Thomas Grubb facts for kids
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Thomas Grubb (born August 4, 1800 – died September 16, 1878) was a clever Irish inventor. He was an optician, which means he worked with lenses and light. Thomas Grubb also started a famous company called the Grubb Telescope Company.
He was born in Ireland, near a place called Portlaw in County Waterford. His father, William Grubb Junior, was a successful farmer.
In 1830, Thomas Grubb began his career in Dublin. He first made metal billiard tables. Soon, he started making telescopes too. He even built a public observatory near his factory. This allowed people to look at the stars.
His company became famous for making some of the biggest telescopes of the Victorian era. They were leaders in making optical and mechanical parts. Thomas Grubb invented new ways to build large telescopes. These included special mounts that followed the stars as Earth turned. His company later changed its name to Grubb-Parsons in 1925.
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Amazing Telescopes by Thomas Grubb
Thomas Grubb became well-known for building great telescopes. Many astronomers in Ireland wanted his help.
One of his first big jobs was for E.J. Cooper at Markree Observatory. Grubb helped set up a large 13.3-inch lens. This lens was used to watch a solar eclipse on May 15, 1836.
Grubb also helped build a very famous telescope for William Parsons. This telescope was located in Parsonstown (now called Birr) in County Offaly, Ireland.
In 1834, Grubb supplied a telescope to the Markree Observatory in County Sligo. Until 1839, this was the largest refracting telescope in the world. It was used to draw Halley's Comet in 1835. It also helped observe the solar eclipse in 1836. Grubb's work at Markree Observatory was a big step forward. It showed how to build and use very large telescopes.
In 1837, Thomas Grubb worked with another Irish scientist, James MacCullagh. They did experiments together on how metals bend light.
Later, Grubb built telescopes for observatories all over the world. These included places like Aldershot Observatory, Melbourne, Vienna, Madrid, and Mecca.
Other Inventions and Projects
Thomas Grubb's company also made many scientific tools for Trinity College in Dublin. In 1839, they made about twenty magnetometers. These devices are used to measure magnetic fields.
Professor Humphrey Lloyd asked for these magnetometers. He worked closely with Grubb. This way, he could watch the building process and guide the work.
From 1840, Grubb also worked as an engineer for the Bank of Ireland. He designed machines that made banknotes. These machines could engrave, print, and number the money.
In 1866, Grubb signed a contract with the Irish government. He was to build a telescope for the southern part of the world. This project was called the Melbourne Telescope. Grubb built a strong support for the telescope to keep it steady. The Royal Society Committee called it a "masterpiece of engineering." This project made Grubb even more famous among astronomers.
However, the Melbourne Telescope project faced problems. Grubb chose a certain metal for the mirrors. This metal caused issues when astronomers in Melbourne tried to polish them.
Thomas Grubb's last major project started with him and finished with his son, Howard Grubb. In 1875, they began building the Great Vienna Telescope. At that time, it was the largest refracting telescope in the world.
The Grubb Telescope Company's Journey
Thomas Grubb started his engineering career in Dublin in 1830. He built telescopes that became very well-known. His company was officially passed to his son, Howard Grubb, in 1916.
The company was renamed Grubb-Parsons by Sir Charles Parsons in 1925. During World War I, the company's focus changed. Instead of making telescopes, they helped the Allies in the war. They made things like gun-sights and periscopes for submarines.
As the war got more intense, especially in 1916, the factory was guarded by the military. In 1918, the factory moved to St. Albans, England. This was because people worried it might be unsafe in Ireland.
This change from telescopes to war supplies changed the company forever. It also meant Irish astronomers had less influence in the industry. During the war, Grubb-Parsons built about 95% of the periscopes used in British submarines.
Thomas Grubb's Later Life
Thomas Grubb passed away in 1878 in Monkstown, County Dublin, Ireland. He is buried at Mount Jerome Cemetery in Dublin. We don't know the exact cause of his death. However, he had been ill with rheumatism since the early 1870s.
He was married to Sarah Palmer. Their youngest son, Sir Howard Grubb, took over the family's optical business. Thomas Grubb's cousin, John Grubb Richardson, was also a famous Irish industrialist.
