St John’s College, Cambridge

1813

John Frederick William Herschel is elected Fellow of the Royal Society

27 May 1813

1815

John Frederick William Herschel begins as sub-lector at St. John's College, Cambridge

1 May 1815

1816

John Frederick William Herschel is awarded Master of Arts (MA), at the University of Cambridge

30 January 1816

John Frederick William Herschel starts astronomical work alongside his father Sir William Herschel FRS

1816

1818

Mary Shelley publishes Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus

1818

1819

John Frederick William Herschel serves on the Board of Longitude

1819

1820

John Frederick William Herschel publishes in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.

1820: John Frederick William Herschel publishes “On the action of crystallized bodies on homogeneous light, and on the causes of the deviation from Newton's scale in the tints which many of them develope on exposure to a polarised ray” .

John Frederick William Herschel serves his first term as Foreign Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society

1820

1821

John Frederick William Herschel and Charles Babbage travel through France to Italy and Switzerland.

1821

John Frederick William Herschel publishes in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.

1821: John Frederick William Herschel publishes “On the aberrations of compound lenses and object-glasses" in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society.

John Frederick William Herschel receives the Copley Medal of the Royal Society for his papers printed in the Philosophical Transactions

1821

1822

Death of Sir William Herschel FRS

25 August 1822

1823

John Frederick William Herschel receives the Bakerian Medal of the Royal Society.

1823: John Frederick William Herschel gives the Bakerian lecture “On certain Motions produced in Fluid Conductors when transmitting the Electric Current”.

1824

John Frederick William Herschel moves to 56 Devonshire St., Portland Place, London

1824

John Frederick William Herschel serves as Secretary of the Royal Society

30 November 1824

1825

John Frederick William Herschel invents the actinometer to measure the heating power of the Sun’s rays

1825

1826

John Frederick William Herschel publishes in the Philosophical Transactions

1826: John Frederick William Herschel publishes “On the parallax of the fixed stars”.

1827

Joseph Nicéphore Niépce presents his photographs in England for the first time

1827

1829

John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart are married in London

3 March 1829

1830

John Frederick William Herschel is elected Foreign correspondent of the Académie des sciences

1830

Birth of Caroline Emilia Mary Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart

31 March 1830

John Frederick William Herschel is nominated for the presidency of the Royal Society, loses by 8 votes to the Duke of Sussex

30 November 1830

1831

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

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.

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

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”

1841

Sir Robert Peel becomes Prime Minister

1841

Birth of Amelia Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart

1841

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”

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

1846

Birth of Francisca Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart

1846

Sir John Herschel serves his second term as Foreign Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society

1846: To 1847

1847

Sir John Herschel serves his second term as President of the Royal Astronomical Society

1847: Until 1849

Sir John Herschel receives the Copley Medal

1847: Sir John Herschel receives the Copley Medal of the Royal Society "For his work entitled Results of Astronomical Observations made during the years 1834, 1835, 1836, 1837 and 1838, at the Cape of Good Hope; being a completion of a telescopic survey of the whole surface of the visible heavens, commenced in 1825"

Sir John Herschel publishes a paper

1847: Sir John Herschel publishes Results of astronomical observations made during the years 1834, 5, 6, 7, 8, at the Cape of Good Hope; being a completion of a telescopic survey of the whole surface of the visible heavens, commenced in 1825.

1848

The Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood is formed, by John Everett Millais, Dante Gabriel Rosetti and others

1848

Napoleon III is elected first President of France

20 December 1848

1849

Sir John Herschel publishes Outlines of Astronomy.

1849

1850

Sir John Herschel is appointed Master of the Mint

1850

1851

Sir John Herschel serves as juror of the Great Exhibition

1851

1855

Birth of Constance Anne Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart

1855

Sir John Herschel is elected Foreign Associate of the Institut de France

1855

Sir John Herschel resigns from his position as Master of the Mint

1855

Copy of a letter. Thanks for engraving of Saturn; comments on other aspects of observing that planet. John Frederick William Herschel notes he is confined to a wheelchair.

Reference number: HS/23/159
1856

Autograph letter signed by sender. At the recent A.G.M. of the Royal Astronomical Society Club, John Frederick William Herschel was elected an Honorary Life Member. Hopes he will attend many more meetings.

Reference number: HS/6/136

Autograph letter signed by sender. Returned late on Thursday. Is gratified by John Frederick William Herschel's praise of his drawings of Saturn. Includes some further drawings and comments on John Frederick William Herschel's queries.

Reference number: HS/6/137

Autograph letter signed by sender. Made some observations of Jupiter after his last letter. Thought John Frederick William Herschel might be interested in seeing them. Would be grateful for any comments, which he will incorporate into his final drawing.

Reference number: HS/6/138
1857

Autograph letter signed by sender. Is pleased that John Frederick William Herschel approves of his drawings of the planets. Hopes to publish some drawings of the other planets in the future. Has moved his observatory but hopes soon to start observations. Unable to comment on Otto Struve's observations.

Reference number: HS/6/139

Autograph letter signed by sender. Has not been able to go to Kew Observatory yet. The photoheliograph has to await John Welsh's return from Scotland. A reflector with a diagonal mirror would be suitable for celestial objects. Has now removed to Cranford.

Reference number: HS/6/140

Copy of a letter. Thanks for engravings of Saturn and Jupiter; would like to see an astronomical picture book produced.

Reference number: HS/23/198

Copy of a letter. Thanks for photograph of the moon.

Reference number: HS/23/206
1858

Autograph letter signed by sender. Has just dispatched to Hawkhurst station a positive copy in glass of a photograph of the moon. Has many photographs but this is the best one. Has constructed a reflecting stereoscope. Angelo Secchi visited him but the weather was not suitable for observations.

Reference number: HS/6/141

Autograph letter signed by sender. Is pleased the photograph arrived safely. Would be pleased to show him his collection of original negatives. Comments on the difficulties of using a telescope with a longer focus. Regarding improvements to the photoheliography at Kew. Encloses sketch of the comet.

Reference number: HS/6/142

Draft letter. Has now had time to examine the stereoscopic photograph of the moon. Thinks it is a wonderful effect and opens up a new field for terrestrial objects.

Reference number: HS/6/143

Copy of a letter. Thanks for the lunar photographs; comments on other observations.

Reference number: HS/23/237

Copy of draft letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Has now had time to examine the stereoscopic photograph of the moon. Thinks it is a wonderful effect and opens up a new field for terrestrial objects.

Reference number: HS/23/241
1859

Autograph letter signed by sender. Sending R. C. Carrington's certificate for John Frederick William Herschel's signature.

Reference number: HS/6/144

Copy of a letter. Requests information about specula for telescopes, especially silvered glass ones.

Reference number: HS/23/272

Copy of a letter. Further questions about the physical optics of telescopes [see John Frederick William Herschel's 1859-8-27].

Reference number: HS/23/284
1860

Sir John Herschel publishes in the Proceedings of the Royal Society

1860: Sir John Herschel publishes some “Remarks on colour-blindness" extracted from a referee report on Pole’s paper on the same subject.

Autograph letter signed by sender. Sending Robert Main's certificate for John Frederick William Herschel's signature.

Reference number: HS/6/145

Autograph letter signed by sender. Please accept his thanks for his article on telescopes. Comments on John Frederick William Herschel's views. Would like 50 copies of the article to distribute to opticians.

Reference number: HS/6/146
1861

Death of Margaret Louisa Marshall, née Herschel, daughter of John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart

1861

William Morris established the decorative design firm of Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Company (later Morris & Company)

1861

Charles Dickens publishes Great Expectations as a three-volume book

1861

Sir John Herschel publishes Physical Geography as part of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.

1861

Abraham Lincoln begins his term as President of the United States

4 March 1861

Autograph letter signed by sender. Sending him his first photograph of the sun's spot. Has caused a lot of preparation. Comments on various points.

Reference number: HS/6/147

Autograph letter signed by sender. Gives diameter of the sun's image. Used an ordinary eye-piece. There must be some mistake about the penumbra. It is possible now to take daily records of the surface of the sun.

Reference number: HS/6/148

Autograph letter signed by sender. Is pleased that John Frederick William Herschel likes his plates of Mars. Has a great collection of drawings of Mars but only a few of Venus. Hopes by the Spring to have the photoheliograph working. Has just completed his volume on the eclipse for 1860.

Reference number: HS/6/149

Copy of a letter. Thanks for pictures of Mars; speculates on the atmospheres of some planets.

Reference number: HS/23/346
1862

Autograph letter signed by sender. Regarding the pictures of the moon by M. M. Gussew. Gives details of the eclipse of 1860. Heliograph has been working at his observatory since February. G. Sabler has now left and will doubtless do good work when he receives his instrument from J. H. Dallmeyer.

Reference number: HS/6/150

Copy of a letter. Thanks for fine engravings; is concerned about the 'miraculous phenomena' depicted on some other people's engravings, 'especially American ones.'

Reference number: HS/23/364
1863

Autograph letter signed by sender. Thinks it possible that a letter he wrote to Charles Pritchard may have been passed to John Frederick William Herschel. Thinks there is some substance in James Nasmyth's claim on seeing 'Willow leaves' on the surface of the sun.

Reference number: HS/6/152
1864

Autograph letter signed by sender. Regarding the solar photographs. They are not magnified originals but taken direct. Comments on these photographs. Has had correspondence with W. R. Dawes regarding the 'willow leaves' of James Nasmyth.

Reference number: HS/6/153

Autograph letter signed by sender. Agrees with him that J. Müller's drawings do not show the entities around the sunspot clearly. Has nearly completed the apparatus for holding one of John Frederick William Herschel's sun prisms to his reflector. Hopes to do something with it soon.

Reference number: HS/6/154

Autographed letter, incomplete. Appreciates the difference between Robert Hooke's and John Frederick William Herschel's suggestions for a helioscopic telescope. Comments on these suggestions. Has recently constructed a reflecting prism. Comments on this.

Reference number: HS/6/155

Autograph letter signed by sender. Was not the person who sent him some photographs of the sun. Was glad the Astronomical Soiree was well spoken of. James Nasmyth was conspicuous and is pleased he was mentioned in John Frederick William Herschel's Outlines Astr.

Reference number: HS/6/156

Autograph letter signed by sender. Encloses a letter from William Simms, which contains a suggestion for John Frederick William Herschel's reflecting prism. Inclines to the view that a reflector is not the most suitable instrument for sun observations.

Reference number: HS/6/157

Autograph letter signed by sender. Sending the tracing again with a few additions. Comments on this and the one sent yesterday.

Reference number: HS/6/158

Autograph letter signed by sender. Sending a photograph of the moon 38 in diameter. Begs him to accept it as a mark of appreciation."

Reference number: HS/6/159

Autograph letter signed by sender. Has just returned from a short tour of Russia. Visited Pulkowa and Nijny Novgorod. Had difficulties with couriers. John Frederick William Herschel's suggestion for a rotating disc with slit to reduce sunlight sounds feasible. Weather was unsuitable at Pulkowa for any observations.

Reference number: HS/6/160

Autograph letter signed by sender. Has just received John Frederick William Herschel's 'Catalogue of Nebulae.' Has placed his skeleton tube in the cradle of his equatorial. Comments on this and gives sketches.

Reference number: HS/6/161

Autograph letter signed by sender. Encloses a letter from Angelo Secchi. Sent him a Herschelian eye piece and is having a prism prepared for him. Secchi has seen James Nasmyth's 'willow leaves.'

Reference number: HS/6/162

Draft letter. Thanks for the diary and pocket book. Sees that A. V. Guillemin has published an illustrated Astronomy [Le ciel (Paris, 1864)]. Thinks there is scope for publishing a volume of engravings of astronomical objects. Gives his own idea for the construction of a photometer.

Reference number: HS/6/163

Autograph letter signed by sender. Has received a letter from Angelo Secchi who states that he has seen James Nasmyth's 'willow leaves.' Remainder of letter relates to the John Frederick William Herschel prism, which he sent him through Cardinal N. P. S. Wiseman.

Reference number: HS/6/164

Copy of draft letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Thanks for the diary and pocket book. Sees that A. V. Guillemin has published an illustrated Astronomy [Le ciel (Paris, 1864)]. Thinks there is scope for publishing a volume of engravings of astronomical objects. Gives his own idea for the construction of a photometer.

Reference number: HS/24/73
1865

Autograph letter signed by sender. Would John Frederick William Herschel look through the proof of Warren de la Rue's speech on the presentation of a [the Royal Astronomical Society] medal to Professor G. P. Bond and make any comments or suggestions.

Reference number: HS/6/165

Autograph letter signed by sender. Encloses two certificates and hopes that he will give the candidates his support. Has just received a letter from Angelo Secchi on the Herschelian prism.

Reference number: HS/6/166

Draft letter. Returns the certificates duly signed and also Angelo Secchi's letter, which he was pleased to see. Elaborates on the possible causes of James Nasmyth's 'willow leaves.'

Reference number: HS/6/167

Autograph letter signed by sender. Was pleased to receive John Frederick William Herschel's letter requesting him to communicate the subject to the Society. Has been busy preparing the Annual Report so has not had time to follow up Mr. Traye's papers.

Reference number: HS/6/168

Copy of draft letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Returns the certificates duly signed and also Angelo Secchi's letter, which he was pleased to see. Elaborates on the possible causes of James Nasmyth's 'willow leaves.'

Reference number: HS/24/84
1866

Sir John Herschel publishes his translation of Homer’s Iliad

1866

Autograph letter signed by sender. Has sent on the correspondence about K. L. C. Rümker's Southern Catalogue. Has recorded his vote in favor of the £150 for the reduction. Proposes sending his eldest son to Paris to study French and Art.

Reference number: HS/6/169
1867

Sir John Herschel publishes Familiar Lectures on Scientific Subjects

1867

1868

Benjamin Disraeli becomes Prime Minister

1 February 1868

William Gladstone becomes Prime Minister

1 December 1868

1869

Jules Verne serializes Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea

1869: (Vingt Mille Lieues sous les Mers)

1870

Autograph letter signed by sender. Has written to Kew Observatory to send on the photographs.

Reference number: HS/6/170

Autograph letter signed by sender. Has just learnt that some negatives were sent to his former place of residence. Will forward them when he goes to the City. A vote has been made from the Donation Fund of the Royal Society [of London] for six copies of the Kew Solar negatives.

Reference number: HS/6/171

Autograph letter signed by sender. Would like to incorporate John Frederick William Herschel's suggestions in his paper and he has revised the numbers. Made an attempt to photograph the moon while totally eclipsed, but was unsuccessful.

Reference number: HS/6/172

Copy of a letter. Inquires about other sunspot observations made by John Frederick William Herschel.

Reference number: HS/24/305

Copy of a letter. Thanks for the photographs Warren de la Rue sent for the dates requested in John Frederick William Herschel's 1870-4-23.

Reference number: HS/24/311

Copy of a letter. Comments on sunspot activity; agrees to inclusion of some paragraphs in a paper Warren de la Rue is writing.

Reference number: HS/24/322
1871

Death of Sir John Herschel, at Collingwood, Kent

11 May 1871

Sir John Herschel is buried at Westminster Abbey

19 May 1871

Autograph letter signed by sender. Is glad he is pleased with the work of Balfour Stewart and himself. Has applied to Royal Society [of London] for a further grant to carry on the observations and computations for another year. Intends to finance the last year himself. Since the death of his brother he has returned to business.

Reference number: HS/6/173

Copy of a letter. Comments on sunspot activity.

Reference number: HS/24/354