WILLIAM CAREY (1759-1825)

William Carey was at first associated with the renowned instrument maker Jesse Ramsden, but he established himself in an independent business in the year 1790. He is reputed to have constructed the first transit circle made in England. In addition to the altitude, azimuth, sextant, reflecting and refracting telescopic, and microscopic instruments made by him, he interested himself in the construction of terrestrial and celestial globes.

An entry in the Plume Trustee Minute book for 6th January 1829 reads:

Ordered that a pair of globes be purchased by the secretary for the use of the Library – the old ones being quite worn out.

Later the trustee’s account book notes:

18th May 1829        Carriage for globes          12-6
15th June 1829        Carey for globes          £17-1-0

The whereabouts of the terrestrial globe is not known, but it can be surmised that it was used in the schoolroom.

The globe was cleaned of the dark Victorian varnish by the British Museum, and was used in an exhibition there. In the cleaning, a watermark dated 1824 was discovered. Beneath the globe is a compass, still in good working order.