Sir Howard Grubb FRS (1844-1931) was a designer and maker of telescopes from Dublin, Ireland.

Life and work

He was one of eight children of Thomas, founder of the Grubb Telescope Company so Howard developed an early interest in optics. After training to be a civil engineer, Howard joined his father's firm in 1864 and gained the reputation of a first class producer of telescopes. In 1871 he married Mary Walker with whom he had six children.

Grubb was elected Fellow of the Royal Society in 1864 and of the Royal Astronomical Society in 1870. In 1887 he was knighted by Queen Victoria. Sir Howard was a long time member of the Royal Dublin Society, serving as Honorary Secretary from 1889 to 1893, and as Vice President from 1893 to 1922. In 1912 he was awarded the medal of the Society, only the third person to receive it.

During the First World War the Grubb factory was in demand for the production of gun sights and during this time he was credited with perfecting the design of the periscope.

Telescopes

The following telescopes were designed and built by Sir Howard - some of which are still in use today.

• 27-inch refractor for Vienna Observatory (1878)
• 10-inch refractor at Armagh Observatory (1882)
• 28-inch refractor at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich - the UK's largest refractor (1893)
• 10-inch refractor at Coats Observatory, Paisley (1898)

References

1. H. F. Berry (1914). A History of the Royal Dublin Society.

See also

• List of astronomical instrument makers

External links

• Short biography of Sir Howard Grubb
• Royal Observatory, Greenwich, home of the 28-inch refractor
• Photos of Grubb telescope construction