Scope and Content
'Observations on the Heavenly Bodies from July 1819, by
James Pettit, F.R.A.S.' 4to vol., bound calf,
approximately 200 pp., less than half full.
At beginning: note pasted in, signed 'H. Simmons,
Edlesborough, 15 March 1952' that James Pettit was
elected a Fellow 8 April 1825, sponsors F. Beaufort,
John Millingate, Wm. Pearson, Chas. Tulley; that
he was the son of a farmer at Bedford (Bedford is
incorrect); after the death of his father he came
to London, was a clerk in the Bank of England,
d. 25 Nov. 1850, aged 76 yrs.
The entries are almost entirely astronomical in characters;
but see the following :-
1 October 1820: 'My Mother being in her 78 year of her age
saw the satellites of Jupiter through a small telescope
at Leighton with a power of 30; when all four were visable in
a line she observed she saw five, 3 on one side, and 2 on the
other; one was a telescopic star in a line with the four.
A proof of her excellent sight at her great age.'
25 Nov. 1825: 'Set off by coach for London from Leighton at
7 of clock; saw Venus in the Ballance rising about half
an hour before the sun.'
16 Aug. 1826: 'Was with Mr. Bevan at Leighton to get a sight
of the Hirchel planet then situate in the East part of
Sagittarius, but in vain.'
2 June 1831 (actually follows 29th May 1833). (10 pages after
date) '...I was passing through the Town of Bedford when I
saw Capt. Smith who is a F.R.A.S. & has got one of the best
Observatorys in England & one of the best Telescopes made by
Mr. Thomas Tulley......Dr. Lee of Hartwell ...F.R.A.S. came
galloping from Hartwell about 25 Miles from Bedford the next
Morning to inform Capt. Smith of what he had seen the night
before through his telescope'.
2 July 1833: 'Poor Mr. Bevan of Leighton Buzzard attended a meeting
at the Town Hall in consequence of a burglary at Dunstable
Downs. When he left he observed to Mr. John Mathews he
intended to witness the eclipse of the moon, but was a corpse
soon after 1 of clock of the morning of the 2 July, so that
he could not have seen the end of the eclipse, as it was not
over until 20 minutes past 2 of clock. Mrs. Bevan informed Charles
they had been in bed and had got up and went into the front
room to see the eclipse. When they returned he complained of a
pain in the chest. The servant was in bed. Mr. Bevan wanted
some warm water, and while he was in the act of putting a few
sticks on the fire, he slipt down and without a sigh or groan
he breathed his last ... The world by his death lost a very
ingenious cleaver and worthy man. Tho' self taught he was a
very good astronomer and took the greatest delight in mathamatics
and astronomy. Mr. Bevan when he died I believe was about
65 years of age. Mr. Bevan was universally respected and
was looked up to as a cleaver man, but he was perhaps better known
on the continent, than he was at Leighton Buzzard, at which
place the people look on astronomy only as a mode or way by
which a man may be a fortune-teller.'
8 Nov. 1833. 'Was at the Royal Astronomical Society, and took with
me Mr. Bartlett, had the pleasure to meet with Capt. Ross just
after his return from his northern voyage for the purpose of
discovering a northwest passage to North America ... I asked if
it was true, as I had seen it in the papers, which was, if it was
true that on last Christmas day he did dine off of a roast fox and
cold snow water. His reply was, the crew and himself were
glad to eat of anything.'
8 May 1834: 'Was with Wm. Tulley when I saw Gamma Leonis
through a 8 ft. 6 in. diameter object glass.'
26 Sept. - 19 Oct. 1835: 10 pp. on Halley's comet.
'Saturday morning 26 September 1835 1/2 past 12 of clock I
was induced to look for the comet, being a clear night,
and seeing an account from my friend at Gosport Observatory
Mr. Maberley. I placed my telescope on the stand, and
found it in two minutes afterwards.'
'I could very distinctly see the comet this night, 11th of
October 1836, with my naked eye.'
'Saw Halley's comet again for the last time on Tuesday
night 19th Oct. 1835.'
15 May 1836: 'Of the great eclipse of the sun which took place
on Sunday 15th of May the most interesting part was the
great number of spots on the sun's disc ... I counted 20 spots.'
... The Astronomer Royal, Mr. Arey [Sir George Biddell Airey], and Mr. Francis Bailey
were at Shetland Islands in Scotland to observe this eclipse.'
18 Feb. 1837: 'I showed to Phebe and likewise to my servant,
Mrs. Bacon, and Maria, ... the shadow of one of Jupiter's
satellites on the face of the planet.'
14 April 1837: 'Was at the Astronomical Society, when I called
on Mr. Knight to go with me but he could not go. I was
near in mistake bringing away one of the three plates of
Halley's comet sent to the Astronomical Society by
Sir John Herschel from the Cape of Good Hope ... I put the
plate in my pocket ... when fortunately I discovered my
mistake, for Mr. Arey said he would not have lost it for
20'.
13 Oct. 1837: 'While I was at Tunbridge Wells and the same night
I dined at the Conservative Dinner. There was the finest
eclipse of the moon I ever saw.'
Note: the following books were handed over by Mr. Corfield :-
J. Keill, Introduction to the true astronomy, 1730
(Richard Reddall)
J. Ferguson, Astronomy, 1778. (James Pettit)
B. Martin, Philosophia Britannica, ii-iii, 1759. (James Pettit)
The wonders of the telescope, 1809. (James Pettit)
D. Brewster, Ferguson's astronomy explained, 1811. (R.B. Garde)
also a Greek lexicon, 1781, and Bible, ?1813, apparently
not Pettit's property.
The astronomical books are stored with A.D.; the others in the
search-room. The former are marked in pencil
'Received with A.D. 1011'. The latter are treated as
ordinary book accessions."
EXTRACT FROM MONTHLY NOTICES, VOL.11, p.90. 1850.
MR. JAMES PETIT was the son of a farmer at
Bedford*, at whose death he came to London, and followed
the profession of music with great success; but having
obtained introduction to some of the first families in
the kingdom, he succeeded in an application to become a
clerk in the Bank of England; in his leisure hours he
devoted his time to the study of optics. He made a
number of achromatic telescopes, some of which are much
above mediocrity. He also studied medicine, and was
passionately fond of mesmerism; bodily afflictions, and
the number of years he held the situation of a clerk in
the Bank, induced the directors of that establishment
to grant him a retiring pension; upon which, besides
other property he possessed, he lived in great suffering
until his decease, which took place the 25th day of
November, 1850, in the 76th year of his age.
Supplied by the Secretary of the Royal Astronomical Society).
* (The Secretary writes that the nomination form says James Pettit esq.
'of Leighton Buzzard').