Sketch of a rainbow above St Hilda's church, Whitby.

Below the sketch is written: 'A glorious rainbow seen by us (S.E.H., E.D.H., J.C.W.H., & W.J.H.) 8 Sept 1886 at Whitby. By shifting our position a few sene yards we placed the view just as shewn over, & into S. Hilda's Church. NB the darkest sky between the two rainbows (teh two red edges) is always so - next the blue edges is always lighter. In all primary bows & halos, red is nearest to the Sun, blue paretheses off. - This is carefully copied from the sketch made on the spot - which however is not very clear in outline of the church itself - the colours were of extraordinary brilliancy'.

The 'we' referred to here includes William James Herschel (one of John Herschel's three sons, William Herschel's grandson). E.D.H and J.C.W.H. are almost certainly his children, Emma Dorothea Herschel (1867-1954) and Rev. (Sir) John Charles William Herschel (1869-1950). S. E. H. is more of a mystery, though the collection as a whole includes a number of sketches by a S.E.H. including a series done alongside William James on a sketching holiday in 1878. None of William James' children fit these initials.

On the back of the sketch is written: 'The outline of the Church was hastily done by Dorothy [ie Emma Dorothea] - & copied as well as I can - but it is certainly .. in some respect.'