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I’ve digitised Jim Lockyer’s photo album of his eclipse expedition to view the April 29th 1911 total solar eclipse from Tonga.
It’s a great insight as to how they organised their eclipse trips 100 years ago. This is part 1, the next one will document
his continued round the world voyage to Hawaii and the USA stopping of at Mount Wilson, Lowell, Yerkes Observatories and
calling in to Dayton Ohio to buy a Wright Flyer!David
Fascinating, David. Thanks for sharing.
Not sure BAA members would Don those eclipse outfits today!I always find such scenes from the years leading to WW 1 highly evocative
Wonderful to see this photographic record before the jet age and commercialised eclipse tours. Travellers dressed in their finery during the long adventure, rather than in today’s casual wear.
I say chaps, how about playing quoits at the Winchester Weekend or the Christmas Meeting? 1900s dress code not obligatory.<p class=”wp-dark-mode-bg-image”>Wonderful to see this photographic record before the jet age and commercialised eclipse tours. Travellers dressed in their finery during the long adventure, rather than in today’s casual wear.<br class=”wp-dark-mode-bg-image”>
I say chaps, how about playing quoits at the Winchester Weekend or the Christmas Meeting? 1900s dress code not obligatory.I have a croquet set somewhere …
It is a fascinating document, one could say it evokes something mysterious today. Did you appreciate the beauty of those women who participated in the scientific expedition? Censui, et in eam ivi sententiam: Elegant, slender, with hips as narrow as wasps, I would even say athletic, of a princely grace, of an ancient, indeed timeless, imperishable beauty.
I expect you noticed Jim Lockyer’s photo album does not include photos of the eclipse itself!
Sadly, it was rather cloudy at the time but they did achieve a few photos of the corona through thin cloud.
However, here is a wonderful detailed report on the preparations for the eclipse itself. I doubt many
of today’s eclipse reports are as detailed as this one:David
And here is Part 2 of their around the world journey, calling in at Hawaii for volcano spotting, and then across USA visiting many observatories en route, Mt Wilson, Lick, Lowell, Yerkes and meeting up with the Wright Bros in Ohio. Frank McClean does a deal with them to let the Short Bros make Wright Flyers under licence in UK. Frank ends up with 13 aircraft since he tells the Short Bros, “I’ll buy any aircraft that you can’t sell!” 1911 was also the year before Jim & Norman Lockyer laid the foundation stone of their new Hill Observatory in Devon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJvy07mGU0U
David
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