NavList:

   

Reply

Alex provided an interesting list of "sextant manufacturers", but if he is
going to make it comprehensive, he has a lot of labour in store. However, it
could be well worth while.

I think few of the English names on his list actually made their own
instruments, though they may have bought them in to put into a box and
attach their own name. There was a lot of badge-engineering went on, even
then. Even just on the English list, there may be many more names to add.

One example, not on Alex's list, is Sewill, of Liverpool, who describes
himself on the label as "Maker to the Royal Navy". Sewill "made" my own
Vernier sextant, which appears in all respects to be a rebadged Heath clone,
but lacking their endless-tangent feature, introduced into Heath's own
instruments around the same time.

Alex may remember that he checked out the adjustments of that sextant when
he visited me in Oxford, in the Summer. It had interested him because its
Kew certificate stated that the corrections were zero at all angles.

One item on his list is-

| Henry Hughes and Son, formerly Kelvin and Hughes,
|                (Fenchurch str., London)

but I suggest that ought to be the other way round..

As far as English sextants are concerned, the acknowleged authority is
Gloria Clifton, who maintains a database of sextant makers. She is also the
author of a directory of London instrument-makers. I have found her to be
very helpful.

Dr G.C. Clifton,
Head of Royal Observatory, Greenwich,
National Maritime Museum,
Greenwich, London SE10 9NF
Tel. 020 8312 6758
Fax 020 8312 6734
email "Gloria Clifton" 


=============

George.

contact George Huxtable at george@huxtable.u-net.com
or at +44 1865 820222 (from UK, 01865 820222)
or at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK.



--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
To post to this group, send email to NavList@fer3.com
To , send email to NavList-@fer3.com
-~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---

   

Reply