Information about G.F.Kellaway needed.

[Denis Buczynski]

GF.Kellaway was a Director of the now long defunct BAA Photographic Section in 1937. He lived at West Coker in Somerset. I would like any information that anybody knows about his life his observatory and his telescope. He was an active comet photographer, with a very distinguished record. There does not appear to be any photograph of him or of his observtaory or equipment.
Denis Buczynski Secretary BAA Comet Section.

[Daryl Dobbs]

This might not be much use but Comet Peltier-Kellaway was discovered in December 1943.

There is a Kellaway Building Supplies which might have a family connection so might be worth contacting them, https://www.kellaway.co.uk/

The local paper the Yeovil Express has changed hands since 1943 but they would have archives, my thoughts are they would have run a story about the discovery of the comet on 19th December 1943, might be worth enquiring with them to see what they have on record. https://www.yeovilexpress.co.uk/

I guess the comet was discovered with his 7.5 inch Cooke which he mounted a camera with a Zeiss lens, perhaps the antique telescope society might have further details

[Daryl Dobbs]

If you manage to contact the authors through the publishers they might be of assistance
Shorey, David, and Dodge, Michael and Nadine (2008). Book of West Coker: a pictorial and social history of a Somerset village, Wellington, Somerset: Halsgrove Publishing, ISBN 1-84114-799-0

[David C Rayment]

Geoffrey Francis Kelleway
Profession was apparently farming.
Rediscovery of Comet Daniel (1909IV) seen by Kelleway on 30 Nov 1943 and mentioned in Nature 152 P747. Dec 25 1943.
Mentioned in History of the BAA Comet Section (M. Hendrie 1990). He operated a 0.14m aperture f5 Zeiss triplet. Independently discovered van Gent-Peltier-Daimaca in 1943 but a fourth name could not be added.
At billiongraves website: buried West Coker (St Martin of Tours) churchyard Nov 1962.

[David C Rayment]

Have you seen the obituary in the BAA Journal? Vol 74 pp79-80 Feb 1964 RLW

Purchased 7.5 inch photovisual by Cooke. Obtained 5.5 inch Zeiss photographic triplet of 28 inch focus for which he built a camera. Mounted it on 7.5 inch equatorial. Later bought 12.5 inch Calvin reflector which previously belonged to Hallowes. Became FRAS in 1920. Joined Varaiable Star Section in 1922. A keen musician running his own string quartet Played violin and piano. Sailed his own yacht.

[Denis Buczynski]

Hi David and Daryl,
Thanks for the time effort you have put in to looking for information about Kellaway on my behalf. I do know of some of the information you write about, especially the Obituary of him in the JBAA. I will try the authors of the book that you mention about West Coker,that may provide me with the photographs of Kellaway, his observatory(ies) and his telescopes that I would like to obtain. I know RLW (Reggie Waterfield) well but never heard him speak of Kellaway. Once again many thanks.
Denis Buczynski

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