Henry Joseph Grayson
Encyclopedia
Henry Joseph Grayson was a nurseryman
and scientist, best known as the designer of a machine for ruling diffraction grating
s.
Grayson was born in Worrall
, near Sheffield
, Yorkshire
, England
, son of Joseph Grayson, a Master Cutler
, and his wife Fanny, née Smith. Grayson came of a family of market gardeners, and travelled to New Zealand
in the early 1880s. After returning to England and marrying Elizabeth Clare on 11 August 1886, the couple soon migrated to Victoria (Australia)
where Grayson worked as a nursery gardener. Becoming interested in science he joined the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
, studied botany and did some work on the diatoms
, a group of minute plants. Grayson attended meetings of the Royal Microscopical Society
and developed a talent for preparing microscope slides. Before 1894 he had constructed a machine for making micrometer rulings on glass, the results being very good for that time. In 1897 some very beautiful work Grayson had done in cutting sections of plants led to his being given a position in the physiology department of the university of Melbourne under Professor Martin. He was afterwards transferred to the geology department, and in December 1901 accompanied Professor Gregory
on his expedition to Central Australia
. In the preface to The Dead Heart of Australia Gregory paid a special tribute "To my assistant Mr Grayson on whom much of the hard work of the expedition fell". In 1910 Grayson was associated with D. J. Mahony in the preparation of a paper on "The Geology of the Camperdown and Mount Elephant
Districts" (No. 9 in the Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Victoria), and in the same year, while working at the university under professor Skeats
, who succeeded Gregory, Grayson made a highly efficient apparatus for preparing rock sections, a description of which will be found in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria
for the year 1911.
In the meanwhile Grayson had been perfecting his fine ruling work. Grayson had by then succeeded in creating 120,000 diffractions lines to the inch (47,000 line per cm). From this time onwards much of his time was given to the preparation of a dividing engine
for ruling diffraction gratings. Grayson was transferred to the Natural Philosophy department of the university under Professor T. R. Lyle in 1913 and was allowed to give his full time to the machine. In July 1917 he read a paper before the Royal Society of Victoria giving a full description of the machine, which was published with several plates in the society's Proceedings for that year. In the same year Grayson was awarded the David Syme Research Prize of £100 by the University of Melbourne
. Grayson died in Clyde
of heart disease leaving a widow but no children.
Plantsman
A plantsman is an enthusiastic and knowledgeable gardener , nurseryman or nurserywoman. "Plantsman" can refer to a male or female person, though the terms plantswoman, or even plantsperson, are sometimes used....
and scientist, best known as the designer of a machine for ruling diffraction grating
Diffraction grating
In optics, a diffraction grating is an optical component with a periodic structure, which splits and diffracts light into several beams travelling in different directions. The directions of these beams depend on the spacing of the grating and the wavelength of the light so that the grating acts as...
s.
Grayson was born in Worrall
Worrall
Worrall is a small rural village within the boundary of the City of Sheffield. It stands in an elevated position at a height of approximately 230 metres and is 6.5 km north west of the city centre. The village has an area of 233 hectares and a population of 1,306 in 2006...
, near Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, son of Joseph Grayson, a Master Cutler
Master Cutler
The Master Cutler is the head of the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire established in 1624. Their role is to act as an ambassador of industry in Sheffield, England. The Master Cutler is elected by the freemen of the company on the first Monday of September of each year and the position taken in the...
, and his wife Fanny, née Smith. Grayson came of a family of market gardeners, and travelled to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in the early 1880s. After returning to England and marrying Elizabeth Clare on 11 August 1886, the couple soon migrated to Victoria (Australia)
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
where Grayson worked as a nursery gardener. Becoming interested in science he joined the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
Field Naturalists Club of Victoria
The Field Naturalists Club of Victoria is an Australian natural history and conservation organisation.It was founded in May 1880 by a group of nature enthusiasts that included Thomas Pennington Lucas. Charles French and Dudley Best. It is the oldest conservation group in Victoria...
, studied botany and did some work on the diatoms
Diatom
Diatoms are a major group of algae, and are one of the most common types of phytoplankton. Most diatoms are unicellular, although they can exist as colonies in the shape of filaments or ribbons , fans , zigzags , or stellate colonies . Diatoms are producers within the food chain...
, a group of minute plants. Grayson attended meetings of the Royal Microscopical Society
Royal Microscopical Society
The Royal Microscopical Society is an international scientific society for the promotion of microscopy. RMS draws members from all over the world and is dedicated to advancing science, developing careers and supporting wider understanding of science and microscopy through its Science and Society...
and developed a talent for preparing microscope slides. Before 1894 he had constructed a machine for making micrometer rulings on glass, the results being very good for that time. In 1897 some very beautiful work Grayson had done in cutting sections of plants led to his being given a position in the physiology department of the university of Melbourne under Professor Martin. He was afterwards transferred to the geology department, and in December 1901 accompanied Professor Gregory
Francis Thomas Gregory
Francis Thomas Gregory was an English-born Australian explorer and politician.-Biography:Gregory was born at Farnsfield, Nottinghamshire, England, and was the younger brother of the explorer Augustus Gregory...
on his expedition to Central Australia
Central Australia
Central Australia/Alice Springs Region is one of the five regions in the Northern Territory. The term Central Australia is used to describe an area centred on Alice Springs in Australia. It is sometimes referred to as Centralia; likewise the people of the area are sometimes called Centralians...
. In the preface to The Dead Heart of Australia Gregory paid a special tribute "To my assistant Mr Grayson on whom much of the hard work of the expedition fell". In 1910 Grayson was associated with D. J. Mahony in the preparation of a paper on "The Geology of the Camperdown and Mount Elephant
Mount Elephant
Mount Elephant is a 240 m high conical breached scoria cone formed by an Extinct volcano, located 1 km from the town of Derrinallum in southwestern Victoria, Australia. It is a prominent landmark....
Districts" (No. 9 in the Memoirs of the Geological Survey of Victoria), and in the same year, while working at the university under professor Skeats
Ernest Willington Skeats
Ernest Willington Skeats was an English-Australian geologist.Skeats was born in Southampton, England, and was educated at Handel and Hartley colleges, Southampton, and entered the Royal College of Science, London, where he received a D.Sc...
, who succeeded Gregory, Grayson made a highly efficient apparatus for preparing rock sections, a description of which will be found in the Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria
Royal Society of Victoria
The Royal Society of Victoria is the oldest learned society in the state of Victoria in Australia.The Royal Society of Victoria was formed in 1859 from a merger between The Philosophical Society of Victoria and The Victorian Institute for the Advancement of Science , both founded...
for the year 1911.
In the meanwhile Grayson had been perfecting his fine ruling work. Grayson had by then succeeded in creating 120,000 diffractions lines to the inch (47,000 line per cm). From this time onwards much of his time was given to the preparation of a dividing engine
Dividing engine
A dividing engine is a device specifically employed to mark graduations on measuring instruments.-History:There has always been a need for accurate measuring instruments...
for ruling diffraction gratings. Grayson was transferred to the Natural Philosophy department of the university under Professor T. R. Lyle in 1913 and was allowed to give his full time to the machine. In July 1917 he read a paper before the Royal Society of Victoria giving a full description of the machine, which was published with several plates in the society's Proceedings for that year. In the same year Grayson was awarded the David Syme Research Prize of £100 by the University of Melbourne
University of Melbourne
The University of Melbourne is a public university located in Melbourne, Victoria. Founded in 1853, it is the second oldest university in Australia and the oldest in Victoria...
. Grayson died in Clyde
Clyde, Victoria
Clyde is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 48 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Casey. At the 2006 Census, Clyde had a population of 1,224.-History:...
of heart disease leaving a widow but no children.