OASI: Allan Chapman

At the top of the clock tower at Orwell Park School on 07 March 2003, shortly before delivering the second Presidential Lecture.

Members of OASI were greatly saddened to receive the news that Allan Chapman, Honorary President, had passed away on 21 January 2026.

Allan was born in Pendlebury, Greater Manchester in 1946. He graduated Bachelor of Arts from the University of Lancaster in 1972, then undertook postgraduate work at Wadham College, Oxford, graduating D.Phil. He then went on to teach the history of science in the Faculty of Modern History, Oxford.

Allan was a renowned historian with an interest in the history of science, and of astronomy in particular. He tutored countless students at Oxford, authored many books and papers and lectured extensively on the history of science (including the 1994 Royal Society’s Wilkins Lecture on Edmund Halley). He presented several television documentaries and made many appearances on The Sky at Night. He was a founder member and President of the Society for the History of Astronomy (SHA).

Allan provided enthusiastic support to many local astronomy societies, and it is in this regard that he became Honorary President of OASI. In 1999, Pete Richards, OASI lecture coordinator, met Allan at an FAS convention in Sidmouth and invited him to lecture to OASI on the life of Sir George Biddell Airy, 7^th Astronomer Royal. Somewhat to Pete’s surprise, Allan accepted the invitation. Subsequently, appreciating the importance of the lecture, Andrew Auster, the Headmaster of Orwell Park School kindly agreed to fund the event and to host it in the Orangery at the School, enabling a large audience to attend.

/OPO/Dedication/Unveiling.jpg Unveiling the plaque on the Tomline Refractor, 18 May 2001.

Allan Chapman, scientific instrument-maker.

While arrangements were being made for the lecture, in early 2001, OASI Chairman, Ken Goward, FRAS, met Allan at a seminar at the Royal Observatory, Greenwich. The two discussed the history of Orwell Park Observatory and subsequently Ken proposed to name the Orwell Park refractor in honour of its original sponsor the Tomline Refractor, and to organise a ceremony to mark the event, at which Allan would officiate. At OASI’s 2001 AGM, members enthusiastically endorsed Ken’s proposal. The event was held on 18 May 2001 and marked the start of a quarter century association between Allan and OASI.

At OASI’s AGM the following year, members present voted unanimously to invite Allan to become Honorary President of the Society. Allan graciously accepted the invitation; he took his duties seriously and kindly agreed to deliver lectures to members of OASI as his busy schedule allowed. He honoured his commitment handsomely and, in total, delivered seven memorable lectures:

Allan was a renowned lecturer, and always spoke with great panache and erudition, with great clarity, without notes or visual aids. His lectures were always well attended and well received.

Allan’s characteristic appearance, his colourful bow ties and the gold watch chain across his waistcoat were in the style of an Edwardian gentleman scholar whose natural habitat could be among the Dreaming Spires. But this was deceptive: his knowledge of his subject matter, his well-honed practical skills (he created wonderful recreations of some historical astronomical instruments) and his humanity meant that he could engage effectively with audiences at all levels.

Perhaps Allan’s greatest contribution to OASI was his support to efforts to obtain funding for the renovation of Orwell Park Observatory. When he served as OASI Chairman between 2009-13, Neil Morley worked as a member of a team to raise the profile of the observatory nationally, to support fund-raising for urgently needed repairs. Key members of the team were Allan, Peter Hingley (Librarian of the Royal Astronomical Society) and Peregrine Bryant (Conservation Architect). Several meetings took place with the school leading to an application to English Heritage to upgrade the listing of the observatory from Grade II to Grade II* with the remainder of the school remaining Grade II.

With Rowland Constantine (Headmaster) at Orwell Park School on 23 April 2010.

Letter headlining the historical significance of the observatory.

Allan contributed a statement, dated 16 March 2011, signed jointly with Peter Hingley and Robert Marriot (Instrument Section Director, British Astronomical Association), detailing the historical significance of the observatory. This was preceded by the following beautifully handwritten letter that Allan had written to Peregrine.

The application led to a compromise between the school and English Heritage whereby the overall listing remained Grade II but the entry was changed from "Orwell Park School" to "Orwell Park School and Observatory". Allan's letter and signed statement were subsequently included in a comprehensive pack of evidence for future fund-raising applications. The legacy of this groundwork was realised after Andy Gibbs took over as OASI Chairman. The school raised funds through the Pilgrim Trust, allowing three central window frames in the Belvedere and two window frames in the Equatorial Room to be replaced during summer 2021.

In his later years, Allan suffered from heart disease, and his ability to actively support local astronomy societies was diminished. In early 2023, the Committee of OASI decided that it would be fitting for Allan to present a Presidential Lecture the following year as part of the celebration of the 150^th anniversary of Orwell Park Observatory. Due to the deterioration in Allan’s health and his loss of mobility, he agreed that Andy Gibbs could visit him at home in Oxford to record the lecture, which would be shown subsequently to members of OASI. Unfortunately, although Allan was very keen to support the celebration, it proved impossible to put the necessary arrangements in place.

Allan died on 21 January 2026 after a cardiac arrest following a fall at home. OASI lost not just a figurehead, but a friend and supporter. His presidency embodied the best traditions of learned societies: scholarship shared freely, enthusiasm kindled generously, and history made alive. He is sadly missed. May he rest in peace.

Several members of OASI have kindly kindly contributed their personal memories of Allan below.

Lecturing in the Orangery at Orwell Park School, 07 June 2013, on the life of Sir Patrick Moore.

My memories of Allan stretch back to before I was member of OASI. As a regular attendee of European Astrofest in London, I can recall many of his legendary lectures.

I joined OASI in 2012 and, in 2013, attended a brilliant Presidential Lecture, in the Orangery at Orwell Park School, on the life of Patrick Moore.

In 2017, Allan presented another lecture at our Society’s 50th Anniversary Convention. It was a pleasure to listen to his talk on John Herschel.

In 2019, I became Chairman of OASI and whenever I spotted Allan at Astrofest, he was always happy to spare time for a chat and was very keen to hear news of our Society and Orwell Park Observatory.

I attended Astrofest on 06-07 February 2026, a few days after Allan’s sad passing. There was a moving tribute to Allan, where memories of his numerous appearances at the event were recalled. At the conclusion of the tribute, Allan’s old brown teapot was brought out and everybody in the audience raised a virtual cup of tea in honour of a uniquely talented speaker and the leading authority on the history of astronomy.

The audience after the 2007 Presidential Lecture.

Gasping for tea after the 2010 Presidential Lecture.

A selection of published works.

Allan did a lot to support efforts to obtain funding for renovation of the observatory.

Between 2001 and 2013, he delivered six presidential lectures and also gave a talk on Sir John Herschel, Astronomer in Two Hemispheres at the OASI 50^th Anniversary Convention in 2017.

Members of OASI enjoyed Allan's company at several meals in Ipswich when he visited us. It was particularly important that the venues hosting the meals could supply numerous cups of good old-fashioned tea. At a dinner with several members of OASI at the Holiday Inn in Ipswich, Allan was particularly pleased to be provided with a specially arranged bottomless* teapot.

* Shouldn’t a bottomless teapot should always be empty? No! Apparently it implies endless refills and a pot that is always full!

I first encountered Allan in the mid 1990's at the Leeds Astromeet (sadly no longer bring held) and I could not believe it was possible for someone to speak for a whole hour without reference to notes or even using a single "erm" or "err".

A few years later, a Yahoo chat group discussing the history of astronomy started up. Members included me, Ken Goward, Stuart Williams and a few others. Allan was peripheral to this group (because he didn't use modern technology), but he certainly encouraged us "from the sidelines". Maybe it was this group that inspired him to write The Victorian Amateur Astronomer? The group and his book led to the formation of the Society for the History of Astronomy (SHA) in 2002.

My other memory is when I drove Ken to Birmingham for an SHA event. We started off early in the morning (but that's another story). When the day was over we ended up giving Allan a lift to New Street Station. I knew where we were going, but Allan, sat in the back wasn't so sure. As we stopped at a junction two police officers were standing nearby. Allan wound down the window and, in a loud voice, said "Officers of the law, directions to New Street Station, if you please." Ken and I later joked it was probably the first time in weeks they hadn't been addressed "Oi mush" or something involving an expletive!

I count myself very lucky to have some of Allan's books in my library, a couple are signed; of course, in fountain pen.

Caricature. (Carlos Fuentesy Espinosa, Wikipedia.)

Pre-lecture meal on 23 April 2010. Clockwise from front left: Allan Chapman, Peregrine Bryant, Tina Hammond, Paul Whiting, Lynne Morley, James Appleton, Simon Dodsworth, Roy Gooding, Dave Payne, Peter Hingley.

Unveiling Ken Goward's portrait on the spiral staircase, 23 April 2010, with Lorraine Goward.

In the Equatorial Room at Orwell Park Observatory.

After his second pint of tea of the day!

I vividly remember two of the talks Allan gave to the Oxford University Astronomical Society in my student days in the late 1970s and early 1980s, when he was at Wadham College.

Allan was a true eccentric, kind, friendly and always ready to share his enthusiasm for the history of science, especially the human stories that always form the basis of science. He always sported impressive ginger sideburns like a Victorian gentleman, dressed in tweeds and a deerstalker, and wore wire-rim glasses. I remember he always carried two pocket watches in his waistcoat pockets, as wristwatches were not his thing. One of the timepieces was set on GMT and the other on Oxford local mean sidereal time, so in summer neither would actually tell the correct local time. His talks on "The Jacobean Space Programme" and "The Discovery of Neptune" were so impressive and memorable that I could re-tell the stories in detail even now!

His passing is a great loss to professional and amateur astronomy. I shall always remember him.

Allan was a brilliant communicator, able to captivate and reach all corners of an audience. Even if a person wasn't particularly interested in astronomy, they would come away from a talk having picked up something of interest that they would remember for a very long time. Allan talked freely without relying on electronic aids like PowerPoint. Typically, he would display a handful of photographs towards the end of a talk using an old-fashioned slide projector. Allan's lectures consistently ran to time despite his reliance on two mechanical pocket watches set to different times. He was always impeccably dressed. I remember his wicked sense of humour and a twinkle in his eyes.

During my tenure as Chairman of OASI, 23 April 2010 proved to be a particularly busy day. I picked Allan up from Ipswich station with his good friend Peter Hingley, Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) Librarian. We were en-route to an important meeting at Orwell Park School with Peregrine Bryant (Conservation Architect), Rowland Constantine (Headmaster), Simon Dodsworth (School Bursar) and Richard Brunt (School Surveyor). Within 30 seconds, I realised that I had two very naughty schoolboys in the back of the car! The jokes being exchanged went from strength to strength to such an extent that I missed a couple of turnings!

Allan recalled an evening reception he'd attended where several eminent brain surgeons were present. They had consumed copious quantities of red wine. After a few glasses (or was it bottles?) Allan started discussing brain surgery with one of the surgeons. Apparently, brain surgery was akin to drilling a hole in someone's head, inserting a whisk and whisking the contents! It was shortly after then I recall Peter (or was it Allan?) saying "We seem to be going round in circles, I'd better shut up!" Fortunately we arrived in time for the meeting as otherwise we may have ended up in Edinburgh. After the meeting Allan unveiled a portrait of the late Ken Goward, former Chairman of OASI, in the observatory spiral staircase. Ken's widow Lorraine and his brother were present.

Later that evening, Allan delivered a lecture in the School Orangery entitled Thomas Harriot, Galileo and the First Telescopic Astronomers. The pre-lecture meal at the Courtyard Marriot was a memorable occasion where Allan and Peter continued to exchange an endless supply of jokes.

The following day, I picked Allan up from the Courtyard Marriot hotel and gave him a lift to Tuddenham Churchyard to lay a wreath on Ken Goward's grave. Lorraine, Ken's widow, Ken's brother and several members of OASI, including Paul Whiting, Gary Coleman, Tina and Lyndsay Hammond, attended. Afterwards we were invited to Ken's home where Lorraine served Allan a never-ending supply of industrial strength tea in the largest mug I had ever seen. In Allan's case, when it comes to tea, "Size Definitely Matters!" Allan referred to the vessel as a bucket and said he could almost disappear inside it!

Very sadly Allan's great friend Peter Hingley passed away on 20 June 2012. I attended the funeral service and Allan delivered a magnificent eulogy. A short extract follows:

On Allan's journey to the great heavenly city, Peter would be fully in charge of the footplate of the Iron Duke. Allan would be seated comfortably in a carriage at Oxford station with endless quantities of the best footplate-brewed tea ready to receive his favourite meal of fish and chips. En-route, Allan would enjoy a prime view of Asteroid (13490) Allanchapman, shaped like a giant celestial teapot and named in his honour. Following his arrival, he would meet some of the great scientific figures from history, and tell them how their discoveries shaped modern thinking.

Neil Morley with contributions from: James Appleton, Bill Barton, Andrew Gibbs, Olaf Kirchner and Pete Richards