View of the Onion Dome Observatory from Flamsteed House in Greenwich c.1933 [Author's Collection]. Map extract from Ordnance Survey Sheet 161, London N.E. OS One-Inch Map Depicted 1954, Published 1960. Crown Copyright. Reproduced with kind permission of the National Library of Scotland under the Creative Commons Attribution licence.

View of the Onion Dome Observatory from Flamsteed House in Greenwich c.1933

A fine inter-war photograph taken from Flamsteed House, the original Royal Observatory building at Greenwich. The focus of the photograph was the so-called Onion Dome which was designed specifically to house the Great Equatorial Telescope. An earlier dome was a riveted iron frame covered with papier-mâché. Taking some three years to produce to perfection, the casting of the 28-inch lens was undertaken by Messrs. Chance Brothers of Birmingham. Designed by Sir Howard Grubb, the lens cost around £4,500, though this included the work on the dome, all being completed in September 1893.¹

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References
1. "Completion Of The Great Telescope At Greenwich" : Westminster Gazette; September 6th, 1893. p.4.

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