The Aldershot Observatory and the telescope within it have a rather chequered history. The telescope was ordered by Patrick Young Alexander in 1891 from the well-known Dublin-based Grubb Telescope Company. At this time, Alexander was living in Bath but he was planning to move soon to the Farnborough area which was a growing centre for developments in early aviation, his main passion. He offered the telescope which must have weighed several tons to Bath and was prepared to fund the building of an observatory for it. When Bath did not take up this offer, he took it with him and installed it in his back garden at 112 Mychett Road, Mychett.
In 1905 he had better luck when he offered the telescope and the funds to build an observatory to the War Office. This time his offer was accepted and the observatory with telescope was officially opened in December 1906. A Wikipedia article on the observatory says “Just what use the British Army made of their new telescope is a bit of a mystery”. Local astronomers used it with the army’s permission until the end of the 1970s when it really ceased to be serviceable.
Image : Public domain via Wikipedia Commons
In 1998, an enterprising member of the Farnham Astronomical Society asked to be allowed to look inside. He was amazed to find the telescope! The army carried out significant renovations to the various moving parts of the telescope and dome, but the optics were in a poor state. The lens was reground by Sinden Optical Company in April 2000. The telescope has been in occasional use ever since.
Farnham Astronomical Society, under licence with the Ministry of Defence, now takes care of this Victorian telescope and its observatory. It is opened for astronomical events such as a partial solar eclipse, also outreach events with local groups and on Heritage Days.
Read All About the Aldershot Observatory for more information