Monthly archives: January 2021

Turning the capstan wheel, the assistant astronomer raised time ball into position halfway between the crosspiece and the foot of the mast at 12.55 to signal that the ball was about to be dropped. Turning the capstan wheel he raised the ball to the crosspiece at 12.58.

The assistant astronomer climbed the steps to the turret room at the top of the Nelson Monument where the lifting machinery was housed to send the time signal.

The time was sent to the time ball from the master clock which stood in the observation room of the observatory via an underground wire which ran up the side of the Nelson Monument to the turret room.

The transit telescope in the observatory was used to calculate the time on a daily basis.

2021 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of Henry Maudslay. The engineer’s company set up the time ball on the turret of the Nelson Monument in 1853.

Jan Bondeson has written an article on Daddy Flockhart the street preacher who died the year before the little dog was said to have appeared in Greyfriars kirkyard. https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/old-edinburgh-worthies-no-1-soldier-turned-street-preacher-daddy-flockhart-3091994

“Murder Houses of Edinburgh” by Jan Bondeson is now sold out. A second edition should be available during the next few weeks. The illustration shows the house where Burke and Hare lodged in Tanner’s Close at the West Port.

Guchie and Tammy Walker turned up at the little dog’s headstone to mark the anniversary of the terrier’s death. https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/greyfriars-bobby-edinburgh-minister-highlights-importance-loyal-bobbys-beautiful-companionship-message-during-lockdown-3100778

The General Post Office was built between 1861 and 1865 on the site of th Old Theatre Royal. The foundation stone was laid by Prince Albert in 1861.  

The Theatre Royal was demolished in 1859 to make way for the new General Post Office building.