Orwell Astronomical Society (Ipswich)

George Arthur Biddell (1824-1901)

Family

Born at Hill House, Playford on 28 January 1824, second son of Arthur Biddell [1] (1783-1860, the uncle who raised George Airy) and Jane Ransome [3,1] (1788-1855). A Quaker family. George Arthur Biddell was, therefore, grandson of Robert Ransome Senior (1753-1830) [3,2] and cousin to George Airy (1801-1892). See also [5,1].

Arthur and Jane's ten children were:-

• First daughter, Mary (1819-1921).
• Second daughter, Jane (1821-1855).
• Third daughter and first son, Lucy (1822-1841) and Manfred (1822-1894) twins.
• Second son, (George).
• Third son, William (1825-1900), later MP for West Suffolk 1880-1885 [5,2].
• Fourth daughter, Isabella Routh (1827-1845).
• Fifth daughter, Ellen (1829-1914).
• Sixth daughter, Anna (1831-1910).
• Fourth son, Herman (1832-1917), later first Secretary of the Suffolk Horse Society and published Volume One of the Suffolk Stud Book [5,3].

George's History

• Educated at a private school at Grundisburgh [1].
• 1840, apprenticed for seven years to Ransome and May [1].
• 1841 Census, age 15, living with parents in Playford.
• 1846, while still an apprentice, sent to superintend the erection of a factory at Tours for the manufacture of compressed wedges and trenails for railways [1].
• 1847, apprenticeship expired, but was retained for three years as sub-manager [1].
• 06 March 1849, elected an Associate Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers [1].
• 1850, superintended the construction (at Ransomes' Orwell Works), and subsequent erection (at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich) of the Airy Transit Circle [1].
• 1850, appointed as assistant to Mr Hensman, Chief Engineer of the "Machinery Department" at the Great Exhibition of 1851 [1].
• 1851 Census, mechanical engineer, age 26, visitor to David and Elizabeth Hine of 22 Montpelier Square, Knightsbridge. (The maiden name of George's wife, Emma, was Hine.)
• October 1851, at the close of the Great Exhibition accompanied George Airy on a trip into Wales, and on his return was appointed head of one of the departments at the Orwell Works [1].
• 01 January 1853, married Emma Hine (1821-1914) in Knightsbridge, London.
• 1853, appointed Chief Engineer of Ransomes' works [1].
• 1853, the transit telescope of the Cape Observatory was constructed at Ransomes' Orwell Works under his care [1].
• 1859, superintended the construction (at Ransomes' Orwell Works), and subsequent erection (at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich) of the Great Equatorial telescope. Sir George Airy, 7^th Astronomer Royal, had a high opinion of Biddell, and chose him as a companion in several scientific tours throughout the country. [1].
• 1860s, patented a rifled shot, which was trialled at Landguard Fort [3,1].
• May to November 1862, exhibited, at the London International Exhibition [3,3], patent chilled cast iron components for railway tracks.
• 1863, Thomas Chambers Hine [6,5] (1813-1899) & Robert Evans [6,6] (1832-1911), in partnership 1857-1867, built the residence "Upland Gate" for Biddell at 39 Bishops Hill, Ipswich [6,1]. (Hine was possibly a relative of Emma Biddell?) See modern views of the location below.
• 1871 Census, civil engineer, age 47, living at "Upland Gate".
• On two (undated) occasions, George was offered a partnership in Ransomes, but refused, presumably on the grounds that he had no sons to continue after him [4].
• March 1876, retired from Ransomes, Sims and Head (as the comapny was then known). Undertook, for a time, consulting work, and was in much demand in arbitration cases, but gradually withdrew from this class of work and devoted himself to the study of astronomy [1]. Also carried out "good works" in Ipswich and its neighbourhood [3,1].
• 17 April 1877, elected a full member of the Institution of Civil Engineers [1].
• 1881 Census, civil engineer, age 57, living at "Upland Gate" with wife (Emma, 60), sister-in-law and two servants.
• 1883, joined the board of the Ipswich Gas Company [1].
• October 1887, took out a further patent for rifled shot [1].
• 1891 Census, retired civil engineer, age 67, living at "Upland Gate", with two sisters-in-law and two servants.
• 30 November 1892, elected a member of the British Astronomical Association (BAA), proposed by George Calver, seconded by Arthur Cottam.
• 1895, elected Chairman of the Ipswich Gas Company, a post he held until his death [1].
• 24 June 1896, exhibited an "improved stand for portable telescopes" at a meeting of the BAA. See below for extracts from Journal of the BAA (JBAA): a report of the meeting and a paper on observation of the solar eclipse of 28 May 1900. (Note that the originals incorrectly give the initial "J" rather than "G".)
• 28 May 1900, observed a partial solar eclipse from Playford (see below for JBAA correspondence report).
• 1901 Census, retired civil engineer, age 77, living at "Upland Gate".
• 23 June 1901, died at his residence, "Upland Gate", age 77 [1]. Probate value £28,615 8s. 6d.
• 24 August 1914, Emma Biddell died, probate value £7942 12s. 1d.
• 01 October 1914, "Upland Gate" sold by auction at the Great White Horse in Ipswich to Mr Frank Angell of "The Cottage", Bishops Hill, for £1200. Described as "Built by the late Mr George Arthur Biddell for his own occupation 50 years ago, and now surrounded by beautifully clothed and secluded Grounds of nearly 1¼ acres." [2] In the year 2000, "Upland Gate", the retaining wall (with decorative diaper work) and the entrance gate itself were given grade II listed status [6,1] & [6,2].
• The marriage did not produce any children. George and Emma are buried in St. Mary's Churchyard, Playford (the same location as the Airys) [7].

Mentioned in JBAA

Vol. 3, no. 1, p. 53

The following candidates were proposed October 26, 1892, and were elected November 30, 1892:-

GEORGE ARTHUR BIDDELL, M.I.C.E.
Bishops Hill, Ipswich.

Proposer--George Calver, F.R.A.S. Seconded--Arthur Cottam, F.R.A.S.

Vol. 6, no. 9, p. 415

REPORT OF THE MEETING OF THE ASSOCIATION, HELD ON JUNE 24, 1896

Mr. J. A. Biddell then exhibited and explained the working of an improved stand for portable telescopes, pointing out especially the practicability and easy manipulation of the stand.

Vol. 6, no. 9, p. 422-3

Papers communicated to the Association.

An Improved Stand for Portable Telescopes.
By G. A. BIDDELL, M.Inst.C.E.

The chief feature consists in introducing a tubular cantilever beam of wood, pivoted at one end, about five feet from the ground, on two wooden uprights, which are bolted to the iron brackets of the rotating table of an ordinary tripod.

By means of an elevating screw and hand wheel the beam is readily moved through an arc of 70 degrees.

The upper side of the beam carries two Y's to receive the body of the telescope, which thus lies passive and steady, free from bending strains.

The eye end of the telescope is brought as near as practicable to the pivots of the beam, giving the smallest possible range for the observer's head, under great variations of altitude, and always ensures a comfortable seated position.

The direct motions, both for altitude and azimuth, are handily under perfect control when the observer is firmly seated, as by means of the two extended handles, the feet, and seat, a kind of rigid triangulation is obtained, and the object under observation easily kept in the field.

A smaller sliding tube is fitted to the eye end of the hollow beam, and the two together form a good finder, specially convenient when a dark solar cap is attached for fielding the sun.

This small tube also gives an excellent and steady support to a screening card to receive an enlarged image of the sun. A black cloth thrown over the head of the observer keeps the extraneous light or a thin wooden or card box, with a side door, can readily be arranged and placed upon the projecting tube.

The telescope is instantly placed upon or removed from the stand, beam readily detached from the screw, and, when turned over, hangs vertically, and the whole stand forms a compact body, which has merely to have a water- proof canvas bag or inverted sack dropped over it to form a perfect protection against all weathers.

June 1896.

Vol. 10, no. 9, p. 366

CORRESPONDENCE

Partial Solar Eclipse, 1900, May 28.

I beg to inform you that the partial solar eclipse of yesterday was observed by me at Playford, a village about 4 miles N.E of Ipswich, through a 3-in. telescope.

The weather was fairly good, but with many light broken clouds driven by a slight W.N.W. wind.

The commencement took place at 2.42 G.T.

The finish at 4.56 G.T.

Both these observations were made when the sun was clear of clouds.

In the middle of the eclipse I could not detect the disk of the moon beyond the sun.

I think the light was generally admitted, during the greatest observations, by all the company near me, to have been something not quite usual, but of a peculiar, reduced, shaded glare, of a yellowish tint.

There was no Venus visible, probably too many thin clouds about.

I may mention, however, that I saw her quite distinctly here this evening at 7 o'clock with naked-eye in bright sunlight.

G. A. BIDDELL.

"Upland Gate", Bishop's Hill,
Ipswich,
29^th May 1900.

Holy Trinity Church, Back Hamlet, Ipswich

Originally built in 1836, and thus possibly the only Hanoverian church in Suffolk, a hall was added in the grounds in 1891 and the church building extended in 1895. Both church and hall are grade II listed [6,3] & [6,4]. Biddell seems to have been a major donor to the works [8,1] & [8,2]. He was Warden of the church for 46 years [1]. His name is commemorated three times in the fabric of the buildings:-

1. a memorial tablet on the internal south wall of the church,
2. an information tablet on the external west wall of the church, and
3. a dedication tablet on the external west wall of the church hall.

Item ii is made of cast iron and it is possible that it was manufactured at Ransomes Orwell Works.

References

Bill Barton, FRAS

Original: email 15 May 2017
Updated: 23 March 2023