Independent scholar.
Br J Hist Sci. 2021 Jun;54(2):155-175. doi: 10.1017/S0007087421000030.
This article presents a case study of life and work at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich (1835-1933) which reveals tensions between the lived reality of the observatory as a social space, and the attempts to create order, maintain discipline and project an image of authority in order to ensure the observatory's long-term stability. Domestic, social and scientific activities all intermingled within the observatory walls in ways which were occasionally disorderly. But life at Greenwich was carefully managed to stave off such disorder and to maintain an appearance of respectability which was essential to the observatory's reputation and output. The article focuses on three areas of management: (1) the observatory's outer boundaries, demonstrating how Greenwich navigated both human and environmental intrusions from the wider world; (2) the house, examining how Greenwich's domestic spaces provided stability, while also complicating observatory life via the management of domestic servants; and (3) the scientific spaces, with an emphasis on the work and play of the observatory's boy computers. Together, these three parts demonstrate that the stability of the observatory was insecure, despite being perpetuated via powerful physical and social boundaries. It had to be continually maintained, and was regularly challenged by Greenwich's occupants and neighbours.
本文对格林威治皇家天文台（1835-1933 年）的生活和工作进行了案例研究，揭示了该天文台作为一个社会空间的实际生活与试图建立秩序、维持纪律和树立权威形象以确保其长期稳定之间的紧张关系。在天文台的围墙内，家庭、社交和科学活动交织在一起，有时会出现混乱。但是，格林威治的生活被精心管理，以避免这种混乱，并保持体面的外表，这对天文台的声誉和产出至关重要。本文重点关注管理的三个领域：（1）天文台的外部边界，展示了格林威治如何应对来自更广阔世界的人员和环境的干扰；（2）房屋，研究了格林威治的家庭空间如何提供稳定性，同时通过对家庭佣人的管理使天文台的生活变得复杂；（3）科学空间，重点是天文台男孩计算机的工作和娱乐。这三个部分共同表明，尽管通过强大的物理和社会边界来维持，但天文台的稳定性并不安全。它必须不断地维持，并经常受到天文台的居住者和邻居的挑战。
