Two-day marine chronometer with an Earnshaw-type spring detent escapement and a bimetal compensation balance.
This chronometer was used on the Royal Yacht Victoria & Albert III (launched in 1899), and almost certainly on its predecessor, Victoria & Albert II (launched 1855). Correspondence from the 1930s in the Observatory records indicate that this instrument was given by The Prince Consort, Prince Albert (1819-1861) to his son, Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh (1844-1900).
The letters, which date from July 1930, indicate that the King, (George V, 1865-1936), wished to have on board the Royal Yacht the chronometer which had been given by his grandfather Prince Albert to Prince Alfred. The chronometer in question had then been given by Prince Alfred to the King when he was Duke of York, and had been passed to the Observatory for safe keeping in 1914. In 1930 there were in fact two chronometers at the Observatory which had come from the Royal Yacht; this instrument by Russell/Crisp No.6045 and the chronometer by Gardner No.6972 (ZAA0028). The Astronomer Royal, Frank Dyson, wrote to Admiral Sir Henry Buller on the Royal Yacht, to inform him of this and to tell him that both chronometers needed overhaul before they would be serviceable. At the same time Dyson wrote to Russell’s in Liverpool to see if they had records which would identify if the Russell chronometer was the one given by Prince Albert to Prince Alfred. Russell’s were unable to help, having no records going back that far. A further enquiry sent to chronometer makers James Poole, who used to maintain many Observatory chronometers, also resulted in no information. However, Admiral Buller’s reply to Dyson established that, as the Russell chronometer had the name Alfred engraved upon it, it was certainly the chronometer they were looking for.
Both chronometers were then sent to Johannsen’s for repairs and adjustment and were despatched to Portsmouth for the Royal Yacht, with certificates of rate, in October 1930. In October 1934 both chronometers were returned from Victoria and Albert to the Observatory for overhaul, the packing slip noting they were both Contained in One Hamper. (See The Story of the Chronometer for an image of the standard chronometer hamper used on these occasions). Both chronometers were returned after overhaul, to the Royal Yacht, in February 1935. This chronometer was presented to the NMM by H.M. The Queen on 25 October 1954, after the Royal Yacht V&A III was broken up that year. Before delivery to the museum, the chronometer was overhauled by the Chronometer Department at Herstmonceux and sent to the museum along with an Abstract of Rates (Form 205A).