Astronomical and Meteorological Workers in New South Wales
Introduction
Lieutenant Dawes
Captain Flinders
Admiral Phillip Parker King
Sir Thomas MacDougall Brisbane
Dr. Charles Stargard Rumker
James Dunlop
P. E. De Strzelecki
Captain J. C. Wickham
Rev. W. B. Clarke, M.A.
Rev. A. Glennie
E. C. Close
Sir William Macarthur
J. Boucher
S. H. Officer
John Wyndham
William Stanley Jevons
Establishment of Meteorological Observatories
Votes and Proceedings, N.S.W., 1848.
Appendix A.
Appendix B.
Appendix C.
Appendix D.
Appendix E.
Appendix F.
Appendix G.
Appendix H.
Appendix I.
Appendix J.
Appendix K.
Appendix L.
Appendix M.
Appendix N.
Appendix O.
Appendix P.
Appendix Q.
Appendix R.
Appendix S.
Appendix T.
Appendix U.
Endnotes
Index
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COLONIAL SECRETARY'S OFFICE
Sydney, 10th March 1840Sir,—I am directed by His Excellency the Governor to transmit to you the copy of a circular despatch, dated 29th November, 1838, from Lord Glenelg, relating to the "Collection of Facts respecting Storms," and to acquaint you that persons who have been under the instruction of the Astronomer at Parramatta have been appointed to register observations at 1s. 6d. per day each, in lieu of clothes and rations.
I am further directed to inform you that these men are convicts taken from the class of specials who not being assignable are always maintained at the expense of the Government, the charge above mentioned will properly be defrayed out of convict funds.
I have, Sir, &c.,
E. D. THOMSONThe Deputy Commissary-General
Meteorological Observatories were accordingly established at South Head, Sydney, Port Macquarie, and Port Phillip (i.e., Melbourne), and observations began in April, 1840.
In each case educated men amongst the convicts were selected as observers, and it appears from a despatch from the Secretary of State that the Home Government refused to find salaries for these Observers or to maintain them in any way after their term of service was over, hence the observations ceased at all these places with the exception of Sydney, where the observer was kept on until 1855, when for some reason not stated he suddenly left the colony. It seems probable that he had grown lax in his duty and that the advent of an energetic Governor, Sir William Denison, made it, in his opinion, undesirable that he should remain at his post any longer, particularly as the Governor was known to take a deep interest in astronomy and meteorology.
People in Bright Sparcs - Denison, William Thomas; Russell, Henry Chamberlain
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© Online Edition Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre and Bureau of Meteorology 2001
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