Byrne, Oliver

Description and use of an instrument to find the time by the sun, moon, or any of the visible fixed stars: as well as the names of those stars. Invented and constructed for the Right Honble. Lord Cloncurry, by Oliver Byrne, Mathematician. Written on rectos only: with a pen-drawn figure on fol. 21 to illustrate 'A table showing the days of the Mean Year on which a watch keeping good time ought to be an even number of minutes faster or slower than the Sun's noon. Devised by Oliver Byrne'. The pocket contains the printed 'Planisphere published by C. Smith & Sons, 172 Strand, London' referred to on fol. 19, and a set of 19 coloured cards (14 x 20 cm.) by Sidney Hall, of the constellations. Produced in London.

1845

1 volume 22 ff. obl. folio. 381/2 x 41 cm. Original calf binding, with pocket in upper cover.

Purchased 1932.

Byrne was professor of mathematics at the College of Civil Engineering in London. This MS. is very probably the author's original holograph copy.

Database description transcribed from S.A.J. Moorat, Catalogue of Western Manuscripts on Medicine and Science in the Wellcome Historical Medical Library (London: Wellcome Institute for the History of Medicine, 1962-1973).