Footnotes

George Adams
Instrument maker to King George III, George Adams Senior (b.1709-d.1772) is notably linked to some of the finest scientific and mathematical instruments of the 18th Century.

Beginning his career as an apprentice in the Grocer's Company to mathematical instrument maker, James Parker in 1724, Adams was later turned over to Thomas Heath in 1726, for the remainder of his apprenticeship. It was here that he obtained the skills and knowledge of instrument making, which he continued to develop throughout his entire life. By 1734, Adams had gained his freedom and started a business of his own in Fleet Street, Shoe Lane, adopting the sign of Tycho Brahe's head. The business later moved premises to the corner of the entrance to Racquet Court in 1738, taking the sign with it.

By the 1740's Adams expanded into the construction of orreries. Previously, Adams instrument production of items such as quadrants could be constructed relatively quickly and frequently, however this new focus of orreries, allowed Adams to provide elaborate individual pieces to be bought by wealthy patrons, in keeping with the 18th Century custom of exhibiting wealth and knowledge or by high class educational establishments, such as the Watts Academy.

With a rising interest surrounding microscopes in the educated society, and many of his competitors publishing works on the topic, Adam's attentions were further turned to microscopes, advertising in 1743, 'A New Portable Microscope'. Adams' 1746 publication Micrographia Illustrata, or the microscope explained, catalogued in explanatory terms several new inventions and their purposes. In a century of exploration and scientific development, this manuscript surely signifies and documents Adams contribution to the advances of instrument invention and making. Over the next few years Adams introduced numerous new inventions to the market, such as 'a new sea quadrant' in 1748, and with his growing prestige, George Adams was appointed Instrument Maker to both his Majesty's Office of Ordinance and the Royal Mathematical School that same year.

Adams held this post with the Office of Ordinance for the next twenty-four years, until his death, completing hundreds of orders and repairs for the Office. From 1756 and 1763 alone, Adams bills indicate a total value of instruments commissioned summing to an excess of £1700, which included government orders, amongst others for surveying instruments and demonstrational equipment for the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich.

This reputation continued with his association with The Prince of Wales, who would later become King George III, appointing Adams as his mathematical instrument maker in 1756. Naturally following the death of George II, in 1760 Adams thus became mathematical instrument maker to George III. Adams workshop saw the introduction of new instruments throughout this period, such as a trunnion-mounted microscope and an architectonic sector.

In 1766, Adams launched new 18in and 12in globes, accompanied by a Treatise outlining their purpose and construction.

Surprisingly, it appears that Adams only patented one instrument, applying jointly with a Richard Jack, 'Teacher of Mathematics', in 1748. In the absence of diagrams and clarifying details, we know of this instrument being documented as 'A New Refracting Telescope, and A Sea Quadrant'. Advertisements of the time, boasted 'The Magnifying Power of this Telescope greatly exceeds that of any other of the common Sort'. This statement was controversially disputed at length by an optician by the name of Francis Watkins in the same publication 'General Advertiser' a few days later.

Adams influence and arguable monopoly over his industry is further supported by relatively recent sources, showing Adams had begun to take commissions from East India Commanders as early as 1735 or 1736, although these are sadly not recorded in the company's books.

Over Adam's last few years, he published several publications on the topic of globes and microscopes, including his fourth edition of his Micrographia Illustrata in 1771.

Ensuing Adams' death in 1772, the Fleet Street business was initially continued by his widow Ann for a short time alongside his son George Adams Junior (1750–1795), who had apprenticed under his father.