Mr. Gledhill gave a lecture on “The History & Construction of the Telescope”.
The lecturer stated that Telescopes were known as early as the 13th century; having been accidentally invented by some children playing in their fathers shop with some spectacle lenses. Their practical use only dates from the 17th century. Galileo made a telescope to look at the moon & planets in 1564. In 1659 Haygens discovered the planet Saturn.
The various forms of lenses were explained, & the different kinds of instruments used; the lecturer showing eight different kinds, viz. Newtonian, Gregorian, Cassegrain, Astronomical, & Terrestrial refractors, & the numerous forms of eyepieces & lenses, many of them made & ground by himself. Also, a 4 ½ “ refractor& a 6 “ refractor of his own make. (Gregorian).
He described the new Telescope; the munificent gift of Sir Henry Thompson to Greenwich Observatory. The great Yerkes Telescope at Wisconsin U.S.A., the largest in the world was also described, He then gave an account of how lenses are made & ground; closing with some mention of the objects of stellar & planetary telescopy.