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Correspondence between an astronomer, David Little of Granton, Edinburgh, and the instrument maker William Horn, of Allan Park, Stirling, and correspondence between Horn and instrument makers Thomas Morton of Kilmarnock, and T. Cooke & Sons, York

 Fonds — Box: CLX-A-1555, Folder: SC-Acc-2016-0164
Identifier: Coll-1784

Scope and Contents

The collection of letters is divided into a group dating from 1850 which includes receipts, costs and correspondence between William Horn and David Little, Granton, Edinburgh.

Another group of in the collection is correspondence between William Horn and Morton and Cooke.

There is also a sketch of a comet drawn in 1838 (Encke's Comet).

Dates

  • Creation: Majority of material found within 1850-1870

Creator

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access

Open. Please contact the repository in advance.

Biographical / Historical

William Horn, of Allan Park, Stirling, was an astronomical instrument maker. Horn made improvements to the two major types of reflecting telescopes then in use in astronomy - the Newtonian, and the Gregorian.

The inventor and scientist, Thomas Morton, was born in Mauchline, in 1783. He was an important figure in the scientific development of south west Scotland. His invention of a barrel loom revolutionised carpet making and brought much prosperity to the area. The idea for this invention came to him after he was asked to mend a barrel organ and he recognised that the principle of the barrel with pins could be used to produce a pattern in the making of carpets. Morton was also Instrument Maker to Sir John Ross the Arctic Explorer.

Thomas Morton died in 1862, and the firm was continued by Charles Morton.

T. Cooke & Sons was an English instrument-making firm, headquartered in York. It was founded by Thomas Cooke by 1837.

Extent

1 folder (1 x folder)

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchased in 2016. Accession no. SC-Acc-2016-0164.

Processing Information

Catalogued by Graeme D. Eddie, 6 October 2016.

Title
Correspondence between an astronomer, David Little of Granton, Edinburgh, and the instrument maker William Horn, of Allan Park, Stirling, and correspondence between Horn and instrument makers Thomas Morton of Kilmarnock, and T. Cooke & Sons, York
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the University of Edinburgh Library Heritage Collections Repository

Contact:
Centre for Research Collections
University of Edinburgh Main Library
George Square
Edinburgh EH8 9LJ Scotland
+44(0)131 650 8379