The collection of letters is divided into a a group dating from 1850 which includes receipts, costs and correspondence between William Horn and David Little, Granton, Edinburgh.
Another group of in the collection is correspondence between William Horn and Morton and Cooke.
There is also a sketch of a comet drawn in 1838... Encke's Comet.
William Horn, of Allan Park, Stirling, was an astronomical instrument maker. Horn made improvements to the two major types of reflecting telescopes then in use in astronomy - the Newtonian, and the Gregorian.
The inventor and scientist, Thomas Morton, was born in Mauchline, in 1783. He was an important figure in the scientific development of south west Scotland. His invention of a barrel loom revolutionised carpet making and brought much prosperity to the area. The idea for this invention came to him after he was asked to mend a barrel organ and he recognised that the principle of the barrel with pins could be used to produce a pattern in the making of carpets. Morton was also Instrument Maker to Sir John Ross the Arctic Explorer.
Thomas Morton died in 1862, and the firm was continued by Charles Morton.
T. Cooke & Sons was an English instrument-making firm, headquartered in York. It was founded by Thomas Cooke by 1837.
Access should be unrestricted but please check in advance of any consultation.
Catalogued by Graeme D. Eddie, 6 October 2016.
