Microscope Museum

Collection of antique microscopes and other scientific instruments

 

Library telescope from Broadhurst Clarkson (1950s)

A picture containing telescope

Description automatically generatedA picture containing telescope

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Library telescope engraved with ‘Broadhurst Clarkson and co, 63 Farringdon Rd, London EC’. This instrument should be dated to the 1950s. This telescope has a ‘Comet’ eyepiece fitted, sold for many years by the company and having been first made at the time of the Comet Halley apparition in 1910. In 1750, Benjamin Martin established an instrument business, and his son Joshua joined the firm in 1778. In 1782, Joshua patented a method for manufacturing brass tubes, and, in the same year, the firm was sold to Charles Tulley. The Tulley family ran the business until 1844 when it was sold to Robert Mills who, in turn, sold on to Alexander Clarkson in 1873. Broadhurst became a partner in the business in 1892 but left the partnership in 1908. Broadhurst moved to 63 Farringdon Road and named the building as the ‘Telescope House’, starting trading as ‘Broadhurst Clarkson & Co.’. The firm produced both the lenses and the brass tubes (using Joshua Martin's patented machine). Dudley Fuller acquired the firm in 1973, renaming it Broadhurst Clarkson and Fuller. The telescope is also engraved with ‘E. Esdaile & Sons PTY Ltd, Sydney’, which should be the retailer of the instrument in Australia. Esdaile & Sons was founded by William Edward Esdaile, born in London and a Mathematical Survey and Telegraphic Instrument Maker by trade, he and his wife Caroline Anne emigrated to Australia in 1883. William started his own instrument manufacturing business in 1891, advertising as 'E. Esdaile, Optician', at 11 Hunter Street, Sydney. In 1894, the business had expanded and moved to 54 Hunter Street. In 1920, William signed a partnership agreement with four sons (Edward, Ernest, Charles, and Leonard), and the firm changed its name to E. Esdaile & Sons. Shortly after William’s death in 1947, the firm became a public company. In 1953, they changed to Esdaile (Holdings) Limited, and formed a subsidiary company, E. Esdaile & Sons Pty. Ltd. In the early 1970s, Esdaile (Holdings) Limited was taken over by Watson Victor Holdings, a hospital equipment maker. The Esdaile name was initially incorporated into Watson Victor Holdings, but when they in turn were taken over in the late 1970s by Nicholas (the manufacturers of Aspirin), the name of E Esdaile & Sons Pty Ltd name finally disappeared.