Mathematical Instrument Maker

[Ann12]

Hi,

Would anyone know what a Mathematical Instrument Maker would of made?  According to the 1861 census of London an ancestor of mine was one.

Thanks

Ann

[D ap D]

I'd say he'd probably make things like compasses, dividers, protractors etc.

I was given an old victorian set when I started uni, much more accurate than the mass produced stuff you can buy today.

They are the most beautiful set of instruments, all make of brass and obviously hand made. A definite work of art made by someone who took pride in his trade.

[Rod In Sussex]

And don't overlook the slide rule, or is that unknown to the modern world?

Rod

[Ann12]

Hi,

And the slide rule is??

Ann

[Little Nell]

It's about the the length of a standard ruler, but wider - the middle section slides/moves and has a different scale or scales on it enabling very complicated calculations to be made before electronic calculators had been developed.  My father used one for most of his working life.

For what looks like the complicated low down on how they work, see here:
http://www.hpmuseum.org/sliderul.htm
and here for a picture of one:
http://www.sliderules.clara.net/
or:
http://www.ox.compsoc.net/~swhite/history/slide-rule.html

Nell

[Ann12]

Now I understand why by the 1870's he had become a Bank Manager.  Obviously good with maths!  Shame it didn't pass down through the generations.

Ann

[Rod In Sussex]

Nell,

I think I still have my old slide rule somewhere. Never needed batteries, was never replaced by a more up to date version, never crashed and did not cost hundreds of pounds!

Rod

[Little Nell]

Yeah, I remember as a child playing with the slide rule and actually making sense of the instructions I was given.  It looked remarkably like the one on the second site I mentioned.  Himself still has one in the house somewhere - no doubt it too still works! 

Nell

[RJ_Paton]

Please, I remember using one and the lessons at school on how to use them ..... once you worked it out it was amazing how quickly you could perform even very complex mathematical calculations ..... you could even perform log calculations without referring to a log book. ....... the good old days.