Record

Authorised form of name	Ronalds; Sir; Francis (1788 - 1873); inventor and meteorologist
Dates	1788 - 1873
Nationality	British
Place of birth	London, England
Date of birth	21 February 1788
Place of death	St Mary's Villa, Battle, Sussex, England
Date of death	08 August 1873
DatesAndPlaces	Burial: Battle, Sussex, England
Research field	Meteorology
	Physics
	Electrical engineering
Activity	Eduation: Revd E. Cogan's school at Cheshunt; joined the family firm, Field and Ronalds, wholesale cheesemongers in Upper Thames Street, London (1803); following the death of his father he ran the firm (1806) Career: Exhibited a strong interest in experimentation and the construction of scientific apparatus from a young age; encouraged by Jean André de Luc, he conducted practical experiments in electrical transmission at his residence, Kelmscott House. He set up two parallel wooden structures, 20 yards apart, connecting them with insulated wire for a continuous length of 8 miles. His success demonstrated that, in dry weather, electric signals could be transmitted almost instantaneously over distances (1814); Ronalds further developed an electrical telegraph apparatus, incorporating a single underground line of 525 feet within thick glass tubes coated with pitch. Despite the system's slow pace, he established synchronization routines for two dials, proving its functionality over the buried wire. Although he did not seek a patent, Ronalds detailed his experiments in a pamphlet titled "Descriptions of an Electrical Telegraph and of some other Electrical Apparatus" (1823); wrote to the Admiralty, highlighting the rapidity and practicality of his telegraph. However, the Admiralty considered telegraphs unnecessary, and his system was not adopted (1816); embarked on a tour of Europe and the eastern Mediterranean, documenting his experiences and expanding his collection of books on electricity and magnetism (1823); invented and patented a device for sketching from nature (1825), followed by an improved version (1828); became the honorary director of the former Royal Observatory at Kew, conducting experiments in the continuous automatic registration of meteorological data by photography. Despite sharing credit with Charles Wheatstone, Ronalds asserted his independent invention of the system (1842); retired and received a civil-list pension for his contributions to electicity and meteorology (1852); in hi slater years compiled a bibliographical catalogue of works on electricity, magnetism, and related subjects, bequeathing his collection to the Institution of Electrical Engineers (IEE) (1880) Honours: Kt 1871
Membership category	Fellow
Date of election	01/02/1844
Age at election	56
Proposer	Henry Moseley; Edward Sabine; Edward Solly; Charles Wheatstone; William Brockedon; William Thomas Brande; Michael Faraday; Thomas Graham
RSActivity	The Royal Society made an initial grant of £50 from the Wollaston fund toward the costs of constructing the apparatus devised by Ronalds and in 1851 a further grant of £100 to fund a six-month experimental trial. In gratitude Ronalds was to bequeath £500 to the Royal Society.
Relationships	Parents: Francis Ronalds (1761–1806), merchant, and Jane (1766–1852), daughter of William Field, merchant, and Ann Bailey. Siblings: Alfred Ronalds, authore of the classic book The Fly-fisher's Entomology (1836); Hugh Ronalds was one of the founders of the city of Albion in the American Midwest; Emily Ronalds, social reformer. Uncle: Hugh Ronalds, nurseryman Nephews: Professor Edumnd Ronalds, academic and industrial chemist; Hugh Carter, portrait painter
PublishedWorks	RCN 51063 RCN R61298 RCN R61299 RCN 28673
OtherInfo	Known for the electric telegraph, continuously recording camera, and perspective drawing instruments. Knighted for creating the first working electric telegraph over a substantial distance.
Source	Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB Notes: Biog Mem in "Catalogue of the Ronalds Library" 1880.
Virtual International Authority File	http://viaf.org/viaf/61893045
Code	NA7632

Archives associated with this Fellow

RefNo	Title	Date
EC/1844/04	Ronalds, Sir Francis: certificate of election to the Royal Society
IM/003876	Ronalds, Sir Francis	nd
MS/257/3/344	Letter from Francis Ronalds, Chiswick to Edward Sabine	15 February 1849
IM/Maull/003875	Ronalds, Sir Francis	nd
MS/426/449	Note of a letter from [the Secretaries of] the Royal Society; to F [Francis] Ronalds, Chiswick	19 June 1851
MC/10/126	Letter from S [Samuel] Carter, Quarry Hill, Battle, to Walter White, [Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society]	17 June 1874
MS/426/194	Copy letter from C R [Charles Richard] Weld, the Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society; to F [Francis] Ronalds Esq	3 April 1846
MS/257/3/348	Letter from Francis Ronalds, Chiswick to Edward Sabine	9 August 1852
PT/32/8/3	Plate, figures 8-9 showing a declination magnetograph by Francis Ronalds	[1846]
PT/32/8/2	Plate, figures 1-7 showing electrograph, thermometrograph, barometrograph, and contracting diaphragm by Francis Ronalds	[1846]
MC/6/220	Letter from Fras [Francis] Ronalds, Milan, to Walter White, Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society	18 April 1862
MC/4/371	Letter from Fra [Francis] Ronalds, Kew Observatory, to S H [Samuel Hunter] Christie, [Secretary of the Royal Society]	18 December 1850
PT/32/8/1	Manuscript, 'On photographic self registering meteorological and magnetical instruments' by Francis Ronalds	[1846]
MC/4	Volume 4 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society	1844-1850
MC/6/135	Letter from Fras [Francis] Ronalds, Hotel de la Ville, Milan, to C R [Charles Richard] Weld	5 May 1861
MC/6	Volume 6 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society	1859-1863
PT/32/8	Paper, 'On photographic self registering meteorological and magnetical instruments' by Francis Ronalds	[1846]
MC/9/152	Letter from S [Samuel] Carter, Quarry Hill, Battle, to the Secretary of the Royal Society	14 January 1871
MC/9	Volume 9 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society	1870-June 1873
MC/10/122	Letter from Executors of Ronalds, Quarry Hill, Battle, to the Secretary of the Royal Society	11 June 1874
MC/10/141	Letter from Horne & Hunter [?], 6 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, to Walter White, [Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society], Burlington House	13 July 1874
MC/10	Volume 10 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society	July 1873-1876
MS/257/2/236	Copy of a letter from W Hamilton, Admiralty to [Francis Ronalds]	7 October 1848
MS/257/3/343	Letter from Francis Ronalds, Chiswick to Edward Sabine	10 November 1848
MS/257/3/346	'Mr [Francis] Ronald's memo addressed to the Kew Committee'	22 March 1850
MS/257/3/347	Letter from Francis Ronalds, Kew Observatory to Edward Sabine	23 August 1850
MS/257/3/345	Letter from Francis Ronalds, Chiswick to Edward Sabine	1 April 1849
MS/257/3/342	Letter from Francis Ronalds, Chiswick to Edward Sabine	30 June 1848
MS/426/347	Copy letter from C R [Charles Richard] Weld, the Assistant Secretary of the Royal Society; to Sir J F W [John Wiliam Frederick] Herschel	20 November 1848
HS/14/423	Letter, from Sir Francis Ronalds to Sir John Herschel, dated at Kew Observatory	4 May 1849
HS/14/422	Letter, from Sir Francis Ronalds to Sir John Herschel, dated at Kew Observatory	9 September 1847
HS/14/421	Letter, from Sir Francis Ronalds to Sir John Herschel, dated at Chiswick	8 February 1847

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