Person Gill; Sir; David (1843 - 1914); astronomer Gill David Sir astronomer 1843 - 1914 British Male 48 Skene Terrace, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Scotland 12 June 1843 18430612 Vere Gardens, Kensington, London, England 24/01/1914 19140124 Burial: Ancient graveyard of St Machar's Cathedral, Aberdeen, Scotland.

Royal Observatory, Cape of Good Hope (1882) Vere Gardens, Kensington, London, England (1914)

Astronomer Geodesy Astrophotography Astronomy Education: Dollar Academy, Aberdeen; Marischal College, Aberdeen; Aberdeen University; LLD Career: Entered his father's business and ran it for some time (1856); interested in astronomy (1863); started an observatory, King's College, Aberdeen; in charge of the private observatory of James 26th Earl of Crawford (FRS 1878), Dunecht, near Aberdeen; observed the Transit of Venus at Mauritius (1874); measured the distance of Mars from the Earth from Ascension Island; Her Majesty's Astronomer, Cape of Good Hope (1879-1906); died of pneumonia. Honours: KCB 1900 Memberships: FRAS British Association (President 1907) International Committee for Weights and Measures (CIPM) (1907-1914) Medals/Awards: Valz Prize (1891) Astronomical Society James Craig Watson Medal (1899) Bruce Medal (1900) Parents: David Gill, watchmaker, of Aberdeen and Margaret Mitchell. Spouse: Isobel Sara (1849–1919), the daughter of John Black, a farmer of Linhead, Aberdeenshire. Known for measuring astronomical distances. Made the first photograph of the Great Cornet of 1882. Early proponent of the Carte du Ciel project. Medals and prizes: Royal Medal 1903 Fellow 07/06/1883 40 Charles William Siemens Robert Stirling Newall Frederick John Owen Evans Robert Grant William Thomson John Couch Adams Crawford George Henry Richard Henry John Stephen Smith James Whitbread Lee Glaisher George Howard Darwin William Huggins William de Wiveleslie Abney Charles Vincent Walker Arthur Cayley Warren De La Rue Edwin Dunkin John Russell Hind William Henry Mahoney Christie George Biddell Airy John Theophilus Boileau Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB Mrs David Gill 'Six months in Ascension; an unscientific account of a scientific expedition' with introduction by David Gill (1878) Obituaries: Proc Roy Soc Series A 1914-1915 vol 91 pp xxvi-xlii, plate, signed by F W D Gill P0052.jpg ©The Royal Society International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorRaw=Gill%2C+David RCN 31823 RCN 40930 RCN 40931 RCN 31825 RCN 31822 RCN 31821 RCN 31820 RCN 31826 RCN 31824 RCN 31827 RCN 31830 RCN 40932 RCN 40929 RCN 31828 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/results?mi_search_type=adv&mi_adv_search=yes&adv_person_id=AUTH3302 12 Jun 1843 - 24 Jan 1914 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 24/09/2024 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA6654 21/11/2001 Andyg Pmab 06/05/2026 RS_NET\VirginiaM Yes http://viaf.org/viaf/20436366 6778079d-1881-4b4f-a8c1-483e770d8065