Painting of James Dunlop. https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/collection-items/james-dunlop
James Dunlop (1793-1848) discovered most of the significant star clusters, nebulae and galaxies in the far southern night sky in 1826 when he was 33 years old. He also made a catalogue of double stars that year. If we list the largest 100 globular clusters (GC) and the largest 200 galaxies in the whole sky we find that Sir William Herschel (1738-1822) and James Dunlop discovered more large GC and galaxies than anyone else.
Where did James and his wife Jean (1790-1859) live when he made these catalogues and where did he set up his telescope?
My research suggests they lived with James Elder (1772-1836) and Mary Elder (1790-1861). Here are my reasons for saying this.
In his hand written notes Dunlop writes “on the 7th March 1826 I removed from the (Parramatta) observatory to Mr Elders house”. The Elders were fellow Scots and they named their 5th daughter Eliza Dunlop Elder (1826-1875).
Also in his catalogue of clusters and nebulae Dunlop says he observed from about 6” south and about 1.78 seconds of time east of the observatory.
This is about 55m SE of the Elder’s house.
The observatory was at latitude -33.8124, long 150.9953 and Dunlop’s telescope was set up at -33.8141, 151.0026.
That is at this red mark. https://goo.gl/maps/sMvCqg29sqrc3XBx8
On the 8th Feb 1832, after they arrived back in Australia, Jean Dunlop wrote the following to her sister Lillias Service in Scotland “We stopped in Sydney three days then steered our course for Parramatta and received a hearty welcome from Mr & Mrs Elder. They are all well and send their kind love to you all. Eliza Dunlop Elder is a fine girl (aged 6) and likes the handkerchief you sent her very well. James time is very much taken up in the observatory with the instruments, getting them put (back) in working order.”
In 1841 Mary Elder, James Dunlop and others were officially granted land on the south side of Elder’s house. This map shows their land on Marsden St south of George St. http://digital.sl.nsw.gov.au/deliver..._pid=IE3703467
An 1844 map shows the Elder’s brick house and Elizabeth Shelly’s timber house, but no house on her land on the north side of Hunter St as claimed by Collinridge Rivett in his 1988 book Parramatta Bicentenary, Australia. Dunlop probably observed from the west side of the Scots church property, the church was built later in the 1840s. This 1844 map shows the houses and the church. http://digital.sl.nsw.gov.au/deliver..._pid=IE3690442
On the 30th Oct 1848 Eliza Dunlop Elder wrote to Lily Service in Scotland to tell her that James Dunlop died (at Kincumber near Gosford) on the 22nd Sep 1848 (aged 53). His wife Jean went to Parramatta in mid Oct to see Dr Stewart because she had lost the use of her hands and arms. She was not able to write to her sister.
Hi Glen,
Excellent research of an often forgotten pioneer of Australian and World Astronomy in Southern Skies before federation
My son and his family lived in Dunlop St Parramatta for many years.My wife and I visited him and often had picnics in Parramatta Park with the grandkids where the Observatory was located ( exact location of his Observatory is still questionable today )
I’d like to visit his final resting place one day in St Pauls Anglican Church Kincumber next time I’m passing by the Central Coast , there is a plaque in the Church grounds
Thanks for your post , enjoyable read
Martin
Thank you for the fascinating history and the fabulous write-up.
I was born a block away down Marsden Street at the public hospital
on the banks of the Parramatta River, 250 metres away from where Dunlop
observed, grew up in the area and attended the excellent public high school
on the hill there across the road from Parramatta Park.
The Woolpack, of course, holds one of Australia's oldest hotel licenses dating back to 1796.
It started life as the Freemason's Arms in those early days of the colony.
It was sold and its named changed to The Woolpack in 1821.
The site it was on was purchased by the Government for the construction of
the Parramatta Courthouse and in 1889, the Woolpack reopened on its
current site which was across the road from the original location on the
corner of George and Marsden.
This site was the home of James Elders as you kindly point out.
Martin mentions Dunlop Street which is up the northern end near the old gaol.
My grandparents lived around the corner on Church Street.
I still frequent Dunlop Street for engineering supplies.
George Street in Parramatta, leading down from Government House,
may well have become the main street of the capital of the country.
Parramatta is rich in history and what was a travesty was the demolition
in 2020 by the state government of the Royal Oak Hotel in Church Street
for the construction of a light rail line to nowhere. The pub was amongst
Sydney's oldest, dating back to 1813 and had Cobb & Co stables out the
back. which was the only thing that was saved from the bulldozers.
The hotel had long been a haunt of Parramatta Eels players and fans.
Appreciate you sharing your research with us. I knew approximately where Dunlop lived (somewhere roughly between the Paramatta Court complex and the historic St John's cemetery) and have visited the area around George, Marsden and Church St (because I was working at the Court) and thinking that I must have been walking in his footsteps sometimes.
As you can probably imagine I had one or two liquid-lunches at the Woolpack Hotel (across the road from the Court) unaware just how close I was to the site.
I also made a more concerted search a few years ago when I paid a visit to the historic cemetery but there is no evidence now of the way it once was/might have been.
My PhD can be downloaded here https://researchonline.jcu.edu.au/24051/
Nicolas-Louis de La Caille, James Dunlop and John Herschel: an analysis of the first three catalogues of southern star clusters and nebulae
