William Frederick King

William Frederick King

William Frederick King, astronomer (b at Stowmarket, Eng 19 Feb 1854; d at Ottawa 23 Apr 1916). King worked as a Dominion land surveyor and topographical surveyor in western Canada. With É.G. DEVILLE and O.J. KLOTZ he formed the astronomical branch of the Department of the Interior and was appointed chief astronomer in 1890. A small observatory, built in 1890, was succeeded in 1905 by the larger Dominion Observatory, of which he was named first director. He directed plans for the 72-inch (1.8 m) telescope at the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in Victoria, BC, but died before its completion.

He was appointed superintendent of the Geodetic Survey of Canada, was named international boundary commissioner several times and was awarded the CMG for his work. He was a president of the Royal Society of Canada and founding president of the Ottawa centre of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.