Astronomer. He was the eighth English Astronomer Royal, a position he held from 1881 until 1910. He received his education from King's College School, London, and at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he studied mathematics, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1868. He was selected as a Fellow of Trinity in 1869. In 1870, he was chosen by Astronomer Royal Sir George Biddle Airy as the Chief Assistant at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich. While in this position, he began the daily photographic observations of the sun along with spectroscopic observations of the sun and stars. In 1873, he invented a mechanical paper drum for recording the observation of star declinations and designed a new spectroscope, which came into use in 1877. In 1881, he was appointed to succeed Airy as the Astronomer Royal, where he increased and improved solar photography at Greenwich. He made improvements to the Observatory's instruments, producing a 28-inch refractor and 13-inch photographic refractor, along with the purchase or refurbishment of other telescopes. While he was in this position, he oversaw the construction of new facilities at Greenwich and the expansion of existing ones. Probably the most significant changes he made related to the increased size of the number of staff along with the methods of recruiting new personnel, including the employment of women for the first time. In 1896, he persuaded the British Admiralty to allow him to have two chief assistants. During his tenure, he was a frequent contributor to many international conferences and engaged in discussions that eventually led to the adoption of Greenwich as the international Zero Meridian. He was involved in several expeditions to observe solar eclipses, including trips to Japan (1896), India (1898), Portugal (1900), and Tunisia (1905). He was an active member of the Royal Astronomical Society, serving as secretary from 1880 to 1882 and president from 1888 to 1890. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society, serving on its Council. In 1892, he was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Science degree by Oxford University and was knighted in 1904. In 1910, he retired from his position as Astronomer Royal, being the first to do so at the age of 65, travelling extensively in his later years. In 1922, while on a trip to Morocco, he died and was buried at sea, near Gibraltar.