’Umble roots; extraordinary passion

ALLAN CHAPMAN: 1946-2026

With the passing of Allan Chapman on 21 January 2026, the UK astronomical community will never be the same again. He was a unique inspiration to all who came across him. Roger Hutchins from the Society for the History of Astronomy (SHA) looks back at a life full of astronomy, passion and cups of tea.

Allan’s story began in Pendlebury, a small colliery and mill town of some 11,000 people including artist L.S. Lowry, adjacent to Salford. As a boy Allan displayed a near photographic memory, boundless curiosity, and what we now recognise as his trademark personality: charmingly eccentric and a constant thirst for knowledge and cups of tea.

Inspired by his grandfather’s fascination with “the idiosyncrasies of how individuals overcome technical obstacles”, he built his first telescope at eleven and founded an astronomical society at school. He learned metal and woodworking not as hobbies, but as essential crafts because understanding instruments required building them. His passion had begun.

Leaving Cromwell Road Secondary Modern School in Pendlebury at age 15 without qualifications, Allan worked as a public library clerk and in a local government office while studying at night school for ‘O’ and ‘A’ levels. His determination won him a place to read History at Lancaster University.

Professor Robert Fox, then at Lancaster, recalls Allan arriving in 1969 as a mature student age 22. He was ‘a striking figure’; academically ready, sartorially distinctive, and already versed in the history of science. By the end of his first year, he had gained a Queen’s Scholarship.

There, Allan met Peter Hingley, who went on to serve as the Royal Astronomical Society’s librarian until his death in 2012. They established the Lancaster University Astronomical Society.

Graduating with first class honours from Lancaster, Allan headed to Oxford to pursue a doctorate. Matriculating in Wadham College, his D.Phil. concerned astronomical instrumentation. He was supervised by Gerard Turner at the Museum of the History of Science, and graduated in 1978. Yet, unlike most scholars, he did not seek secure academic posts.

Instead, he chose a fiercely independent life as a freelance researcher and lecturer, writer and latterly broadcaster. From 1972 to 1992 he was Senior Tutor at the Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, taught History and Philosophy of Science to undergraduates, and supervised fourth-year chemists who chose a history of chemistry thesis option instead of laboratory work.

Changing faith

His first student at Oxford, the current editor of The Antiquarian Astronomer , Dr Peter Morris recalls that in those days Allan “was a firm atheist, but not a strident one, and used to say that he would never be foolish enough to get married”.

To understand our ‘modern Allan’, it is essential to appreciate the role of Rachel, who married him in 1991 and clearly had a profound influence. She recalls, “Allan’s Christian faith probably began developing in the 1980s. He had regularly attended Chapel at Wadham since 1972 (he loved the music) and for many years worshipped at Christ Church”.

Increasingly intrigued by the dialogue between faith and science, Allan had no difficulty accommodating the concept of Grand Design (the idea that the Universe’s laws and structure signify evidence of an underlying purpose or creator). Indeed, he had an important role in promoting understanding between science and religion. He gave five courses and a seminar between 2007 and 2012 at the Faraday Institute in Cambridge on the subject.

This was typical of how he engaged with a subject as he worked through an intellectual challenge. The fruits of this endeavour were also published in his book Slaying the Dragons: Destroying Myths in the History of Science and Faith (Lion Books, 2013).

The man he chose to be

Amused by his ascent from ‘’umble working stock’ to Oxford scholar, Allan made himself the man he chose to be, emphasising that his prolific writing output was not due to personal graft for two reasons. Firstly, he found writing in longhand easy, and secondly, he was crucially enabled by Rachel’s editorial and word-processing skills. A classicist by training, she became Allan’s ‘Scholar and Best Friend’, transforming his work flow. His latter books were dedicated to her and his gratitude reflects a lifelong conviction that scholarship is not a solitary achievement.

Allan had begun lecturing in his teens to the new Salford Astronomical Society. From the 1960s until the Covid lockdown in 2020, he lectured across Britain, and abroad. He would address leading academic institutions and the smallest local clubs with equal enthusiasm and always without a fee, requesting only rail fare, hospitality, and a large pot of tea served in proper china.

Gerard Gilligan (SHA Chair, 2018-24) recalls, “I first saw Allan at the Liverpool AS in October 1985. I was spellbound by his remarkable delivery of the story of Edmond Halley, given fluently, entertainingly, powerfully, entirely without notes, to clunky 35 mm slides (usually shown at the end), punctuated by the occasional request for strong tea. Then in 1988 he gave the first William Lassell Memorial Lecture. His enthusiasm kindled my intense interest in Lassell, and in astronomical history”.

OBITUARY

Robin Scagell, Vice President of the Society for Popular Astronomy adds, “He was in much demand, and his talks were always the high point of a society’s year”.

Allan’s fascination with overlooked observers and social context distinguishes his work from that of his peers. He studied not only the ‘Grand Amateurs’ pursuing status in the Royal Society and Royal Astronomical Society, but also ‘the rest’. He was no less interested in the menial, the employees and the assistants. So long as they loved the sky, they were important to Allan.

All were the grist for his masterwork The Victorian Amateur Astronomer (Wiley-Praxis, 1998). He was simply fascinated by where the spark of genius appeared, regardless of rank. This rare sensitivity guided his whole output.

Spreading the word

Allan always sought to spread the word, to help others, to encourage new research. His generosity in meeting researchers anywhere was a hallmark of his mission to inspire.

He shared this ideal with his friends David Dewhirst and Peter Hingley, and with those popularising astronomy itself: his great friend Patrick Moore and their RAS-BAA media- oriented friends Heather Couper and Nigel Henbest. Allan became close to Patrick Moore while Sky at Night was supreme, and latterly replaced Patrick as the keynote speaker at Leeds Astromeet.

“In 2009, the Liverpool AS presented him with a giant teapot, with our logo on the side. Thus at our meetings he had his own pot,” says Gerard.

His writings, lectures and TV appearances have helped to shape the public understanding of the history of astronomy.

Between 1982 and 2025 Allan published 18 books (of which eight are academic, including two on medical history), plus booklets and academic articles with the Royal Society, RAS, and scholarly journals. He was prolific within these very pages, publishing 69 articles for Astronomy Now between 1989–2025, and had just begun talking to the magazine’s new owner, Stuart Clark, about the possibility of digesting at least some of those into a special compendium publication.

He also wrote many other articles for other magazines and newspapers. He made a number of TV programmes including the series Gods in the Sky for Channel 4, which explored early religious beliefs and their relationship to astronomical thinking; he also made Great Scientists for Channel 5.

The Society for the History of Astronomy

In 2001, Stuart Williams was inspired by Allan’s seminal book The Victorian Amateur Astronomer , which revealed the rich culture of non- professional astronomy, and proposed a national survey of local astronomical history. With characteristic clarity, Allan observed that such an undertaking required a society to sustain it.

As a result, in June 2002, he hosted the Society for the History of Astronomy (SHA)’s inaugural meeting at Wadham College, Oxford. By the end of July, the SHA had 66 members, and the Council had elected Allan as Honorary President.

Every organisation reflects the qualities and ideals of the people who help shape it. During nearly a quarter of a century, the SHA has grown in membership, reputation, and scholarly confidence. Throughout this time, Allan continued to be an unfailing source of inspiration.

For the Society’s 20th Anniversary in 2022, Allan reflected that Victorian astronomy grew from those he had identified as ‘Grand Amateurs’, pursuing their interests outside professional employment. Similarly, he asserted that the history of astronomy with its great diversity flourishes in our time because it is led by men and women driven by curiosity rather than careers.

The SHA’s President for all of its 24 years, Allan relished the Society now having 262 members, of whom 28 are overseas. The Survey of British Astronomy that started it all now thrives under Kevin Johnson’s care. Its database of historical British observatories, instrument makers and observers, attracted a record 6,940 online searches from 2,518 visitors in 11 months of 2025. Meanwhile, the SHA’s achievements reflect the spirit of scholarly enthusiasm grounded in curiosity, generosity, and good fellowship that Allan did so much to instil.

The lad from Salford Secondary Modern achieved MA, D.Phil., D.Sc., D.Univ., FRAS., Visiting Professor of History of Science at Gresham College 2004-11, RAS Jackson-Gwilt Medallist (2015; only the third historian in 118 years), President of the William Herschel Society, and Hon. President of six astronomical societies.

Allan’s funeral will take place at the Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, where he was a longstanding member of the congregation, and also a member of the College. Thank you, Allan and Rachel for so much, so many insights, and so much entertainment and inspiration!

This is an abridged and edited version of the appreciation by Roger Hutchins that will be delivered at the SHA’s Spring Meeting in April, to celebrate Allan in advance of his 80th birthday on 30th May. You will be able to read the full version in the forthcoming issue of the SHA’s Bulletin, available to members. To join the SHA, visit societyforthehistoryofastronomy.com.