Rev. Jevon James Muschamp Perry M.A. F.R.A.S.
By Tim Kent
Born in 1847 in Monmouthshire, Wales the son of a local clergyman it almost seemed inevitable that he should enter Holy Orders, as did his brother. A scholar from Canterbury and later at Cambridge, there is the possibility that he had met George Biddell Airy, the future Astronomer Royal, who was born in Alnwick. His career seems to have started in the Penzance area, or to be more precise, for those who know the area, Madron and in those days of zero light pollution and no TV, often men of learning turned their attentions to the heavens.
The fact that Perry had reasonable assets at his disposal for his hobby, is revealed in the fact whilst the vicar of St Paul’s church in Alnwick, he is credited with owning three large mirrors. The largest was an 18 ¼” made by Henry Cooper-Key of Hereford and installed in a 1 ton mounting manufactured by the Rev. Edward L. Berthon, vicar of Romsey (more of whom later). This large mirror proved to be lacking in focus around the outer zone and was later reduced to 14” to improve the resulting image.
The fact that Perry had reasonable assets at his disposal for his hobby, is revealed in the fact whilst the vicar of St Paul’s church in Alnwick, he is credited with owning three large mirrors. The largest was an 18 ¼” made by Henry Cooper-Key of Hereford and installed in a 1 ton mounting manufactured by the Rev. Edward L. Berthon, vicar of Romsey (more of whom later). This large mirror proved to be lacking in focus around the outer zone and was later reduced to 14” to improve the resulting image.
His next mirror was from the prolific maker George Henry With, who is credited with the manufacture of 200 mirrors, from Hereford. It was an 18” and presumably fitted again into the Berthon mount. Perry was destined not to keep this for too long and the mirror was sold to Nathaniel Green an artist who subsequently presented it to the British Astronomical Association in 1897 during the time of his presidency.
Again Perry bought another 18” mirror, this time from George Calver of Chelmsford Essex and as far as I can ascertain this mirror was remounted and as late as 1994 was still being used in an observatory near Lancaster by Denis Buczynski, who today is an active comet hunter.
Perry was also interested in the weather (as we all are!) and was a prolific contributor to the magazine Nature in the 1880’s with articles concerning the “weather in Northumberland and its fitness for astronomical observations”. Judging by his letter in the Feb 1882 edition, they faired no better then than we do now, as a large number of evenings were considered too cloudy for observing. In the late 1890’s Perry produced a paper on the weather in Northumberland and torrential rains that had fallen on the moors. Obviously a keen golfer, he is mentioned in 1888, as having one of only four “tall lockers” in the Alnmouth golf club.
Writing in “The Astronomical Register” of August 1883 Perry had been observing the “Red Spot” on Jupiter with his 18 ¼” reflector and reported that the spot was reducing in colour strength and at times was almost indistinguishable from the background, along with the author of the article Mr WF Denning, there was concern that as the planet became too low to observe, by it’s return, the red spot may have disappeared. No need to have worried, it’s still there!
The Rev Edward Lyon Berthon (1813-99) was a prolific Victorian inventor and looking at his numerous interests it is surprising is parishioners would have seen much of him.
Again Perry bought another 18” mirror, this time from George Calver of Chelmsford Essex and as far as I can ascertain this mirror was remounted and as late as 1994 was still being used in an observatory near Lancaster by Denis Buczynski, who today is an active comet hunter.
Perry was also interested in the weather (as we all are!) and was a prolific contributor to the magazine Nature in the 1880’s with articles concerning the “weather in Northumberland and its fitness for astronomical observations”. Judging by his letter in the Feb 1882 edition, they faired no better then than we do now, as a large number of evenings were considered too cloudy for observing. In the late 1890’s Perry produced a paper on the weather in Northumberland and torrential rains that had fallen on the moors. Obviously a keen golfer, he is mentioned in 1888, as having one of only four “tall lockers” in the Alnmouth golf club.
Writing in “The Astronomical Register” of August 1883 Perry had been observing the “Red Spot” on Jupiter with his 18 ¼” reflector and reported that the spot was reducing in colour strength and at times was almost indistinguishable from the background, along with the author of the article Mr WF Denning, there was concern that as the planet became too low to observe, by it’s return, the red spot may have disappeared. No need to have worried, it’s still there!
The Rev Edward Lyon Berthon (1813-99) was a prolific Victorian inventor and looking at his numerous interests it is surprising is parishioners would have seen much of him.
He had intended to be a surgeon...
but then trained as an engineer and finally took Holy Orders in 1845. With his strong connections to the sea, and the terrible death toll of sailors, he set about inventing ways of storing small “escape boats” from sailing ships. Finally in 1873 he set up a factory, employing about 100 men, to manufacture collapsible lifeboats, no they didn’t collapse IN the water, but have been seen as the forerunner to the inflatable dingy of today. Other notable inventions credited to Berthon were a log for accurately measuring the speed of ships and an early version of the screw propeller.
More importantly to astronomers, using his skills as an engineer, he designed and built a wooden observatory, which was to be marketed under the name of “The Romsey Observatory”. As the photograph below shows this was a sectional wooden construction, with rotating roof section, which could be easily dismantled and shipped either around the country, or as some were, around the world. The princely sum for the purchase of a Romsey Observatory was £45.
More importantly to astronomers, using his skills as an engineer, he designed and built a wooden observatory, which was to be marketed under the name of “The Romsey Observatory”. As the photograph below shows this was a sectional wooden construction, with rotating roof section, which could be easily dismantled and shipped either around the country, or as some were, around the world. The princely sum for the purchase of a Romsey Observatory was £45.
We were contacted by the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington for further information on Rev Perry for their Library of records!
