103:. In 1853 the Victorian government invited him to establish and manage an observatory at Gellibrand's Point (now Williamstown), Victoria, appointing him as Superintendent for the purposes of commercial astronomy. Ellery's key duty was to determine precise local mean time for the masters of vessels to correct their chronometers in Hobson's Bay, which by that time had become rapidly crowded with shipping . The astronomical observatory provided a service to shipping, whose navigators relied critically on accurate astronomical time for determination of their longitude and appreciated the opportunity to synchronise their chronometers. Ellery had already established a reputation as an astronomer and in July 1853 was put in charge of the facility. The Victorian government observatory was at first on a very modest scale, being housed in a small two-roomed cottage at Williamstown, and the only instruments were a
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242:, but recovered well and was in fair health until shortly before his death at Melbourne on 14 January 1908. Ellery wrote many papers for scientific journals some of which were re-issued as pamphlets. Some of the catalogues of stars and other work done under his supervision at the observatory were published, but at the time of his death much remained in manuscript. He was elected a fellow of the
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which was not completed until 1874. In 1858, he was appointed to be a Land
Surveyor in the Victorian Government Department of Public Lands, in addition to his duties as Superintendent of the Astronomical Observatory at Gellibrand's Point. He was further appointed to Superintend the geodetic survey
160:, an able astronomer, was added to Ellery's staff in May 1860, and several valuable catalogues of stars were prepared and published. Melbourne Observatory played a crucial role in the 1862 determination of the distance from the earth of the sun, which involved close cooperation between Ellery and
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Potter. Ellery was educated at the local grammar school and qualified as a medical practitioner working as a surgeon in London until 1851. Ellery developed an early interest in practical astronomy and meteorology and sought relaxation from his medical studies in those branches of science,
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In 1868 a new telescope was sent out from
England but the results obtained with it were unsatisfactory. Ellery resolved the issues he had with the telescope by applying his mechanical ability to the problems involved. Ellery had an able assistant in
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When the
Williamstown and Melbourne telegraph lines was erected in 1854, the Williamstown end was also placed under Ellery's charge. Ellery's workload was not heavy, and he also undertook for a time the duties of storekeeper of the marine depot.
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as his observer, serving from 1870 to 1872. In March 1871 he reported to the Royal
Society of Victoria that since Le Sueur's polishing of the Great Melbourne Telescope the chief limitation to observation was the atmosphere, not the instrument.
156:, who had applied for a site in the Domain south of the Yarra without success. Both Ellery and Neumayer found that the sites given them were not suitable for their work, but it was not until 1863 that a move was made to the Domain.
231:; he chose as the subject of his address "A Brief History of the Beginnings and Growth of Astronomy in Australasia". Ellery a keen apiarist and was the first president of the Victorian Beekeepers' Club in 1885, and edited the
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At the end of 1890, another telescope arrived and Ellery began a new important piece of work, the preparation of the share allotted to
Melbourne of the astrographic chart. He retired in 1895 and was succeeded by
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attracted by the discovery of gold and the opportunity to practice astronomy and meteorology. Upon arrival, Ellery established a medical practice from his residence at the top end of Bourke Street, Melbourne,
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He was interested in the volunteer movement and in 1873 organized the
Victorian torpedo corps, afterwards the submarine mining engineers. He was in command until 1889, when he retired with the rank of
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115:. However, by March 1854, a 30-inch transit instrument, a good astronomical clock and a time-ball apparatus had been added, and a few meteorological instruments were also obtained.
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Meeting
Minutes of the Institution of Surveyors at Weber's Hotel Elizabeth Street Melbourne dated 9 May 1874 (recorded by Stuart Murray, CE MA, acting as Secretary pro tem)
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declined the office due to pressure of public business. He was elected Fellow of the
Victorian Institute of Surveyors in 1877, the first to be awarded the honour.
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246:, London, in 1873, and was created C.M.G. in 1889. He was married twice, to two sisters, daughters of Dr John Shields. He left a widow and a daughter.
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In addition to his own work Ellery had much to do with educational and scientific bodies. He was one of the founders of the
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43:(14 July 1827 â 14 January 1908) was an English-Australian astronomer and public servant who served as
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In 1863 Ellery was appointed to the Board of
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established in 1874, and served as its first
President (1874-1877), after Surveyor General
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At the beginning of 1858 the government founded a magnetic observatory on Flagstaff Hill,
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and its president from 1866 to 1884, became a trustee of the public library, museums and
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436:. No. 7, 736. Victoria, Australia. 27 March 1871. p. 1 (The Argus Supplement)
302:(Anonymous) Interview with Captain Watson, Williamstown Chronicle 18 January 1908, p.2.
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occasionally working as an amateur at England's principal observatories. Friends at
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in 1882, and was also for many years a member of the council of the
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encouraged him and he had some access to instruments there.
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Victorian Government Gazette No.106, 13 August 1858, p.1539
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Illustrated Australian News for Home Readers, 25 April 1868
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Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science
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Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
482:Encyclopedia of Australian Science and Innovation
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16:English-Australian astronomer and public servant
227:. In 1900, Ellery was elected president of the
542:, 1972, pp 135â137. Retrieved 12 October 2008
315:The Biographical Encyclopedia of Astronomers
261:in Antarctica was named after him in 1886.
444:– via National Library of Australia.
416:– via National Library of Australia.
367:– via National Library of Australia.
285:Syme, Ebenezer and David (25 April 1868).
152:, under a distinguished German scientist,
130:In 1856 Ellery began a geodetic survey of
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657:19th-century Australian public servants
642:English emigrants to colonial Australia
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80:Photograph of Robert Lewis John Ellery
530:Ellery, Robert Lewis John (1827â1908)
238:Early in 1907 Ellery had a paralytic
194:The Institution of Surveyors Victoria
287:"Robert Lewis John Ellery, F.R.A.S."
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47:government astronomer for 42 years.
627:19th-century Australian astronomers
400:"The Sun's Distance from the Earth"
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632:People from the Colony of Victoria
535:Australian Dictionary of Biography
507:Dictionary of Australian Biography
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255:Royal Society of New South Wales
192:Ellery was a founding member of
122:Photograph of Robert L.J. Ellery
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389:No.88 1 September 1863, p.1918.
23:Portrait of Robert L. J. Ellery
662:University of Melbourne people
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233:Australian Beekeepers' Journal
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652:Fellows of the Royal Society
387:Victorian Government Gazette
214:National Gallery of Victoria
137:Surveyor General of Victoria
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502:"Ellery, Robert Lewis John"
351:"The Late Mr Robert Ellery"
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405:The Sydney Morning Herald
210:Royal Society of Victoria
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589:Robert Lewis John Ellery
465:"Institute of Surveyors"
174:Ebenezer Farie Macgeorge
28:Robert Lewis John Ellery
469:The Argus 17 April 1884
312:Hockey, Thomas (2009).
249:Ellery was awarded the
218:University of Melbourne
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647:People from Cranleigh
512:Angus & Robertson
433:The Argus (Melbourne)
140:Charles Whybrow Ligar
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70:Greenwich Observatory
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557:Julian Tenison Woods
428:"Summary for Europe"
198:Alexander John Skene
598:Robert L. J. Ellery
320:Springer Publishing
135:of Victoria by the
94:in 1851 aboard the
55:Ellery was born in
526:S. C. B. Gascoigne
225:lieutenant colonel
154:Georg von Neumayer
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113:marine chronometer
109:artificial horizon
90:Ellery sailed for
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571:Succeeded by
329:978-0-387-31022-0
158:Edward John White
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259:Mount Ellery
251:Clarke Medal
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162:E. J. Stone
611:Categories
517:12 October
510:. Sydney:
265:References
204:Later life
51:Early life
335:22 August
257:in 1889.
166:Greenwich
57:Cranleigh
45:Victorian
500:(1949).
132:Victoria
101:Victoria
96:Moselle,
92:Victoria
549:Awards
253:by the
105:sextant
440:19 May
412:19 May
363:18 May
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240:stroke
111:and a
86:Career
61:Surrey
568:1889
107:, an
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519:2008
442:2019
414:2019
365:2019
337:2012
324:ISBN
40:FRAS
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540:MUP
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164:of
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65:nÊe
36:FRS
32:CMG
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
