Sir George Biddell Airy Papers
1840-1890
(ca. 40 items)

B Ai7p

© American Philosophical Society
105 South Fifth Street * Philadelphia, PA 19106-3386
 American Philosophical Society 105 South Fifth Street Philadelphia, PA 19106-3386
Table of contents Abstract
The collection is divided into two series. The first contains disparate letters from Airy relating to his publications and his position as Astronomer Royal of England, with mentions of topics such as: electrical experiments, magnets, Observatoire de Paris, stars, and telescopes. Correspondents in this series include: Edward Wedlake Brayley, James Challis, Alexander S. Herschel, Balfour Stewart, Septimus Tebay, John Washington. The second series features a group of documents put together by George May of the Harton Colliery at South Shields (1889) relating to Airy's pendulum experiments at Harton Pit in 1854 to measure the density of the earth.

Scope and content
The collection is divided into two series. The first contains disparate letters from Airy relating to his publications and his position as Astronomer Royal of England, with mentions of topics such as: electrical experiments, magnets, Observatoire de Paris, stars, and telescopes. Correspondents in this series include: Edward Wedlake Brayley, James Challis, Alexander S. Herschel, Balfour Stewart, Septimus Tebay, John Washington. The second series features a group of documents put together by George May of the Harton Colliery at South Shields (1889) relating to Airy's pendulum experiments at Harton Pit in 1854 to measure the density of the earth.

Administrative information
Restrictions
None.

Provenance
Pendulum experiment material (B Ai7p.1) purchased from William Allen, 1983.

Preferred citation
Cite as: Sir George Biddell Airy Papers, American Philosophical Society.

Processing information
Recatalogued by RWS, 2006.

Added entries
Subjects
  • Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892
  • Anderson, C. W.
  • Anderson, William.
  • Astronomy - Research - England
  • Brayley, E. W. (Edward Wedlake), 1773-1854
  • Challis, James, 1803-1882
  • Electricity - Experiments
  • Geology - Research - England
  • Geology, Structural
  • Herschel, Alexander Stewart, 1836-1907
  • Magnetism - Experiments
  • Magnets
  • Observatoire de Paris
  • Pendulum
  • Stars - Magnitudes
  • Stewart, Balfour, 1828-1887
  • Tebay, Septimus
  • Telescopes
  • Washington, John, 1800-1863

    • Contributors
  • Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892
  • Anderson, C. W.
  • May, George, collector

    • Genre terms
  • Artifacts
  • Clippings

    		•
    Contact information
    American Philosophical Society
    105 South Fifth Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19106-3386
    [http://www.amphilsoc.org/]

    ©2006


    Collection overview

    		 Series I. Miscellaneous correspondence 1840-1869
    		B Ai7p




    		Series II. Pendulum experiment material 1854-1890
    		B Ai7p.1



    Detailed inventory

    		 Series I. Miscellaneous correspondence 1840-1869
    		B Ai7p

    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    Letter to the Dean of Ely, Greenwich.     		1840 August 29 A.L.S. 1 p.




    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    Letter to J. Cranch, Greenwich.     		1842 August 30 A.L.S. 3 p.




    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    List of materials wanted for a model.     		1849 December 6 A.D.S. 1 p. Sketch with written explanation.




    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    Letter to "Dear Sir," Royal Observatory, Greenwich.     		1850 September 24 A.L.S. 2 p.




    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    Letter to [James] Challis, Greenwich.     		1852 November 25 A.L.S. 4 p.




    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    Letter to E[dward] W[edlake] Brayley, Royal Observatory, Greenwich.     		1853 March 7 A.L.S. 4 p.




    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    Letter to Captain [John] Washington, London.     		1857 February 16 A.L.S. 1 p.




    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    Letter to S[eptimus] Tebay, Royal Observatory, Greenwich.     		1858 August 17 A.L.S. 1 p.




    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    Letter to Alexander S. Herschel, London.     		1863 March 17 A.L.S. 2 p.




    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    Letter to Balfour Stewart, Royal Observatory, Greenwich.     		1863 October 21 A.L.S. 4 p.




    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    Letter to [James] Challis, Greenwich.     		1864 September 16 A.L.S. 4 p.




    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    Letter to [James] Challis, Greenwich.     		1869 November 1 A.L.S. 2 p.




    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    Review of unidentified book.     		n.d. A.D. 2 p.




    		Series II. Pendulum experiment material 1854-1890
    		B Ai7p.1

    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    to C.W. Anderson     		1854 Aug. 11


    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    to C.W. Anderson     		1854 Aug. 12


    		Anderson, C. W. .
    to [Airy]     		1854 Aug. 13


    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    to C.W. Anderson     		1854 Aug. 14


    		Anderson, C. W. .
    to Airy     		1854 Aug. 18


    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    to C.W. Anderson     		1854 Aug. 22


    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892 .
    to C.W. Anderson     		1854 Aug. 29


    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892 .
    to C.W. Anderson or W. Hartley     		1854 Aug. 29


    		Anderson, C. W. .
    to Airy     		1854 Aug. 29


    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892 .
    to C.W. Anderson     		1854 Sept. 6


    		Anderson, C. W. .
    to Airy     		1854 Sept. 7


    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892 .
    to C.W. Anderson     		1854 Oct. 18


    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892 .
    to W. Anderson     		1854 Oct. 18


    		Illustrated London News .
    "The South Shields Pendulum Experiments by the Astronomer Royal," p. 445-448     		1854 Nov. 4 Oversize

    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892 .
    to W. Anderson (2 copies)     		1854 Nov. 29


    		Anderson, C. W. .
    to Airy     		1854 Nov. 30


    		Newspaper clippings relating to pendulum experiments [1854]


    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892 .
    to William Anderson     		1855 Jan. 2


    		Anderson, C. W. .
    to Airy     		1855 Jan. 4


    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892 .
    to C.W. Anderson     		1855 Jan. 8


    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892 .
    to James Mather     		1855 Jan. 10


    		Anderson, C. W. .
    to Thos. Crawford     		1855 Jan. 10


    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892 .
    to C.W. Anderson     		1855 April 27


    		Anderson, C. W. .
    to Airy     		1855 May 2


    		Anderson, C. W. .
    to Airy     		1855 May 16


    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    to C.W. Anderson     		1855 Aug. 24


    		Airy, George Biddell, Sir, 1801-1892.
    Lecture on the Pendulum Experiments at Harton Pit, Delivered in the Central Hall, South Shields, October 24, 1854.     		[1855] Printed pamphlet, 26 p.

    		Anderson, C. W..
    to Airy     		1856 June 17


    		Garnett, William.
    to George May     		1890 April 23


    		List of participants in pendulum experiment? n.d.


    		Wire used by Professor Airy in his pendulum experiments at Harton Colliery. n.d.