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98-606: The idea to create an observatory in Paisley came from the annual general meeting of the Paisley Philosophical Institution (PPI) held in 1880. The PPI was founded on 13 October 1808, having its origins among the educated and professional gentlemen of the burgh, such as ministers, doctors, lawyers and bankers. These 'noble pioneers of philosophy' [Gardner, P5] banded together with a view to improving themselves and their fellow towns-people through lectures,

196-568: A hydrographic survey around Spitsbergen . The ship sailed up the west coast of the main island of the Spitsbergen group, and visited Adventfjorden and Smeerenburg in the north. During the latter stages of the voyage Bruce was placed in charge of the voyage's scientific observations. The following year Bruce was invited to join Prince Albert on another oceanographic cruise to Spitsbergen. At Red Bay , latitude 80°N , Bruce ascended

294-556: A Scottish physician, and his Welsh wife Mary, née Lloyd. His middle name came from another branch of the family; its unusual spelling, as distinct from the more common "Spiers", tended to cause problems for reporters, reviewers and biographers. William passed his early childhood in the family's London home at 18 Royal Crescent, Holland Park , under the tutelage of his grandfather, the Revd William Bruce. There were regular visits to nearby Kensington Gardens , and sometimes to

392-543: A basis for examining climate change in South Georgia. This expedition predicted "dramatic conclusions" relating to global warming from its research, and saw this contribution as a "fitting tribute to Britain's forgotten polar hero, William Speirs Bruce". An hour-long BBC television documentary on Bruce presented by Neil Oliver in 2011 contrasted his meticulous science with his rivals' aim of enhancing imperial prestige. A new biographer, Peter Speak (2003), claims that

490-600: A century later, when the matter was raised in the Scottish Parliament . On 4 November 2002 MSP Michael Russell tabled a motion relating to the SNAE centenary, which concluded: "The Polar Medal Advisory Committee should recommend the posthumous award of the Polar Medal to Dr William Speirs Bruce, in recognition of his status as one of the key figures in early 20th century polar scientific exploration". After

588-473: A cruise which explored the Barents Sea , the dual islands of Novaya Zemlya, and the island of Kolguyev , before a retreat to Vardø in northeastern Norway to reprovision for the voyage to Spitsbergen. In a letter to Mill, Bruce reported: "This is a pure yachting cruise and life is luxurious". But his scientific work was unabated: "I have been taking 4-hourly observations in meteorology and temperature of

686-607: A decade of Arctic and Antarctic travel, required a permanent home. Bruce himself needed a base from which the detailed scientific reports of the Scotia voyage could be prepared for publication. He obtained premises in Nicolson Street, Edinburgh, in which he established a laboratory and museum, naming it the Scottish Oceanographical Laboratory , with the ultimate ambition that it should become

784-667: A few days later, and reported that the funding for a second ship was now assured, making his first explicit references to a "Scottish Expedition". This alarmed Markham, who replied with some anger: "Such a course will be most prejudicial to the Expedition ;[...] A second ship is not in the least required [...] I do not know why this mischievous rivalry should have been started". Bruce replied by return, denying rivalry, and asserting: "If my friends are prepared to give me money to carry out my plans I do not see why I should not accept it [...] there are several who maintain that

882-575: A fully equipped Antarctic research ship , renamed Scotia . He then appointed an all-Scottish crew and scientific team. Scotia left Troon on 2 November 1902, and headed south towards Antarctica, where Bruce intended to set up winter quarters in the Weddell Sea quadrant, "as near to the South Pole as is practicable". On 22 February the ship reached 70°25′S, but could proceed no further because of heavy ice. She retreated to Laurie Island in

980-681: A further letter to Mill he outlined his wishes to go South again, adding: "the taste I have had has made me ravenous". Within months he was making proposals for a scientific expedition to South Georgia, but the RGS would not support his plans. In early 1896 he considered collaboration with the Norwegians Henryk Bull and Carsten Borchgrevink in an attempt to reach the South Magnetic Pole . This, too, failed to materialise. From September 1895 to June 1896 Bruce worked at

1078-732: A hunting voyage to the Arctic waters around Novaya Zemlya and Spitsbergen , in the private yacht Blencathra . This offer had originally been made to Mill, who was unable to obtain leave from the Royal Geographical Society, and once again suggested Bruce as a replacement. Andrew Coats was a member of the prosperous Coats family of thread manufacturers, who had founded the Coats Observatory at Paisley . Bruce joined Blencathra at Tromsø , Norway in May 1898, for

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1176-524: A long letter to his Member of Parliament, Charles Price, detailing Sir Clements's malice towards him and the Scottish expedition, ending with a heartfelt cry on behalf of his old comrades: "Robertson is dying without his well won white ribbon! The Mate is dead!! The Chief Engineer is dead!!! Everyone as good men as have ever served on any Polar Expedition, yet they did not receive the white ribbon." No action followed this plea. No award had been made nearly

1274-617: A meeting held in Paisley Museum on 18 October 1882 Thomas Coats officially handed over the observatory and telescope to the Paisley Philosophical Institution. As well as outlining the building developments he announced the creation of an endowment fund of £2000 (1882 value) towards the upkeep and development of the observatory. This gesture saw the PPI Council meeting of January 1883 agreeing to name

1372-695: A new centre should be created as a memorial to Murray. There was unanimous agreement to proceed, but the project was curtailed by the outbreak of war, and not revived. The Scottish Oceanographical Laboratory continued until 1919, when Bruce, in poor health, was forced to close it, dispersing its contents to the Royal Scottish Museum , the Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS), and the University of Edinburgh. On 17 March 1910 Bruce presented proposals to

1470-556: A permanent weather station, under Argentinian control. Renamed Orcadas Base , the site has been continuously in operation since then, and provides the longest historical meteorological series of Antarctica. In January 1904 Scotia sailed south again, to explore the Weddell Sea. On 6 March, new land was sighted, part of the sea's eastern boundary; Bruce named this Coats Land after the expedition's chief backers. On 14 March, at 74°01′S and in danger of becoming icebound, Scotia turned north. The long voyage back to Scotland, via Cape Town ,

1568-455: A post on Robert Falcon Scott 's Discovery Expedition , but delays over this appointment and clashes with Royal Geographical Society (RGS) president Sir Clements Markham led him instead to organise his own expedition, and earned him the permanent enmity of the geographical establishment in London. Although Bruce received various awards for his polar work, including an honorary doctorate from

1666-666: A proviso that if ever the Philosophical Institution should find itself unable to continue to pay for the upkeep of the Observatory it should be offered to Paisley Town Council, as the local authority was then. In 1963 management was transferred to the Town Council and the observatory placed under the charge of the Museum and Art Galleries Committee. Repairs and decoration of the building were undertaken and

1764-703: A second ship is highly desirable". Unappeased, Markham wrote back: "As I was doing my best to get you appointed (to the National Antarctic Expedition) I had a right to think you would not take such a step [...] without at least consulting me". He continued: "You will cripple the National Expedition [...] in order to get up a scheme for yourself". Bruce replied formally, saying that the funds he had raised in Scotland would not have been forthcoming for any other project. There

1862-416: A target of £6,000) was subscribed to finance the costs of a detailed prospecting expedition in 1909, in a chartered vessel with a full scientific team. The results were "disappointing", and the voyage absorbed almost all of the syndicate's funds. Bruce paid two further visits to Spitsbergen, in 1912 and 1914, but the outbreak of war prevented further immediate developments. Early in 1919 the old syndicate

1960-647: A transcontinental Antarctic march via the South Pole were abandoned because of lack of public and financial support. In 1892 Bruce gave up his medical studies at the University of Edinburgh and joined the Dundee Whaling Expedition to Antarctica as a scientific assistant. This was followed by Arctic voyages to Novaya Zemlya , Spitsbergen and Franz Josef Land . In 1899 Bruce, by then Britain's most experienced polar scientist, applied for

2058-561: A wide correspondence with experts, including Sir Joseph Hooker , who had travelled to the Antarctic with James Clark Ross in 1839–43, and to whom Bruce dedicated his short book Polar Exploration . In 1914 discussions began toward finding more permanent homes, both for Bruce's collection and, following the death that year of oceanographer Sir John Murray, for the specimens and library of the Challenger expedition. Bruce proposed that

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2156-459: A wide range of scientific apparatus for observing the night sky and making meteorological records. In 1900 seismic monitoring equipment was installed for recording earthquakes . Coats Observatory was one of the stations across the world which recorded the 1906 San Francisco earthquake . Apart from the two original telescopes the rest of the equipment now makes up the science collections held by Paisley Museum. The collection includes equipment from

2254-498: Is imperishably enrolled among the world's great explorers, and the martyrs to unselfish scientific devotion." Rudmose Brown's biography was published in 1923, and in the same year a joint committee of Edinburgh's learned societies instituted the Bruce Memorial Prize , an award for young polar scientists. Thereafter his name continued to be respected in scientific circles, but Bruce and his achievements were forgotten by

2352-441: Is no pleasant job to dabble in icy-cold water, with the thermometer some degrees below zero, or to plod in the summer through snow, slush and mud many miles in search of animal life, as I have known Mr Bruce frequently to do". Jackson named Cape Bruce after him, on the northern edge of Northbrook Island, at 80°55′N. Jackson was less pleased with Bruce's proprietorial attitude to his personal specimens, which he refused to entrust to

2450-941: Is no record of profitable extraction. Its assets and claims were finally acquired by a rival concern. During his lifetime Bruce received many awards: the Gold Medal of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society in 1904; the Patron's Medal of the Royal Geographical Society in 1910; the Neill prize and Medal of the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 1913, and the Livingstone Medal of the American Geographical Society in 1920. He also received an honorary LLD degree from

2548-479: Is reached via a short flight of stairs at the beginning and end and a ramped walkway between, designed this way to limit the number of steps required to reach the top of the building and to facilitate the easier passage of equipment throughout. The entrance foyer features a large stained-glass window dedicated to the late 18th century astronomer William Herschel plus further depictions in stained glass of earlier astronomers Johannes Kepler and Galileo . The building

2646-402: Is scheduled to reopen in late 2022. The original telescope installed in 1883 was a 5-inch refractor made by Thomas Cooke of York. In 1898 a second, larger telescope was installed to operate alongside the original Cooke one. This was a 10-inch Equatorial built by Howard Grubb of Dublin. Both telescopes are still operational and used during the winter viewing nights. A planetarium projector

2744-580: The Ben Nevis summit meteorological station, where he gained further experience in scientific procedures and with meteorological instruments. In June 1896, again on the recommendation of Mill, he left this post to join the Jackson–Harmsworth Expedition , then in its third year in the Arctic on Franz Josef Land . This expedition, led by Frederick George Jackson and financed by newspaper magnate Alfred Harmsworth , had left London in 1894. It

2842-731: The British Museum with the expedition's other finds. This "tendency towards scientific conceit", and lack of tact in interpersonal dealings, were early demonstrations of character flaws that in later life would be held against him. On his return from Franz Josef Land in 1897, Bruce worked in Edinburgh as an assistant to his former mentor John Arthur Thomson, and resumed his duties at the Ben Nevis observatory. In March 1898 he received an offer to join Major Andrew Coats on

2940-676: The Cape Observatory in South Africa from 1879 to 1907; Frank Watson Dyson , Astronomer Royal of England from 1910 to 1933; and Keir Hardie , one of the founders of the Labour Party . After Thomas Coats' death his son James took over the family involvement in the Observatory, increasing the endowment and purchasing a number of pieces of scientific equipment for use in the building. The addition of all of this equipment made it necessary to provide more accommodation. A pavilion

3038-549: The Firth of Forth , were under the direction of Patrick Geddes and John Arthur Thomson , and included sections on botany and practical zoology . The experience of Granton, and the contact with some of the foremost contemporary natural scientists, convinced Bruce to stay in Scotland. He abandoned his place at UCL, and enrolled instead in the medical school at the University of Edinburgh . This enabled him to maintain contact with mentors such as Geddes and Thomson, and also gave him

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3136-501: The Liberton Hospital , Edinburgh, where he died on 28 October 1921. In accordance with his wishes he was cremated, and the ashes taken to South Georgia to be scattered on the southern sea. Despite his irregular income and general lack of funds, his estate realised £7,000 (2024 value about £390,000). After Bruce's death his long-time friend and colleague Robert Rudmose Brown wrote, in a letter to Bruce's father: "His name

3234-499: The Natural History Museum ; according to Samuel Bruce these outings first ignited young William's interest in life and nature. In 1879, at the age of 12, William was sent to a progressive boarding school, Norfolk County School (later Watts Naval School ) in the village of North Elmham , Norfolk. He remained there until 1885, and then spent two further years at University College School , Hampstead , preparing for

3332-666: The Paisley Free Library and Museum (1871), the Coats Observatory (1882) and Paisley Technical College and School of Art (1897; subsequently the University of Paisley, now part of the University of the West of Scotland ). This article relating to education in Scotland is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article about an organisation in Scotland is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . William Speirs Bruce William Speirs Bruce FRSE (1 August 1867 – 28 October 1921)

3430-522: The South Orkneys chain, and wintered there in a bay he named Scotia Bay. A meteorological station , Omond House (named after Robert Traill Omond ), was established as part of a full programme of scientific work. In November 1903 Scotia retreated to Buenos Aires for repair and reprovisioning. While in Argentina , Bruce negotiated an agreement with the government whereby Omond House became

3528-505: The University of Aberdeen , neither he nor any of his SNAE colleagues were recommended by the RGS for the prestigious Polar Medal . Between 1907 and 1920 Bruce made many journeys to the Arctic regions, both for scientific and for commercial purposes. His failure to mount any major exploration ventures after the SNAE is usually attributed to his lack of public relations skills, powerful enemies, and his Scottish nationalism. By 1919 his health

3626-482: The University of Aberdeen . The honour that eluded him was the Polar Medal, awarded by the Sovereign on the recommendation of the Royal Geographical Society. The Medal was awarded to the members of every other British or Commonwealth Antarctic expedition during the early 20th century, but the SNAE was the exception; the medal was withheld. Bruce, and those close to him, blamed Markham for this omission. The matter

3724-420: The matriculation examination that would admit him to the medical school at University College London (UCL). He succeeded at his third attempt, and was ready to start his medical studies in the autumn of 1887. During mid-1887, Bruce travelled north to Edinburgh to attend a pair of vacation courses in natural sciences. The six-week courses, at the recently established Scottish Marine Station at Granton on

3822-517: The Lighting Order of 1916 introduced due to the fear of zeppelin bombing raids. The post-war drop in the value of currency saw the value of the endowment left by the Coats family decrease. Consequently, maintenance of the building and equipment was not carried out, leading to a state of neglect and decline which saw the telescope out of action for almost a year. This was remedied in 1924, when

3920-537: The PPI in 1878 and 1879, including four by Robert Grant, Professor of Astronomy at the University of Glasgow and one by Reverend John Crouch entitled 'The Telescope in Relation to Astronomical Observation'. The council of the institution agreed to purchase a telescope and Thomas Coats , a member of the world-famous thread manufacturing family and also of the PPI council, offered to meet the costs involved. He also proposed

4018-495: The Royal Geographical Society in London. Although it would finally curtail his medical studies, Bruce did not hesitate; with William Gordon Burn Murdoch as an assistant he took up his duties on Balaena under Capt. Alexander Fairweather. The four ships sailed from Dundee on 6 September 1892. The relatively short expedition—Bruce was back in Scotland in May 1893—failed in its main purpose, and gave only limited opportunities for scientific work. No right whales were found, and to cut

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4116-695: The Royal Scottish Geographical Society (RSGS) for a new Scottish Antarctic expedition. His plan envisaged a party wintering in or near Coats Land, while the ship took another group to the Ross Sea , on the opposite side of the continent. During the second season the Coats Land party would cross the continent on foot, via the South Pole , while the Ross Sea party pushed south to meet them and assist them home. The expedition would also carry out extensive oceanographical and other scientific work. Bruce estimated that

4214-474: The SNAE was "by far the most cost-effective and carefully planned scientific expedition of the Heroic Age". The same author considers reasons why Bruce's efforts to capitalise on this success met with failure, and suggests a combination of his shy, solitary, uncharismatic nature and his "fervent" Scottish nationalism. Bruce seemingly lacked public relations skills and the ability to promote his work, after

4312-704: The Scottish National Oceanographic Institute. It was officially opened by Prince Albert of Monaco in 1906. Within these premises Bruce housed his meteorological and oceanographic equipment, in preparation for future expeditions. He also met there with fellow-explorers, including Nansen, Shackleton, and Roald Amundsen . His main task was masterminding the preparation of the SNAE scientific reports. These, at considerable cost and much delay, were published between 1907 and 1920, except for one volume—Bruce's own log—that remained unpublished until 1992, after its rediscovery. Bruce maintained

4410-552: The Tweed, they think dead". During his Spitsbergen visits with Prince Albert in 1898 and 1899, Bruce had detected the presence of coal, gypsum and possibly oil. In the summers of 1906 and 1907 he again accompanied the Prince to the archipelago, with the primary purpose of surveying and mapping Prince Charles Foreland , an island unvisited during the earlier voyages. Here Bruce found further deposits of coal, and indications of iron. On

4508-707: The United Free Church of Scotland, in Chapelhill within the Parish of Nigg on 20 January 1901, being attended and witnessed by their parents. Perhaps, due to Bruce's secretive nature presenting limited details even among his circle of close friends and colleagues, little information about the wedding has been recorded by his biographers. In 1907 the Bruces settled in a house at South Morton Street in Joppa near

4606-576: The basis of these finds, Bruce set up a mineral prospecting company, the Scottish Spitsbergen Syndicate, in July 1909. At that time, in international law Spitsbergen was regarded as terra nullius —rights to mine and extract could be established simply by registering a claim. Bruce's syndicate registered claims on Prince Charles Foreland and on the islands of Barentsøya and Edgeøya , among other areas. A sum of £4,000 (out of

4704-461: The beginning of September to the end of April on a Monday, Thursday and Saturday between 7pm and 11pm. However, they had to purchase a ticket beforehand at a cost of two pence which could only be used on the day and at the hour specified, with a maximum of twenty tickets issued for each hour. If the weather did not allow for telescope viewings the ticket could be exchanged for another one offering another day and time free of charge. Friday evenings during

4802-629: The building was carried out by Glasgow sculptor James Young and decorative ironwork was made by MacFarlanes at their Saracen Foundry in Glasgow. MacFarlanes were responsible for a great deal of the surviving 19th Century wrought ironworks throughout the city and even further afield – for example their work adorns the Raffles Hotel in Singapore. The total cost of building Coats Observatory was £3097, 17 shillings and sixpence. Work commenced on

4900-634: The coastal Edinburgh suburb of Portobello , in the first of a series of addresses in that area. They named their house "Antarctica". A son, Eillium Alastair, was born in April 1902, and a daughter, Sheila Mackenzie, was born seven years later. During these years Bruce founded the Scottish Ski Club and became its first president. He was also a co-founder of Edinburgh Zoo . Bruce's chosen life as an explorer, his unreliable sources of income and his frequent extended absences, all placed severe strains on

4998-482: The collection of scientific books and by the formation of a museum, an idea first mooted in 1858 which eventually reached fruition in 1871 with the opening of the first phase of Paisley Museum. At the 1880 AGM of the PPI a proposal was made that a telescope should be purchased, to be housed in a tower which was to be built in the new extension to the museum currently under construction. This decision came about as several lectures with an astronomical theme had been given to

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5096-550: The creation of a purpose-built observatory to be located in Oakshaw Street, to the rear of the museum complex. This street is one of the highest points in the local townscape giving an uninterrupted 360 view over the town. The architect chosen for the project was John Honeyman . He had been responsible for the design of many houses, churches and other buildings throughout the country, including Paisley Museum, Art Galleries and Library, and he had carried out alteration work to

5194-636: The curator recuperated, which he thankfully did and he continued in his role at Coats Observatory until he retired in April 1931, aged 80, after almost 50 years service. Coats Observatory visitors book records the name, address and occupation of all of those who came to the building. As well as the everyday visitor there are many notable guests, such as William Speirs Bruce , the leader of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition from 1902 to 1904; Howard Grubb , telescope maker; David Gill , Her Majesty's Royal astronomer at

5292-478: The distinctions between the treatment of SNAE and that of English expeditions. When the war finished he attempted to revive his various interests, but his health was failing, forcing him to close his laboratory. On the 1920 voyage to Spitsbergen he travelled in an advisory role, unable to participate in the detailed work. On return, he was confined in the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and later in

5390-494: The early years of the 20th century the observatory continued to operate as it had done, with visits by schools, other groups and members of the public, astronomical society meetings and daily weather recordings. Shortly after the outbreak of the First World War the fortunes of Coats Observatory began to decline. Visitor activity was curtailed. Lectures were not given due to the absence of street lighting, brought about by

5488-546: The expedition's losses a mass slaughter of seals was ordered, to secure skins, oil and blubber. Bruce found this distasteful, especially as he was expected to share in the killing. The scientific output from the voyage was, in Bruce's words "a miserable show". In a letter to the Royal Geographical Society he wrote: "The general bearing of the master (Captain Fairweather) was far from being favourable to scientific work". Bruce

5586-465: The fashion of Scott and Shackleton; a lifelong friend described him as being "as prickly as the Scottish thistle itself". On occasion he behaved tactlessly, as with Jackson over the question of the specimens brought back from Franz Josef Land , and on another occasion with the Royal Geographical Society, over the question of a minor expense claim. As to his nationalism, he wished to see Scotland on an equal footing with other nations. His national pride

5684-446: The general public. Occasional mentions of him, in polar histories and biographies of major figures such as Scott and Shackleton, tended to be dismissive and inaccurate. The early years of the 21st century have seen a reassessment of Bruce's work. Contributory factors have been the SNAE centenary, and Scotland's renewed sense of national identity. A 2003 expedition, in a modern research ship "Scotia", used information collected by Bruce as

5782-409: The government for financial backing failed. Bruce suspected that his efforts were, as usual, being undermined by the aged but still influential Markham. Finally accepting that his venture would not take place, he gave generous support and advice to Ernest Shackleton, who in 1913 announced plans, similar to Bruce's, for his Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition . Shackleton not only received £10,000 from

5880-500: The government, but raised large sums from private sources, including £24,000 from Scottish industrialist Sir James Caird of Dundee . Shackleton's expedition was an epic adventure, but failed completely in its main endeavour of a transcontinental crossing. Bruce was not consulted by the Shackleton relief committee about that expedition's rescue, when the need arose in 1916. "Myself, I suppose," he wrote, "because of being north of

5978-401: The highest peak in the area, which the prince named "Ben Nevis" in his honour. When Princesse Alice ran aground on a submerged rock and appeared stranded, Prince Albert instructed Bruce to begin preparations for a winter camp, in the belief that it might be impossible for the ship to escape. Fortunately she floated free, and was able to return to Tromsø for repairs. It is uncertain how Bruce

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6076-584: The ice for more than a year since leaving their ship Fram for a dash to the North Pole , and it was pure chance that had brought them to the one inhabited spot among thousands of square miles of Arctic wastes. Bruce mentions meeting Nansen in a letter to Mill, and his acquaintance with the celebrated Norwegian would be a future source of much advice and encouragement. During his year at Cape Flora Bruce collected around 700 zoological specimens, in often very disagreeable conditions. According to Jackson: "It

6174-439: The income from the winter lecture series of the PPI. The final financial crisis came about in 1957, with the retiral of Mr. John Woodrow, who had been acting as curator since 1931. His salary had remained at its pre-war figure and it became impossible to increase it to attract a successor. Adequate funds for maintenance and repairs to the building were also hard to find. The original deed of gift drawn up by Thomas Coats contained

6272-408: The leading manufacturers of the day such as telescopes by Troughton & Simms , microscopes by R&J Beck , spectroscopes by Adam Hilger and Howard Grubb and seismometers by R.W. Munro. Thomas Coats had meticulously recorded the weather at his home of Ferguslie House in Paisley since 1858 and gifted the observatory a barometer and thermometer prior to its opening. Additional equipment

6370-459: The marriage, and the couple became estranged around 1916. They continued to live in the same house until Bruce's death. Eillium became a Merchant Navy officer, eventually captaining a Fisheries Research Ship which, by chance, bore the name Scotia . On 15 March 1899 Bruce wrote to Sir Clements Markham at the RGS, offering himself for the scientific staff of the National Antarctic Expedition , then in its early planning stages. Markham's reply

6468-470: The movement of the stars across the meridian and setting the clock accordingly. The accuracy of the clock was such that in 1884 Paisley Town Hall clock was connected to it, as were clocks at Ferguslie Thread Works and the Liberal Club in Paisley High Street, thus providing astronomically-correct time to the citizens of Paisley. A grand ceremony had been planned for the October opening, but unfortunately Thomas Coats' health had deteriorated considerably. His wish

6566-416: The now-demolished University of Glasgow's observatory in 1862 and 1871, so was familiar with the design issues needed to create a fully functional observatory. Honeyman's design incorporates a number of interesting architectural features. The building consists of a three-storey tower, reaching a height of almost 20 metres, and topped by a copper-plated domed roof, within which the telescope is housed. The dome

6664-467: The observatory in late 1881. With the construction of the tower well underway it was decided to commemorate the new building with the laying of a memorial stone, a duty performed by Thomas Coats on 8 March 1882 at an event attended by a number of local dignitaries, including the Provost, Magistrates and Town Council and members of the PPI. The stone was accompanied by a 'time capsule' containing newspapers, small portraits of Mr & Mrs Coats and some coins of

6762-419: The opportunity to work during his free time in the Edinburgh laboratories where specimens brought back from the Challenger expedition were being examined and classified. Here he worked under Dr John Murray and his assistant John Young Buchanan, and gained a deeper understanding of oceanography and invaluable experience in the principles of scientific investigation. The Dundee Whaling Expedition , 1892–93,

6860-421: The original dome was replaced with a new one, built to original specifications and using original materials. The observatory was closed and the new dome hoisted into position by a large crane. Coats Observatory is currently closed as part of the ' Paisley Museum Re-imagined ' project, which will transform the museum into a re-imagined home for the area's outstanding art, science and natural history collections, and

6958-438: The outbreak of war in 1914, Bruce's prospecting ventures were on hold. He offered his services to the Admiralty , but failed to obtain an appointment. In 1915 he accepted a post as director and manager of a whaling company based in the Seychelles , and spent four months there, but the venture failed. On his return to Britain he finally secured a minor post at the Admiralty. Bruce continued to lobby for recognition, highlighting

7056-534: The place 'Coats Observatory' in Thomas Coats' honour. A set of rules for the operation of the observatory were drawn up at this time. The building was open from 11am to 3pm and then from dusk, or 7pm whichever was earlier, until midnight daily, except Sunday. If the weather was unsuitable for observing the observatory would close at 10pm. Members of the PPI were allowed free admission on presentation of their membership cards. The general public were allowed in from

7154-456: The realm. A presentation of a silver trowel was made to Thomas Coats as a memento of the day and he is recorded as saying that he hoped the observatory would "prove a stimulus to interest the rising generation of the town and neighbourhood in the study of astronomy – a science little understood among us, but which may, under the leading spirits of our Philosophical Institution, become a subject of instruction that will be eagerly sought after." At

7252-486: The sea surface [...] have tested salinity with Buchanan's hydrometer; my tow-nets [...] have been going almost constantly." Blencathra sailed for Spitsbergen, but was stopped by ice, so she returned to Tromsø. Here she encountered the research ship Princesse Alice , purpose-built for Prince Albert I of Monaco , a leading oceanographer. Bruce was delighted when the Prince invited him to join Princesse Alice on

7350-412: The telescope given an overhaul. An Observatory Technician was appointed and the building was opened once a week for visits by the general public. 1983 saw the centenary of the observatory, and a commemorative medallion was struck to mark the occasion. The observatory was also opened daily during the winter months to allow visitors the opportunity of looking at the night sky through the telescope. In 1996

7448-580: The telescopes were given a major overhaul and repairs carried out to the building, although a setback occurred in April 1925 when the adjoining building, housing the Paisley Photographic Society meeting rooms, went on fire, causing damage to the weather recording instruments housed there After the Second World War the value of the endowment decreased further and the running costs for the Observatory had to be partly met by

7546-530: The total cost would be about £50,000 (2024 value about £6,450,000). The RSGS supported these proposals, as did the Royal Society of Edinburgh , the University of Edinburgh, and other Scottish organisations, but the timing was wrong; the Royal Geographical Society in London was fully occupied with Robert Scott's Terra Nova Expedition , and showed no interest in Bruce's plans. No rich private benefactors came forward, and persistent and intensive lobbying of

7644-487: The winter were set aside for teachers and trainee teachers within the burgh boundaries to use the telescope. Construction of the main observatory building was complete by May 1883, but the official opening of the building did not take place until 1 October. The delay was partly caused by the construction of a smaller building behind the observatory tower to house an astronomical clock and telescope. The building, known as Transit House, would accurately measure time by observing

7742-541: The world's climate. According to the oceanographer Tony Rice, it fulfilled a more comprehensive programme than any other Antarctic expedition of its day. At the time its reception in Britain was relatively muted; although its work was highly praised within sections of the scientific community, Bruce struggled to raise the funding to publish his scientific results, and blamed Markham for the lack of national recognition. Bruce's collection of specimens, gathered from more than

7840-649: Was a British naturalist , polar scientist and oceanographer who organised and led the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition (SNAE, 1902–04) to the South Orkney Islands and the Weddell Sea . Among other achievements, the expedition established the first permanent weather station in Antarctica . Bruce later founded the Scottish Oceanographical Laboratory in Edinburgh , but his plans for

7938-408: Was a non-committal one-line acknowledgement, after which Bruce heard nothing for a year. He was then told, indirectly, to apply for a scientific assistant's post. On 21 March 1900 Bruce reminded Markham that he had applied a year earlier, and went on to reveal that he "was not without hopes of being able to raise sufficient capital whereby I could take out a second British ship". He followed this up

8036-465: Was added to keep weather records, which were regularly sent to the Met Office in Edinburgh. Weather recording is one function which has carried on at Coats Observatory uninterrupted since 1884 and all the weather logs are stored at the observatory and can be viewed on request. In 2011 an automated weather station was introduced, which takes observations every thirty minutes as opposed to once a day as

8134-413: Was an attempt to investigate the commercial possibilities of whaling in Antarctic waters by locating a source of right whales in the region. Scientific observations and oceanographic research would also be carried out in the four whaling ships: Balaena , Active , Diana and Polar Star . Bruce was recommended to the expedition by Hugh Robert Mill , an acquaintance from Granton who was now librarian to

8232-401: Was built behind the main observatory building, which was opened by Lord Balfour of Burleigh , Secretary of State for Scotland , on 14 September 1898. After being given a tour of the buildings and the equipment he is noted as 'expressing his gratitude for what he had seen and congratulating the citizens of Paisley on the opportunities which they possessed for the study of Astronomy'. Throughout

8330-423: Was completed on 21 July 1904. This expedition assembled a large collection of animal, marine and plant specimens, and carried out extensive hydrographic, magnetic and meteorological observations. One hundred years later it was recognised that the expedition's work had "laid the foundation of modern climate change studies", and that its experimental work had showed this part of the globe to be crucially important to

8428-564: Was denied access to charts, so was unable to establish the accurate location of phenomena. He was required to work "in the boats" when he should have been making meteorological and other observations, and no facilities were allowed him for the preparation of specimens, many of which were lost through careless handling by the crew. Nevertheless, his letter to the RGS ends: "I have to thank the Society for assisting me in what has been, despite all drawbacks, an instructive and delightful experience." In

8526-422: Was designed to incorporate the use of borrowed light at every opportunity. Large windows in the exterior of the building at first floor level feed into the room at that height. The exterior of the floor above is edged with round port-hole style windows. These widen on the inside, thus projecting the light from outside into the room, taking as much advantage of natural light as possible. Stone carving work throughout

8624-481: Was employed after his return from Spitsbergen in late 1899. In his whole life he rarely had settled salaried work, and usually relied on patronage or on influential acquaintances to find him temporary posts. Early in 1901 he evidently felt sufficiently confident of his prospects to get married. His bride was Jessie Mackenzie, who had worked as a nurse in Samuel Bruce's London surgery. Bruce's marriage took place in

8722-680: Was engaged in a detailed survey of the Franz Josef archipelago , which had been discovered, though not properly mapped, during an Austrian expedition 20 years earlier. Jackson's party was based at Cape Flora on Northbrook Island , the southernmost island of the archipelago. It was supplied through regular visits from its expedition ship Windward , on which Bruce sailed from London on 9 June 1896. Windward arrived at Cape Flora on 25 July where Bruce found that Jackson's expedition party had been joined by Fridtjof Nansen and his companion Hjalmar Johansen . The two Norwegians had been living on

8820-499: Was failing, and he experienced several spells in the hospital before his death in 1921, after which he was almost totally forgotten. In recent years, following the centenary of the Scottish Expedition, efforts have been made to give fuller recognition to his role in the history of scientific polar exploration. William Speirs Bruce was born at 43 Kensington Gardens Square in London, the fourth child of Samuel Noble Bruce,

8918-415: Was installed in 1994, providing a view of the night sky as it would appear above Paisley on a clear night. The constellations and the position of the planets could be projected on to the roof, giving the illusion of being outdoors observing the movement of the stars. This projector was replaced in 2012 with a digital one which projects the night sky in even greater detail. Coats Observatory was furnished with

9016-686: Was intense; in a Preparatory Note to The Voyage of the Scotia he wrote: "While 'Science' was the talisman of the Expedition, 'Scotland' was emblazoned on its flag". This insistence on emphasising the Scottish character of his enterprises could be irksome to those who did not share his passion. He retained the respect and devotion of those whom he led, and of those who had known him longest. John Arthur Thomson, who had known Bruce since Granton, wrote of him when reviewing Rudmose Brown's 1923 biography : "We never heard him once grumble about himself, though he

9114-535: Was no further correspondence between the two, beyond a short conciliatory note from Markham, in February 1901, which read "I can now see things from your point of view, and wish you success" —a sentiment apparently not reflected in Markham's subsequent attitude towards the Scottish expedition. With financial support from the Coats family, Bruce had acquired a Norwegian whaler , Hekla , which he transformed into

9212-602: Was previously done. Paisley Philosophical Institution The Paisley Philosophical Institution (sometimes referred to as the Paisley Philosophical Society ) is a cultural and educational organisation based in Paisley, Renfrewshire , Scotland. It was founded on 8 October 1808 with the aim of educating members in scientific matters, creating a museum and establishing a library. The Institution has helped to found several local bodies, including

9310-604: Was raised, repeatedly, with anyone thought to have influence. Robert Rudmose Brown , chronicler of the Scotia voyage and later Bruce's first biographer, wrote in a 1913 letter to the President of the Royal Scottish Geographical Society that this neglect was "a slight to Scotland and to Scottish endeavour". Bruce wrote in March 1915 to the President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh, who agreed in his reply that "Markham had much to answer for". After Markham's death in 1916 Bruce sent

9408-488: Was replaced by a larger and better-financed company. Bruce had now fixed his main hopes on the discovery of oil, but scientific expeditions in 1919 and 1920 failed to provide evidence of its presence; substantial new deposits of coal and iron ore were discovered. Thereafter Bruce was too ill to continue with his involvement. The new company had expended most of its capital on these prospecting ventures, and although it continued to exist, under various ownerships, until 1952, there

9506-409: Was selected from a list of over 400 applicants, and he received an annual salary of £80 for his astronomical and meteorological observations. Mr. McLean had not long taken up the post when he was involved in an accident in the observatory. The lever mechanism which opened and closed the dome broke off, injuring him in the process. The observatory was closed for six weeks whilst the damage was repaired and

9604-482: Was to forego any formal event and so the building opened without any fanfare at all. He only managed to visit the completed building once as he died on 15 October 1883, aged 74. Coats Observatory was officially opened for business on 1 October 1883, and the first visitor to the building was Robert Grant, Professor of Astronomy at Glasgow University. The first curator of Coats Observatory was Donald McLean, who had been assistant to Professor Grant at Glasgow University. He

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