Edmond Herbert Grove-Hills
Encyclopedia
Edmond Herbert Grove-Hills (1 August 1864 – 2 October 1922) was a British soldier and astronomer.
He was born the son of Herbert Augustus and Anna (née Grove, daughter of William Robert Grove
) Hills in High Head Castle, Cumberland and educated at Winchester College
until 1882, after which he entered the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He adopted the surname Grove-Hills.
He received a commission in the Royal Engineers and worked as an instructor at the School of Military Engineering
at Chatham, later transferring to surveying duties as a member of the General Staff. He left the army around 1905 and attempted unsuccessfully to enter politics. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1911, his candidacy citation reading "Distinguished as an Astronomer and Geodesist. Secretary since 1896 of the Joint Permanent Eclipse Committee of the Royal Society and Royal Astronomical Society. Treasurer of the Royal Astronomical Society. Instructor in Chemistry and Photography at the School of Military Engineering, Chatham (1893-1899). Head of the Topographical Department of the War Office (1899-1905). Has taken an important part in the systematization of the Scientific Survey of the British Empire. Started the 1/1,000,000 map of Africa. Secretary of the Arbitration Tribunal to determine the frontier between Chile and Argentina (1899-1902). Employed by the War and Colonial Offices to make inspections and formulate schemes for future survey work in the following colonies: - Canada (1903), East Africa (1907); Uganda (1907), Ceylon (1907), Federated Malay States (1907), and Southern Nigeria (1909). President of the Geographical Section of the British Association (1908). Has taken part in several eclipse expeditions, West Africa (1893), Japan (1896), and India (1898), obtaining photographs of the flash and corona spectra with slit spectroscopes. Author of the following papers: - 'The Determination of Terrestrial Longitudes by Photography' (Mem Roy Astron Soc; 1897); 'The Optical Distortion of a Doublet Lens' (Monthly Notices, Royal Astron Soc; 1899); 'The Geography of International Frontiers' (Geograph Journ, 1906); and in conjunction with Sir J Larmor: - 'The Irregular Movements of the Earth's Axis of Rotation: a Contribution towards the Analysis of its Causes' (Monthly Notices, Roy Astron Soc, 1906)".
He developed an interest in astronomy, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
. He took part in observations of eclipses of the sun in 1896 (Japan) and 1898 (India). He was recalled from a similar exercise in Russia at the outbreak of WWI in 1914 and appointed Assistant Chief Engineer of Eastern Command. He was awarded CBE
in 1918.
He served as president of the Royal Astronomical Society from 1913 to 1915.
He had married in 1892 Juliet Spencer-Bell, daughter of MP James Spencer-Bell
.
He was born the son of Herbert Augustus and Anna (née Grove, daughter of William Robert Grove
William Robert Grove
Sir William Robert Grove PC QC FRS was a judge and physical scientist. He anticipated the general theory of the conservation of energy, and was a pioneer of fuel cell technology.-Early life:...
) Hills in High Head Castle, Cumberland and educated at Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
until 1882, after which he entered the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He adopted the surname Grove-Hills.
He received a commission in the Royal Engineers and worked as an instructor at the School of Military Engineering
School of Military Engineering
School of Military Engineering may refer to a training institution for military engineering such as:*Royal School of Military Engineering of the British Army*College of Military Engineering, Pune of the Indian Army...
at Chatham, later transferring to surveying duties as a member of the General Staff. He left the army around 1905 and attempted unsuccessfully to enter politics. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1911, his candidacy citation reading "Distinguished as an Astronomer and Geodesist. Secretary since 1896 of the Joint Permanent Eclipse Committee of the Royal Society and Royal Astronomical Society. Treasurer of the Royal Astronomical Society. Instructor in Chemistry and Photography at the School of Military Engineering, Chatham (1893-1899). Head of the Topographical Department of the War Office (1899-1905). Has taken an important part in the systematization of the Scientific Survey of the British Empire. Started the 1/1,000,000 map of Africa. Secretary of the Arbitration Tribunal to determine the frontier between Chile and Argentina (1899-1902). Employed by the War and Colonial Offices to make inspections and formulate schemes for future survey work in the following colonies: - Canada (1903), East Africa (1907); Uganda (1907), Ceylon (1907), Federated Malay States (1907), and Southern Nigeria (1909). President of the Geographical Section of the British Association (1908). Has taken part in several eclipse expeditions, West Africa (1893), Japan (1896), and India (1898), obtaining photographs of the flash and corona spectra with slit spectroscopes. Author of the following papers: - 'The Determination of Terrestrial Longitudes by Photography' (Mem Roy Astron Soc; 1897); 'The Optical Distortion of a Doublet Lens' (Monthly Notices, Royal Astron Soc; 1899); 'The Geography of International Frontiers' (Geograph Journ, 1906); and in conjunction with Sir J Larmor: - 'The Irregular Movements of the Earth's Axis of Rotation: a Contribution towards the Analysis of its Causes' (Monthly Notices, Roy Astron Soc, 1906)".
He developed an interest in astronomy, and was elected a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society
Royal Astronomical Society
The Royal Astronomical Society is a learned society that began as the Astronomical Society of London in 1820 to support astronomical research . It became the Royal Astronomical Society in 1831 on receiving its Royal Charter from William IV...
. He took part in observations of eclipses of the sun in 1896 (Japan) and 1898 (India). He was recalled from a similar exercise in Russia at the outbreak of WWI in 1914 and appointed Assistant Chief Engineer of Eastern Command. He was awarded CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
in 1918.
He served as president of the Royal Astronomical Society from 1913 to 1915.
He had married in 1892 Juliet Spencer-Bell, daughter of MP James Spencer-Bell
James Spencer-Bell
James Spencer-Bell , known until 1866 as James Bell, was a British Liberal Party politician. He was a Member of Parliament for Guildford from 1852 until 1857.-Parental family:...
.