FitzRoy, Rear Admiral Robert THE WEATHER BOOK: A MANUAL OF PRACTICAL METEOROLOGY Longman, Green,

FitzRoy, Rear Admiral Robert THE WEATHER BOOK: A MANUAL OF PRACTICAL METEOROLOGY Longman, Green, Longman, Roberts, & Green, London 1st edition 1863, 16 lithographed charts, tables and plates at end, including many folding or double-page and two on blue paper, bound in tooled blue cloth; with a group of 14 further meteorological related works including Steinmetz, Andrew SUNSHINE AND SHOWERS, Reeve & Co., London 1867; Reid, Lieut-Colonel William THE PROGRESS of the DEVELOPEMENT of THE LAW OF STORMS and of THE VARIABLE WINDS John Weale, London 1849 (binding incomplete); Buchan, Alexander M.A. A HANDY BOOK OF METEOROLOGY William Blackwood and Sons, Edinburgh and London 1867 and Lowe, Edward Joseph A TREATISE on ATMOSPHERIC PHAENOMENA Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans, Nottingham 1846, (15). Vice Admiral Robert Fitzroy started his colourful Naval career at the age of twelve in 1818, he later became Captain of the Beagle, and in 1831 made history when he agreed to accept Charles Darwin to accompany him on a voyage of scientific discovery. Although Fitzroy became good friends with Darwin he later regretted their association due to his strong Christian beliefs. In 1841 Fitzroy was elected MP for Durham before being recommended by The Church Missionary Society to be appointed Governor of New Zealand, a position which he took up in 1843. Unfortunately tensions which led to the First New Zealand War resulted in him being replaced by Governor George Grey in 1848. On his return he was given his last Naval Command before retiring to shore duty in 1851. It was during these later years that he was able to focus on his lifelong interest in meteorology. In 1854 he was appointed head of the department that was later to become The Meteorological Office and, after the severe storm of 1859 (which resulted in the loss of the vessel the Royal Charter), he co-ordinated the creation of fifteen weather stations around the country and the publication of daily weather forecasts in The Times. His research into weather forecasting led to the development of improved barometers and methods of interpretation of data culminating in the publication of The Weather Book in 1863. Unfortunately debt and his lifelong struggle with depression got the better of him as he comitted suicide on 30th April 1865.