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George Herbert Leigh Mallory - 19th May 1916.(MoCPB169.82)

Herschel House, Herschel Road

History of Herschel House

Herschel Road was named after the astronomer, William Herschel.

William Herschel in 1785

Martin Rees, the Astronomer Royal, who lives in Herschel Road, has written: Just a piece of ‘local’ knowledge. You probably know that Martin Ryle was a previous occupant of our house in Herschel Road. But so also, for several years, was his colleague Graham Smith, who went on to be head of Jodrell Bank — and also astronomer royal.  So three ARs have lived here! Graham lives in retirement in Anglesey He was 100 this April –but is still in remarkable health, and with many memories  of the late 1940s and the 1950s when the first radio telescopes (before Lords Bridge) were built at the bottom of the garden on what’s now the rugby practice field.

1913:

Rev John Bascombe Lock, Senior Fellow Gonville and Caius College

Herschel House

1923-4:

In 1923 the celebrated climber George Herbert Leigh Mallory was employed at the Extra Mural Studies Department of the university. He is known to have been living at Herschel House in February 1924.

The portrait of Mallory dated 19.5.1916 would have been taken just a few days before he was deployed in France with the Royal Garrison Artillery for the first time.

It was in June of that year he went missing on the north slope of Mount Everest with colleague A C Irvine.

At the end of June a memorial service was held in Magdalene College Chapel. (See Warwick and Warwicks Advertiser 5.7.1924)

There is an obituary in the Civil and Miltary Gazette (Lahore) 24.7.1924.

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