Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2016/09/25
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]With today's testing of the largest telescope in the world in China, I took a walk to a house around the corner where noted Irish astronomer William Parsons - the third Earl of Rosse - died. He came to Monkstown's sea air for his health, and lived here at No. 1 Eaton Place for a few years until he died. Parsons' wife Mary Rosse - the mother of his thirteen children - found the time to be an eminent pioneer photographer, as well as being, of all things, an excellent blacksmith. Parsons is known for the making of the Leviathan of Parsonstown which was the largest telescope in the world for seventy two years from 1845. Amazingly enough for the time, his wife Mary - the amateur blacksmith - did much of the metalwork for the huge telescope. Parsonstown has now reverted to its Irish name of Birr, but its castle and telescope still attract many visitors. Parsons' son Charles was also a genius, and, with the sea at his young feet in Monkstown, he developed an interest in all things marine. He invented the steam turbine which powered his private yacht Turbinia at great speed, and he famously upstaged the Royal Navy in the 1890s, effectively causing a complete redesign of the British fleet. Since I've moved to Monkstown, I've been waiting for my own flashes of genius. Still waiting.... This is the plaque on the house http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/DouglasBray/Monkstown/Parsons.jpg.html Fuji X100S See Large Wikipedia has a lot of stuff on Parsons. Douglas