YEATES

Yeates & Son (1832-1922)

This was an Irish company founded in Dublin by Samuel Yeates (1762-1834). He had been apprenticed to Seacombe Mason, another Irish optician, and their families remained close, inter-marrying for several generations. In 1790, he opened a shop on Grafton Street in Dublin which was to be the base of the Yeates business until 1922. Like other opticians, Yeates did not limit himself to optics but also produced mathematical and philosophical instruments.

A couple of Yeates’ sons followed their father into the business. George (1796-1882) ran the business after his father, and also designed and improved instruments associated with surveying such as theodolites. They exhibited some of their products including a barometer, theodolites, an air pump, compasses and spectacles at the 1851 Chrystal Palace Exhibition. The company described itself as “instrument makers to the University”. George was succeeded by his son, Stephen (1832-1901) who extended his interests into the developments of telephones.

His 3^rd son, Andrew Yeates (1800-1876) was influenced by the series of lectures given by Sir Humphrey Davy and concentrated on the theory and construction of instruments necessary for optics, mapping and surveying. In 1821 he moved to London and worked with Edward Trout and. By 1833 he was responsible for the instruments at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, as well as running the Yeates London branch. His 2^nd wife was Elizabeth Varley, the daughter of Andrew Prichard’s cousin Cornelius Varley (see above). Andrew Yeates was a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and the Royal Microscopical Society.