Anyone hear of Henry Wildey in mirror grinding?

Doing a little bit of research on this chap, a renowned telescope mirror maker many years ago (died 2003 aged 90).

Y'know the 12" Fullerscope I am refurbishing? Well, I got round to the mirror cell yesterday, and even though the scope itself was apparently owned by Queen's University in Belfast since 1977, the mirror is signed by Henry Wildey in October 1966! Etched onto the back of the mirror into the glass is:

PYREX Low Expansion Glass
Focus 60" f/5.1
Parabolic
Oct 1966 H. Wildey (signature)

Makes me wonder how far back the history of this scope goes! Is there anyone from the IAA or NIAAS that might help shed light on this (or anyone else at all)? This find gave me slight goose pimples...

Seanie.

I ran a quick search and found the obituary of Henry Wildey in the Journal of the BAA in 2004. If it is of interest, let me know how to get it to you.

Cheers,
Mike

Hi Seanie,

I don't see anything in the RAS archives unfortunately.

The obituary that Mike mentions is in the ads adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2004JBAA..114...48D Perhaps enquiries through the BAA may be more fruitful.

Cheers,
~Al

Thanks Michael and Al, I did see that link. While his family history is good and all, finding more about his craft, and photos of him, are scant... An email to the BAA might actually be a good idea.

Thanks,

Seanie.

Hi Seanie,

There was another photo of him, and images of some of his beautiful observations of Mars and Jupiter, in a history of Hampstead Observatory in the Journal of the BAA in 2011. He does seem to have been an extraordinarily talented man, and master of his craft. I wonder if Martin Mobberly would have more info about his professional work?

Mike

'Martin Mobberly', why does that name ring a bell?