Correspondence map
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William Henry Fitton
John Frederick William Herschel
John Frederick William Herschel publishes in the Philosophical Transactions
1826:
John Frederick William Herschel publishes “On the parallax of the fixed stars”.
Autograph letter signed by sender. Has heard a report that [Humphry] D[avy] is not prepared to nominate Charles Babbage and that D[avy] would be glad if J. G. Children would become Secretary of the Royal Society [of London] Nonetheless, William Henry Fitton hopes that Davy will change his mind.
1826-11-23 or earlier Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/27/13
1827
Joseph Nicéphore Niépce presents his photographs in England for the first time
1827
Autograph letter signed by sender. Has written to Charles Babbage to express sympathy on the death of his wife, but fears there is not much can be done for him. Has given up the Dorset operations. Comments on John Frederick William Herschel's theory of sulphurate of iron. May be one of his neighbors soon as he has been offered a residence at Beaconsfield.
7 September 1827 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/225
Autograph letter signed by sender. Is having some of John Frederick William Herschel's friends to dinner and would be pleased if he would join them. Affairs of the Geological Society. Has notice from Capt. P. P. King with specimens from the Straits of Magellan.
24 October 1827 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/226
Autograph letter signed by sender. Regarding the suitable persons for the Observatories of Greenwich and Cambridge, is John Frederick William Herschel interested? Has been discussing Royal Society [of London] Council matters with W. H. Wollaston.
24 December 1827 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/227
Autograph letter signed by sender. Regarding the affairs of the Royal Society [of London] and John Frederick William Herschel's intentions.
1827 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/241
1828
Autograph letter signed by sender. Regarding a suitable book on the Isle of Wight. Regarding Dionysius Lardner and his projected Cabinet Cyclopaedia. Urges John Frederick William Herschel not to reject idea until he has made further inquiries. Affairs of the Board of Longitude.
5 August 1828 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/228
Autograph letter signed by sender. Regarding the projected Cabinet Cyclopaedia and its authors. State of Ireland in 1828. Feels hard against the Saxons.
14 August 1828 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/229
Autograph letter signed by sender. Accepts invitation to William Henry Fitton's party on 19th, but will miss reading of Adam Sedgwick's and R. I. Murchison's paper. Chemical composition of 'Fish limestone.'
14 May 1828 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/19/53
Copy of letter, copied as part of the correspondence project led by Colonel John Herschel FRS following the death of his father. Accepts invitation to William Henry Fitton's party on 19th, but will miss reading of Adam Sedgwick's and R. I. Murchison's paper. Chemical composition of 'Fish limestone.'
14 May 1828 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/21/10
1829
John Frederick William Herschel and Margaret Brodie Stewart are married in London
3 March 1829
Autograph letter signed by sender. Hopes the Herschels are well. Is worried about the state of Charles Babbage's engine. Thinks an approach should be made to Arthur Wellesley (Duke of Wellington).
5 April 1829 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/230
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
Autograph letter signed by sender. John Frederick William Herschel's paper was read at the Geological Society and received great approbation; it will be printed in the Proceedings or Transactions. Was unable to be present as Mrs. Fitton gave birth to a son. Sorry state of the Royal Society [of London] affairs. Intends to have nothing to do with the Royal Society [of London] at present.
18 December 1830 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/231
Contemporary copy in sender's hand, signed by sender. About the sad state of the Royal Society [of London] under the presidency of Davies Gilbert, and what is to be done to improve it.
18 October 1830 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/25/1/9
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
Autograph letter signed by sender, with diagrams. Comments on some of John Frederick William Herschel's geological papers. Has received a paper on Yorkshire geology from R. I. Murchison.
8 October 1831 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/233
1832
Autograph letter signed by sender. Has not received an invitation from Frederick Augustus (Duke of Sussex) for his soiree nor been introduced to him. Charles Babbage has likewise had no invitation. John Frederick William Herschel's case is different.
12 March 1832 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/232
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
Autograph letter signed by sender. Regrets the time that has elapsed since receiving John Frederick William Herschel's letter. Charles Babbage does not contemplate finishing his machine and is already planning another. Richard Jones appointed one of the Tithe Commissioners. News of the activities of Robert Brown, Francis Baily, Charles Lyell, William Buckland, J. W. Lubbock, and others. Railroads expanding in England. Many built and projected.
19 December 1836 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/234
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.
Autograph letter signed by sender. Wondered what John Frederick William Herschel intended doing about the Presidency of the Royal Society [of London] until he heard from Francis Baily that John Frederick William Herschel would not accept the offer to become a candidate. Has to review Charles Lyell's book on geology, which has been dedicated to himself. Where does he intend to settle down? Has he seen H. D. de Blainville's paper in the Comptes rendus?
27 September 1838 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/235
Autograph letter signed by sender. Regarding a successor to Frederick Augustus (Duke of Sussex) at the Royal Society [of London] Is glad John Frederick William Herschel intends to devote his time to scientific labor. Pleased to hear his book meets with John Frederick William Herschel's approval.
1838 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/243
Autographed letter, incomplete. News of his own children.
Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/244
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. Intends that his second son shall enter business and would like him to study in Hanover. Can John Frederick William Herschel recommend any person with which he can place him. Went to Boulogne with some members of the Geological Society to meet French geologists. Quite a successful meeting, though the French Geologists are split into two opposing factions.
5 October 1839 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/236
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”
Autograph letter signed by sender. Has just returned from a trip to Hanover, and has decided not to place his son there in accordance with advice received while he was there. Met Miss Herschel. Travelled via Belgium and met A. H. Dumont, a very original and intelligent geologist.
3 January 1840 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/237
Autograph letter signed by sender, with diagrams. Is grateful for his paper on the solar spectrum. Hopes he will continue his experiments with light so that posterity may benefit, as would have been the case if Smithson Tennant had persisted with his efforts. Regarding some of the geological theories of the times. Hopes John Frederick William Herschel will come and stay with them. R. I. Murchison is on the continent.
10 June 1840 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/238
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
Autograph letter signed by sender. One of the sections of the beds below the chalk, which John Frederick William Herschel sent him in 1834, has become the subject of interesting discussion viz the Neocomian beds and their appearance in the British Isles. Comments on the various theories regarding these beds.
2 August 1844 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/239
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.
Contemporary copy in sender's hand, signed by sender. Expresses opinions about the medal fiasco at the Royal Astronomical Society, and in so doing, also defends G. B. Airy. John Frederick William Herschel is very concerned about the mean attacks being made on various people over the Neptune discovery controversy. Makes especially strong statements in a PS written on Feb. 21.
20 February 1847 Sender: John Frederick William Herschel Reference number: HS/25/7/5
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
Autograph letter signed by sender. Congratulations on John Frederick William Herschel's election as one of the eight foreign members of the French Institute.
2 August 1855 Sender: William Henry Fitton Reference number: HS/7/240
1858
