1. Tabulae Astronomicae. Fourteenth-century astronomical tables, 2 vols. A detailed list of contents is given in N. R. Ker, Medieval manuscripts in British libraries: 1, London (Oxford, 1969), pp. 193–96.
2. Tabulae Astronomicae. Fifteenth/sixteenth-century astronomical tables. A list of contents is in ibid., p. 192.
3. A letter from John Flamsteed to G. D. Cassini, 8 Jan. 1678/9; also tables of figures, written on the cover of a letter from ?Flamsteed to Abraham Sharp.
4. Loose MSS of Thomas Byrdall on Newton’s Principia and Opticks. They include a copy of a letter from Byrdall to Edmond Halley, 10 Dec. 1710.
5. A collection of papers which have apparently belonged to the bookseller John Nourse. They include 2 letters from Nevil Maskelyne, 1 to Nourse, 20 May 1777, and 1 to the clockmaker William Hardy, 13 Sept. 1809; a letter from John Davidson to Nourse, 14 April 1775; letters and papers relating to the Nautical Almanac and Board of Longitude.
6. A letter from J. J. Le F. de Lalande to J. A. Deluc, 2 March 1793.
7. Journals of Reuben Burrow, 3 vols, 1775–88.
8. Two MS vols containing a collection of tracts and observations mainly concerned with the work of Charles Mason. They include a treatise on telescopic discoveries; material relevant to the expedition of Mason and J. Dixon to observe the transit of Venus in 1761; observations made by Mason at Cavan in Ireland, 1769; and observations made at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich, 1743–59.
9. Beodatus Gigli, ‘Tractatus De Meteoris. Premittitur brevis de sphera Tractatio’, ‘De Omnibus alijs Celestibus Corporibus, Pt Primo de Alitibus Terrae, et eorum effectibus’, 1738.
10. Joseph Middleton, ‘Specious Arithmetic’, c. 1701–09. Folio vol., presented by Middleton to the Spitalfields Mathematical Society, 1717.
11. Benjamin Gompertz: papers on life contingencies, 1820–25, reprinted from the Philosophical transactions, with annotations and MSS pasted in.
12. Benjamin Gompertz: a large collection of mathematical notes, stitched together.
13. Anonymous astrological treatise.
14. Mohammad Al Achsasi Al Mouakket, Calendarium. Seventeenth-century Arabic MS. See MN, lv, 429–38.
15. Persian MS of Ulugh Beigh’s Catalogue of Stars, 2 vols, nineteenth century. See MN, xxxix, 337 ff.
16. Thomas J. Hussey, Meteorological observations, 1827–38.
17. Thomas J. Hussey, Observations of sunspots, 1826–37.
18. A collection of drawings of Jupiter, mounted on 231 loose sheets, 1856–1901, apparently compiled by W. H. Wesley. Observers, as far as they are known (with the number of sheets carrying their drawings) are:
E. M. Antoniadi, 2; J. G. Barclay, 1; E. E. Barnard, 4; J. Baxendell, 3; G. Bernaerts, 14; S. Bolton, 2; J. R. Capron, 1; J. Carpenter, 5; W. De La Rue, 1; W. F. Denning, 5; J. Gledhill, 3; E. von Gothard, 18; G. T. Gwilliam, 9; Miss Hirst, 3; G. D. Hirst, 56; G. W. Hough, 4; W. Huggins, 12; W. S. Jacob, 3; J. E. Keeler, 3; G. Le Hardelay, 5; W. Noble, 22; A. Secchi, 3; P. Tacchini, 8; K. J. Tarrant, 4; C. Todd, 3.
Note MN, xxxvii, 192–93.
19. A similar collection of drawings of Mars (1862–92), Venus (1857–73) and Saturn (1852–99) on 125 sheets. Observers:
E. M. Antoniadi, 1; E. E. Barnard, 1; T. D. Brewin, 3; T. H. Buffham, 2 (and 1 of Uranus); C. E. Burton, 3; J. R. Capron, 1; W. H. M. Christie, 4; H. Corder, 1; W. R. Dawes, 1 (and 1 of Jupiter’s satellites); W. F. Denning, 2; E. von Gothard, 5; G. D. Hirst, 1; H. W. Hollis, 1; W. S. Jacob, 4; J. Joynson, 5; W. Lassell, 3; J. N. Lockyer, 16; E. W. Maunder, 23; W. Noble, 14; H. Ormesher, 8; W. Parsons, third Earl of Rosse, 6; H. Pratt, 6; A. Secchi, 1; T. A. Skelton, 1; G. Williams, 1; F. Worthington, 2.
20. A collection of miscellaneous astronomical drawings. Observers include: E. E. Barnard, J. Brett, W. F. Denning, T. G. Elger, J. E. Keeler, E. B. Knobel, S. P. Langley, E. E. Markwick, A. Mee, R. S. Newall, W. H. Robinson, A. S. Williams, G. H. Willis, W. K. F. Zenger.
21. Small bound MS: ‘Tables of Time. Calculated for Two hundred Years Vizt. The XVII and XVIII Cents. To which are Added Mr Flamsteed’s Table of the Equation of Natural Days, and other Usefull Tables. Transcribed from Mr John Smart at the Town-Clerk’s Office 1732–3’.
22. Loose pages of observations, c. 1786–88, anonymous.
23. Papers which have belonged to James Lockhart: 10 letters from Francis Maseres to Lockhart, 1813–16; a single-page mathematical MS of Maseres; a treatise by Lockhart, ‘Resolution of Equations by means of inferior and superior limits’.
24. A collection of miscellaneous MSS, relics and a photograph of William Simms. Includes letters to Simms from G. B. Airy and R. Sheepshanks.
25. Basil Hall, ‘Observations made with a Sextant of Dollond, & a Reflecting Circle of Troughton, for ascertaining within what degree of accuracy these Instruments would give the Latitude of a Station whose place is known’, 1829.
26. Correspondence of John Williams, 1839–65. Correspondents include: J. W. Bosanquet, J. F. W. Herschel, J. R. Hind, L. Parsons (fourth Earl of Rosse), B. Powell, C. Pritchard.
27. A collection of miscellaneous papers marked: ‘Papers, communications and printed extracts – found amongst Mr Williams’ papers June 26/75’. Includes MSS of ? C. Pritchard, ? R. A. Proctor, H. C. Russell (a letter to J. F. W. Herschel), J. M. Wilson.
28. Letters exchanged between D. Brewster, T. Gill and J. Taylor, c. 1806.
29. W. L. Newman, Tables for the numerical solution of Herschel’s Equations for the radii of an aplanatic object glass, 2 vols. With a letter from Newman to J. F. W. Herschel, 18 Feb. 1845, and 2 letters from Herschel to the RAS, 1864,1871.
30. Thomas R. Robinson: Table II of the paper ‘On the Constant of Lunar Nutation’, Mem., xi, 1–19, see p. 11.
31. Roger Dartnell: astronomical notebook.
32. Roger Dartnell: MS astronomical tables.
33. Anonymous observation journal, 1829–38, marked ‘Observatory, Queen Street’. Also miscellaneous accounts, 1791–1808.
34. Collections of newspaper cuttings on astronomy, 1838–87.
35. A letter from John Drew to Thomas Dick, 4 June 1847.
36. A copy of the first (suppressed) edition of S. Groombridge, Catalogue of circumpolar stars, 1833, with a letter from H. Taylor to S. P. Rigaud, 20 Jan. 1832.
37. Original record of the results of Capt. Henry Foster’s pendulum experiments, 2 vols, 1828–31, with additional experiments by F. Baily. See Mem., vii.
38. Large vol.: ‘The Astronomical Observations of Dr. Edmund Halley made at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich from April 11th 1719, to December 31st 1739. Copied from the four volumes of Manuscripts, now in the Library of the Royal Observatory. By the direction of The Rt. Hon: the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and by them presented to The Royal Astronomical Society. December 14. 1832’. Certified as an accurate copy by J. Lee, H. Raper and F. Baily. See MN, ii, 135; Mem., viii, 169–90.
39. Henry Lawson: daily observations of the Sun, Aug. 1831 – Aug. 1832, 2 vols. With 2 letters, Lawson to G. Dollond and Dollond to the RAS, 1832.
40. Charles Shea: sunspot observations, 5 vols, 1847–65. With various notes and copies of letters by Shea.
41. J. Henry Griesbach: sunspot drawings, 1850–65.
42. J. Henry Griesbach: 7 large drawings of a comet, Sept.–Oct. 1858.
43. Temple Chevallier: sunspot drawings, 2 vols, 1847–9.
44. Charles H. Adams: sunspot drawings, 1819–23.
45. C. Bulard: drawings of total solar eclipse at Lambessa, 18 July 1860.
46. James Holland, The Herschelian; or, Companion to the Telescope (London, 1831); 2 printed copies and the MS.
47. Thomas Wright: proof copies of the plates for An original theory or new hypothesis of the universe (London, 1750), with a few original sketches by Wright.
48. A proposal by Thomas Wright, ‘To their Excellencis [sic] the Lords Justices of the Kingdom of Ireland’, for a general survey of the shores of Ireland.
49. Sandford Gorton: 111 drawings of Jupiter, 1859–61.
50. Emmanuel Liais: total solar eclipse drawing, 7 Sept. 1858.
51. Alfred Brothers: total solar eclipse drawing, n.d.
52. A collection of solar eclipse drawings and tracings by W. H. Wesley.
53. William J. Davies: projections of solar eclipses at Sidney, 1857.
54. British Association Lunar Committee: 12 vols prepared for a catalogue of lunar objects, but left largely blank. Interleaved with MSS of W. R. Birt, including a few letters, 1 from G. Knott.
55. Autobiographical notes by Edwin Dunkin, 1894. (Bound vol.: really an autobiography, not simply ‘notes’, as entitled.)
56. Joseph Bonomi: a scrapbook of his trip to Spain on the expedition to observe the eclipse of 18 July 1860. Passport, letters (including letters from G. B. Airy, R. Main), newspaper cuttings, drawings, photographs.
57. A letter from G. B. Airy to S. Maynard, bookseller, 30 March 1857.
58. John Thomson: table of twelve-figure logarithms of numbers from 1 to 120,000, 10 vols and 3 sets of ‘Logarithmic Slips’. See MN, xxxiv, 447–75; the MS ‘e’ and the loose MSS mentioned at ibid., p. 449 are missing.
59. John Williams, Comets Observed in China From B.C. 613 to A.D. 1640..., 1869. Published, with amendments, as Observations of comets... (London, 1871).
60. William F. Denning, Observations of Shooting Stars, 1872–90.
61. John Willey, Index to the Catalogue of the Astronomical Society, showing the Order and Magnitude of each Star in its respective Constellation.
62. Pierre Stavinski, Observations astronomiques faites à l’Observatoire académique de Wilna en 1832 et 1833 n.s.
63. Pierre Stavinski, Observations Astronomiques faites à l’Observatoire Impérial de Vilna, pendant l’année 1835.
64. James L. McCance: astronomical diary, 3 vols, 1877–78.
65. William Richardson: reductions of stellar observations on printed forms, 2 vols. A note (?by Baily): ‘Received from Mr. Richardson April 8. 1831’.
66. H. C. F. C. Schjellerup, Extrait des Tables de la Lune de P. A. Hansen.
67. Anonymous: F. G. W. Struve’s Stellarum duplicium et multiplicium mensurae micrometricae..., abridged and re-ordered.
68. Anonymous: the same work as 67, re-ordered and reduced, with notes and diagrams.
69. Bound volume of letters to Richard Hodgson. Correspondents include:
G. B. Airy, 4 letters, 1863–67; W. G. Armstrong, 1, 1863; R. C. Carrington, 5, 1862–63; W. De La Rue, 11, 1861–67*; W. R. Dawes, 3, 1865*; J. Glaisher, 2, 1867*; F. Howlett, 15, 1859–65*; J. R. Hind, 1, 1857; W. Huggins, 1, 1866; W. Lassell, 1, 1863; J. Lee, 2, 1863; J. N. Lockyer, 1, 1863*; J. Nasmyth, 2, 1863, 1867*; W. Noble, 1, 1866; C. Pritchard, 4, 1866–67; B. Stewart, 1, 1866; C. G. Talmage, 1, 1864; C. V. Walker, 1, 1861; J. Williams, 1, 1866.
* Indicates the existence of copies of letters from Hodgson. There is also a copy of a letter from De La Rue to Dawes.
70. James F. Tennant, Report on the Determination of the Latitude at Karachi, 1855.
71. John E. Gore, Astronomical observations, 1873–76, Punjab.
72. Thomas Galloway, Memoir on recent progress of Astronomy, n.d., found among Galloway’s papers, 1858.
73. Letter from Camille Flammarion to William Noble, 18 Jan. 1895, concerning the foundation of the Société Astronomique de France.
74. William S. Franks, Catalogue of the Colours and Magnitudes of 3890 Stars, 1878.
75. William S. Franks, Catalogue of the Colours of 1730 Stars, 1886.
76. William S. Franks, Catalogue of the Mean Colours of 758 Stars, 1887.
77. William R. Birt, Observations on the Physical Aspects of the Lunar Crater Plato, 1860–61. See MN, xxii, 11.
78. Charles Pritchard, Optical tables for the manufacture of achromatic object-glasses.
79. Charles Pritchard, Observations of the Eclipse of the Sun July 18. 1860. from near Gujuli N. Spain. A narrative account, with another by V. Fasel, Pritchard’s assistant.
80. Selenographical Club: lunar drawings with notes, 2 vols, 1880–83.
81. Sherburne W. Burnham, Double Star Observations made in 1877–78 at Chicago .... See Mem., xliv, 141–305.
82. Loose pages of notes by ? Richard C. Carrington, found at the back of Add. 81.
83. Samuel J. Johnson, Projections of solar and lunar eclipses A.D. 1880 – A.D. 2000.
84. Samuel J. Johnson, Projections of eclipses visible in England A.D. 538 – A.D. 2500, 1887. See MN, xlvii, 430. 85. Expedition to the Salut Islands, under S. J. Perry, to observe the total solar eclipse of 22 Dec. 1889: 18 photographs.
86. Scrapbook: newspaper cuttings on total solar eclipse, Aug. 1896.
87. Photograph album: Flint Island expedition, solar eclipse of 3 Jan. 1908. Photographs taken by Henry Winkelmann.
88. Loose-leaf astronomical scrapbook, 134 ff, containing 18th and 19th century items: advertisements for public lectures on astronomy; newspaper and journal cuttings; a letter from J. Breen, 1855; a receipt signed by Sir Isaac Newton, 1725; several engravings.
89. Large scrapbook, compiled by James W. Bosanquet: newspaper cuttings and MSS. Includes letters to Bosanquet from: J. C. Adams, 2, 1854; G. B. Airy, 45, 1851–77; W. H. M. Christie, 1,1873; J. R. Hind, 11, 1854–77. R. Main, 3, 1856; and copies of letters from Bosanquet.
90. Astronomical scrapbook of Mrs Hannah Jackson-Gwilt: cuttings, engravings, autographs, photographs, MSS, etc. Includes letters to Mrs Jackson-Gwilt from:
J. C. Adams; W. R. Birt; J. Browning; J. Challis; G. B. Donati; J. L. E. Dreyer; R. Farley; S. Gorton; J. Hartnup; J. R. Hind; W. Huggins; J. Lee; U. J. J. Le Verrier; J. L. Lindsay, Lord; J. H. Maedler; A. Marth; L. Parsons, 4th Earl of Rosse; W. E. Plummer; L. A. J. Quetelet; A. C. Ranyard; T. R. Robinson; C. G. Talmage; T. W. Webb; W. H. Wesley; S. C. Whitbread; J. Williams.
There are also letters from J. F. W. Herschel to J. South, 1824; J. South to J. Fraunhofer, 1825; J. Fraunhofer to J. South, 1825; G. E. Hill to J. South, 1845; U. J. J. Le Verrier to J. R. Hind, n.d.; Lord Lindsay to J. Browning, 1875.
91. Photograph albums, 4 vols: photographs of Fellows and Associates of the Society, mostly 19th century.
92. Scrapbook: engraved portraits, title-pages, etc., scientific subjects, many pre-1800, with a few loose photographs.
93. Large photograph album: instruments and observatories.
94. A collection of loose engraved portraits and photographs of astronomers, with some of instruments and observatories.
95. Photographs taken at a meeting of the Society in 1935.
96. Scrapbook (? compiled by G. E. Coke): photographs and drawings of the transit of Venus expedition to Kerguelen Island, 1874.
97. Photographs of Pulkova Observatory and instruments.
98. Autograph of Chester Moor Hall, 1755.
99. Copy of a sworn affidavit (1772) of Samuel and Susanna Peach, son-in-law and daughter of James Bradley, defendants in a case concerning the custody of Bradley’s papers.
100. Drawing of an exploding meteor of 1783.
101. Clement J. Taylor: drawing of Halley’s comet and 2 letters, 1910.
102. S. A. Saunder and W. H. Wesley: letters and papers concerning a lunar map. Includes 2 letters from Saunder to Wesley, 1908–09; 1 from H. H. Turner to Saunder, 1908.
103. Communications to the RAS of Napoleon Barchetti, 1888–95.
104. F. Dawtrey Drewitt: mezzotint of total solar eclipse, 30 Aug. 1905, Spain, 2 copies.
105. Otto Boeddicker, The Milky Way, drawn at Birr Castle Observ[atory].
106. Ink drawings: R. S. Ball, A. A. Common and Mlle D. Klumpke observing a solar eclipse.
107. Ernest W. Brown, Mondtheorie, English MS text of his Theorie des Erdmondes (1915).
108. Reports from New Zealand on the total solar eclipse of 9 Sept. 1885, communicated by James McKerrow, Surveyor General.
109. Hisashi Kimura: Table III of his paper in MN, lxxiii, 543–48.
110. Andrew C. D. Crommelin: a roughwork notebook, which is a copy of The science year book...for 1905.
111. Rupert T. Gould: 6 drawings of the canals of Mars according to Schiaparelli, Lowell and Maggini, 1929.
112. S. E. Peal, A theory of Lunar surfacing, 1884.
113. S. Chandrasekhar, Tabulation of f and the Auxiliary-functions. See MN, xcv, 222.
114. C. Clement Jennings-Taylor, Celestial Beauties, or The Constellations, A Tropical Review... , n.d.
115. John Jackson: 2 vols of typed tables, 1933:
1. The Sun at Greenwich Mean Noon, 1775–98.
2. The Sun at Oxford Apparent Noon, 1775–98.
116. J. A. Archer, On the Direction of Approach of Microseisms, 1937.
117. R. S. Webb, Notes on the work of Jean Picard, Astronome de l’Académie Royale des Sciences, a Paris: b. 1620, d. 1682, 4 vols, c.1939.
118. Comparison of the places of the Moon deduced from Burchardt’s and Hansen’s Tables for every Greenwich mean midnight during the years 1847–61 together with a corrected comparison of Hansen’s Tables with the Greenwich Observations during the same period. See MN, 1, Appendix.
119. A MS copy of Apollonius, Conics, books 1–4 (?16th–17th century), with the name ‘Robert Clements’ on the fly-leaf, and containing a letter of J. F. W. Herschel, 1853.
120. MS copy of T. Campanella, Astrological Predictions In four Books (contains 3 books only), c. 1716.
121. MSS of W. S. B. Woolhouse: notes on the months of the year (? in preparation for 8th edn of his Measures, weights and moneys of all nations); MS list of contents of his Part first of an elementary treatise on the application of algebraic analysis to geometry (1831), with a printed copy of this work.
122. Thomas W. Hill, Logarithms and other mathematical manuscripts, bound up in 2 vols. See MN, xxi, 87.
123. MS volume containing tracts by Bhao-Ud-Deen Muhammad, Mulla Alee Koshgee and Abu-L-Fateh Muhammad, with a letter by J. F. Tennant, 1857.