Robert Atherton Edwin, (16 August 1839 – 15 July 1911) was a noted meteorologist and weather forecaster, who after a career in the Royal Navy was instrumental in the establishment of the New Zealand Meteorological Office, becoming its first director in 1900; remaining in post until 1907. He was also an accomplished artist, specializing in Marine art.
Early life
Edwin was born at Camden Town, London, England, the son of Felix Edwin, a commander in the Royal Navy, and his wife, Marianne Atherton of Walton Hall, Liverpool. His father had toured Southern France with his future brother in law, a British Army Officer, Bertram Mitford Atherton after the Napoleonic Wars. His maternal cousins were the Mitford family. His parents had married in Belgium.
He attended Wimborne Minster Grammar School in Dorset, as did his younger brother, Edward Edwin, who also followed the family tradition by joining the Royal Navy. His brother’s journal clearly describes life aboard during the outbreak of Yellow Fever during 1873-74. His brother later became the Royal Navy Paymaster Jamaica.
Royal Navy career
Edwin joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in January 1853 on HMS Victory, months prior to her sinking in April 1854. He went on serve onboard . As a midshipman on during the Crimean war he was wounded at the siege of Sevastopol in October 1854. Items during this time have been donated to the Museum of New Zealand.
With , on the China Station he took part in the capture of Guangzhou in 1857. He also served in the Pacific in the Elk, and on and on the Australia Station. It was as an officer of the Falcon that he surveyed the volcanic crater of White Island on 17 March 1868.
In 1869 the Merchant Shipping (Colonial) Act made it possible for colonies such as New Zealand to grant certificates of competency to ships' officers that would be recognised throughout the empire. Edwin was offered a special appointment to the Marine Department as an additional examiner of masters and mates; he retired from the Royal Navy with the rank of commander during February 1871 and on the 18th of the same month took up his new post in the New Zealand public service. In addition to examining, he was to assist in the general work of the department, undertake marine surveying and supervise compass adjusting.
Meteorological career
The wind being the driving force of weather at sea, since wind generates local wind waves, long ocean swells, and its flow around coastlines, at the start of 1874, Edwin was made responsible for the newly instituted weather-reporting and storm-signalling section of the Marine department. Edwin, who had studied meteorology in the Royal Navy, was influenced by the tradition of practical weather science of which Admiral Robert FitzRoy and the American, Matthew Fontaine Maury, were the most distinguished contemporary exponents. Spurred by the need for timely weather information that would enhance maritime safety, FitzRoy had begun daily forecasts from his Board of Trade office in London in 1860. By this date the forecasting of general weather patterns had become practicable. The use of reliable barometers enabled the accurate measurement of variations in air pressure – the fundamental principle in the assessment of weather changes. These measurements were taken simultaneously at widely separated weather stations, and by means of the electric telegraph were rapidly transmitted to a central office. There FitzRoy's synoptic weather chart allowed the observations to be collated in a coherent visual form from which forecasts could be made.
In October 1866 the New Zealand government scientist James Hector, in his capacity as inspector of meteorological stations, proposed telegraphing weather information daily to and from a network of 13 localities to assist shipmasters in Marine weather forecasting for navigation. In each place the collected data were to be displayed to the public; however, Hector did not include weather forecasting from a central office. This limited scheme was implemented in 1869 but was soon found to be unreliable. Edwin had been asked to consult with Hector, and the Royal Society of New Zealand, and in January 1874 Edwin proposed an expanded scheme of weather forecasting and storm warnings to the commissioner of customs (nominal head of the Marine Department), volunteering to set it up. This was approved, with Edwin accepting his new duties on 12 March. His first forecast was made in early May 1874 and a stock of mercury barometers was promptly ordered from the Met Office to improve the accuracy of observations.