John Rand Capron
John Rand Capron (1829–1888) FRAS[1] was an English amateur scientist, astronomer and photographer. Though a solicitor by profession, he became an expert on spectroscopy, particularly in relation to the aurora, and published many articles during his lifetime.[2]
He is also remembered for a speculative letter, in the scientific journal Nature on early examples of "crop circles", in which he suggested they were caused by "cyclonic wind action".[3]
Life
[edit]Capron was born on 19 February 1829 in St. Leonards, Shoreditch, London, the son of a leather merchant. Educated at the Royal Grammar School, Guildford, he was articled to his uncle John Capron, a prominent Guildford solicitor.[1] He entered into partnership with his uncle in 1850, and was also appointed Borough Coroner and Clerk of the Peace.[2]
His obituary in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society described how at while at school, during convalescence from an attack of typhoid fever, he had been lent a microscope, which "opened out a new world of wonder and beauty" for him.[4] Although initially interested in biology, fossils and the study of geology, he later developed a particular enthusiasm for the study of spectroscopy and astronomy, building a private observatory at Guildown on the "Hog's Back", Surrey. In 1877 he published a significant work on "Photographed Spectra", which provided reference photographs of the spectra of various elements.[4] In 1879 he extended this into a study of the characteristics of the aurora, and in 1883 published an analysis of an extremely unusual phenomenon observed during the aurora of 17 November 1882; Capron was one of the first scientists to seriously research the nature of aurorae, particularly from a spectrographic perspective.[5] He also conducted experiments on atmospheric electrical charges, fixing a "corona" of platinum wires on top of Booker's Tower on the Hog's Back, linked by wires to his observatory.[6]
Capron was a prominent local philanthropist and was described as "ever ready, though in the most unostentatious manner, to afford aid and succour to those in poverty and distress".[7] A contributor to The English Mechanic and World of Science commented "I have heard - what he tried hard enough to hide - that the good he did among the poor was something remarkable. Few men indeed possessing his wealth and leisure have devoted them more ungrudgingly to the benefit of others".[8] He died on 12 November 1888 in Eastbourne.[citation needed]
A fir plantation near Normandy, Surrey, which Capron owned, still has the name "Rand's Plantation".[5] The Surrey History Centre in Woking holds a collection of photographs believed to have been taken by Capron.[9] The Guildford Institute Library in Guildford holds a collection of four albums of original sketches made by Capron on his travels in Britain and Europe.[10]
Personal life
[edit]Capron married Fanny Nibblett (1820–1909) in June 1856. They had one son, born in 1858.[2]
Books
[edit]In addition to many shorter articles, Capron published the following books:
- Photographed Spectra, London: E & F N Spon, 1877[11]
- Auroræ: their characters and spectra, London: E & F N Spon, 1879[12]
- A Plea for the Rainband, and the Rainband Vindicated, London: Edward Stanford, 1886[13]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Obituary: List of Fellows deceased, Capron, J. Rand, Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 49, 159
- ^ a b c Fuller, Paul (2014). "The Life and Times of John Rand Capron (1829–1888)". The Antiquarian Astronomer. 8. Society for the History of Astronomy: 21–45. Bibcode:2014AntAs...8...21F. Retrieved 3 August 2018.
- ^ Nature 1880-07-29: Vol 22 Iss 561. Nature Publishing Group. 29 July 1880.
- ^ a b MNRAS, 49, 160
- ^ a b John Rand Capron, Normandy Historians, accessed 06-08-10
- ^ Tebbutt, G. A History of Booker's Tower Archived 27 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine, St. Catherine's Village, Guildford
- ^ MNRAS, 49, 161
- ^ The English Mechanic and World of Science, 1889, v.48, p.275
- ^ PHOTOGRAPH ALBUMS RELATING TO SURREY, c.1850-1974, Surrey History Centre, Ref 6529/12
- ^ Guildford Institute Library, Ref JRC1-4
- ^ Capron, J. Rand (1877). Photographed spectra : one hundred and thrirty-six photographs of metallic, gaseous, and other spectra printed by the permanent autotype process. Getty Research Institute. London; New York : E. & F.N. Spon.
- ^ Capron, John Rand (1879). Aurorae: their characters and spectra. University of California Libraries. London, New York, E. & F. N. Spon.
- ^ Capron, John Rand (1886). A plea for the rainband and the rainband vindicated. University of California Libraries. London E. Stanford.
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