"ASTRONOMICAL SWEEP."

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17895, 24 September 1921, Page 10

"ASTRONOMICAL SWEEP."

DEATH OF MR. HITCHJNGS.

A REMARKABLE CAREER. [BT TELEGRAPH.—OWTT CTB3KSVONT>BST.] CERISTCHUBCH, Friday.

How a man's instinctive liking for ■ study wOl persevere in spite of mast serious handicaps is well exemplifisd by the life of Mr. Frank H. Hitching*, known as " The astronomxal chimney sweep," whose death at tho age of 77 years occurred yesterday. While voyaging to New Zealand in the ship Silina is 1869, Mr. Hitchings became interested in astronomy through tbe good offices of th« captain of the vessel, and after his arrival in New Zealand he pursued, a lifelong study of the fascinating subject. For a number of years he lectured on his hobby, and was the possessor of the largest telescooe in fche Dominion. He became a member of the. Royal Astronomical Society, the Canterbury Philosophies} Institute, and the Canterbury Microscopi cal Society. Further be became a valuable contributor of records of sunspcta te the Royal Geographical Society.

About 10 years ago, with Ml. A a son, who is now carrying oa the chimney sweeping business, he weai to Tasmania to observe an eclipse of tb« sun, Mr. Hitchings was a pojmlar fignw at some Canterbury schools, where ha lectures were listened to with interesi Once when there was a comet to be eeeis he mounted his telescope in Cathedral {Square for the use of the public All this he accomplished in spite of the faeS that his so'e schooling consisted of only a few weeks at a night school, and that h» was by no means a rich man. ' "*■"-