The Poly’s Dipping Needle Compass wins a Cornwall Heritage Award
The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society (The Poly) is celebrating winning ‘Object of the Year’ at the 2022 Cornwall Heritage Awards.
The award was for The Poly Dipping Needle Compass, a rare working 19th century magnetic dipping needle, which is a unique type of compass that enabled ships to traverse the seas safely. It was designed by The Poly Chairman Robert Were Fox. As a Quaker, a ‘dissenter,’ Fox had been excluded from the scientific elites of London and the universities. Despite this, his genius invention brought Cornwall to the fore of scientific discovery.
The performance of Fox’s dipping needles in locating the South Magnetic Pole secured unprecedented fame for the instruments. It ensured they became the standard issue for subsequent naval expeditions tasked with expanding Britain’s magnetic survey and the Admiralty selected it for the Ross’s Antarctic expedition in 1839 - with Fox’s needles on both Terror and Erebus.
In recent years, the Dipping Needle caught the interest of Cambridge academic, Dr Edward Gillin, who went through the archives of The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society to uncover its story. Through extensive further research, Dr Gillin plotted its pivotal role in Britain’s maritime history and thus the development of the British Empire. He then corroborated his findings by taking the object on a ship round the world and was astounded by its accuracy when cross-checking it against the original measurements taken during the Magnetic Crusade. Dr Gillin’s research provided evidence that The Poly was at the forefront of innovation since its 1833 founding and helped make Cornwall a global leader in discovery in the nineteenth century. The Poly hopes it will raise public interest in a time when Falmouth’s role in science was critical and inspire younger generations to think about science and technology.
Thanking all those who had voted for the Needle, Michael Carver accepted the award on behalf of The Poly saying; “The Dipping Needle became the most important scientific instrument in the early Victorian era.
“For the first time, people were able to navigate really accurately because the needle told the difference between magnetic and true north.”
The Cornwall Heritage Awards were organised by Cornwall Museums Partnership (CMP). The award ceremony took place at the Royal Cornwall Showground in Wadebridge on 9th February and featured nine categories. This year CMP turned the spotlight on ‘inclusion’ by drawing public attention to objects in museum collections that tell previously untold stories - or stories that need retelling from a unique perspective, offering an opportunity to give those overlooked and marginalised stories a voice.
Decided by a public vote, this recognition of The Poly’s Dipping Needle Compass is especially poignant as it serves as a fitting tribute to the memory of Robert Were Fox and his family, who set up The Poly for the benefit of the community - aiming to promote artistic, historical and scientific endeavour.
Further information on The Poly Dipping Needle Compass can be found in a free booklet available from The Poly and Falmouth Art Gallery. Or see an online version of the booklet on The Poly’s website: https://thepoly.org/about-us/news
ENDS: 21st February 2022
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