"CHIMNEY SWEEP ASTRONOMER.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16538, 23 September 1921, Page 7

"CHIMNEY SWEEP ASTRONOMER.”

MR F, H ITCH I MGS DEAD. A FINE RECORD OF ACHIEVEMENT. How a man’s instinctive liking for a study will persevere despite the most serious handicap is well exemplified by the life of Mr Frank H. Hitchings, known as “ the astronomical chimney sweep ” whose death, at the age of 77 years, occurred yesterday morning. While voyaging to New Zealand in the ship Siiena in 1869, Mr Hitchings became interested in astronomy through the goed offices of the captain of the vessel, and alter arrival in New Zealand he pursued a life-long study of the fascinating subject. For a number of years he lectured on his hobby, and was the possessor of the largest telescope in the Dominion. Ho became a member of the Royal Astronomical Society, the Canterbury Philosophical Institute and the Canterbury Microscopical Society. Further, he became a valuable contributor of re-

THE LATE MR F. H. HITCHINGS. cords of sunspots to the Royal Geographical Society. About ten years ago he and Mr A. Hitchings, a son who is now carrying on the chimneysweeping business, went to Tasmania to observe an eclipse of the sun. Mr Hitchings was a popular figure at some Canterbury schools, where his lectures were listened to with interest. Once, when there was a comet to be seen, ho mounted his telescope in Cathedral Square for the use of the public. ALI this lie accomplished despite the fact that his sole schooling consisted of only a few weeks at a uiglit school, and that he was by no means a rich man. Tho big telescope still stands in a circular hut in Hr HitcMngs’s back yard, but as Mr Hitchings has been ailing for years past, it is deteriorating from lack of use. Th© hut has a revolving roof, and permits of good observations. In another part of the yard is a small room containing rows of chemicals and photographic apparatus, which he used m connection with his study. A working model to illustrate the solar system also stands there, and out in the open are the remains of a reflector telescope which the astronomer built. Seven years ago Mr Hitchings and his wife celebrated their golden wedding. He is survived by a widow and a grown-up family of seven. His marriage took place at Bexley, London. Ho arrived in Christchurch at a time when raupo and niggerheads grew where now are city streets, and went through the trials of the pioneers. He helped to lay the railway from Addington to Kaiapoi. The greater part of tho family still live in the dwelling nt 69, Durham Street, which took the place- of the shack in which Mr Hitchings dwelt in his early days in New Zealand.