Monday January 29, 1894

The laying of Brookes’ electric main was commenced. M^r Henry H. Vincent (stage manager) & M^r H.P. Hall (artist) of the St James’ theatre called with reference to an Observatory scene in a new play. Showed Great Equatorial, Lassell & Astrographic Equatorial. The last seemed the most suitable.

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William Christie, Astronomer Royal8

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Rebekah Higgitt says.....

Here we find another use for large telescopes - inspiration for theatre design! A review of the "Brilliant First Night" of Henry Arthur Jones's "The Masequeraders" at St James's Theatre in Picadilly in April 1894 can be found online, a performance that was only marred by a "short and weak last act". Presumably it is only coincidence that it was this act that featured the telescope: "The last scene is laid in the observatory on Mont Saint Garidelli, in the Maritime Alps, near Nice. The room is dark, save for a shaft of moonlight which illuminates the large equatorial telescope in the inner room".

Tuesday January 23, 1894

Reversed crown lens of 28ⁱⁿ telescope for photography. M^r Simms called to arrange about the new slow motion screws & decⁿ clamp of Great Equatorial. Saw M^r Crisp at Adm^y about the new buildings and went with him to several shops to try to get suitable gas & electric light pendants.

William Christie, Astronomer Royal

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Rebekah Higgitt says.....

The lens of the new 28-inch telescope had been specially designed so that, by reversing it, the telescope could be used for photography as well as for visual observation. This experimental optical work on the use of lenses for astronomical photography and spectroscopy was of great interest to Christie. However, he seems to have been quite easily distracted by the prospect of more shopping for his new building.