CHALLIS, Rev. James (4 son of John Challis of Braintree, Essex). b. Braintree 12 Dec. 1803; ed. at Mill Hill school, London and Trin. Coll. Cam., scholar 1824, senior wrangler and first Smith’s prizeman 1825, B.A. 1825, M.A. 1828; fellow of his college 1826–31; re-elected fellow May 1870; R. of Papworth Everard 1830–52; examiner for the Smith prizes 1836–78; Plumian professor of astronomy and experimental philosophy in Univ. of Cam. 2 Feb. 1836 to death; director of Cambridge observatory 1836–61; invented the Meteoroscope 1848 and the Transit reducer 1849; F.R.A.S. 8 April 1836, F.R.S. 9 June 1848; author of Notes on the principles of pure and applied calculation and applications of mathematical principles to theories of the physical forces 1869; Lectures on practical astronomy and astronomical instruments 1879. d. 2 Trumpington st. Cambridge 3 Dec. 1882. Monthly notices of Royal Astronom. Soc. xliii, 160–79 (1883).
CHALLIS, Thomas (son of Thomas Challis of 92 Fore st. Cripplegate, London, butcher). b. 92 Fore st. 1 or 2 July 1794; a skin broker in Finsbury, a hide and skin salesman in Leadenhall and Bermondsey markets; alderman of Cripplegate ward 17 Oct. 1843; sheriff of London and Middlesex 1846–7; lord mayor 1852–3, there was no procession or dinner in consequence of recent death of Duke of Wellington; M.P. for Finsbury 9 July 1852 to 20 March 1857. d. Baker st. Enfield 20 Aug. 1874. I.L.N. xxi, 396 (1852), portrait; City Press 22 Aug. 1874 p. 5, 29 Aug. p. 4.
CHALMER, James Archibald. Second lieut. R.A. 10 Aug. 1804, assistant director general 17 Jany. 1843, colonel 11 Nov. 1851 to 15 May 1855; M.G. 15 May 1855. d. 17 Queen Anne st. Cavendish sq. London 9 Dec. 1856 aged 69.
CHALMERS, George Paul (son of Mr. Chalmers of Montrose, master of a small coasting vessel). b. Montrose 1833; apprenticed to a ship-chandler; ed. at Trustees school, Edin. 1853–5; painter in Edin. of portraits, subject pictures and landscapes; A.R.S.A. 1867, R.S.A. 1871; exhibited 58 pictures at R.S.A. 1855–78, 20 at Glasgow 1862–78, and 6 at R.A. 1863–76; found insensible in an area in Charlotte st. Edin. 16 Feb. 1878. d. Royal infirmary, Edin. 20 Feb. 1878. George Paul Chalmers, R.S.A. 1879, portrait; Good Words xix, 285–8 (1878).
CHALMERS, James. b. Arbroath 2 Feb. 1782; bookseller in Castle st. Dundee; convener of the Nine Incorporated Trades; member of town council, Dundee, treasurer several years; vice consul for Sweden and Norway at Dundee Sep. 1827; suggested a uniform rate of postage and exhibited a sample of an adhesive postage stamp in Dundee, Aug. 1834; competed for premium of £200 offered by the Government for best design of a postage stamp, there were 2000 candidates, but the premium was never awarded, d. Comley bank, Dundee 26 Aug. 1853. James Chalmers the inventor of the adhesive stamp by Patrick Chalmers 1884; Philatelic Record iii, 194–201, iv, 27, 68, 167, 169–72, 184–6.
CHALMERS, James. b. Perthshire; an engineer in America; practised in London 1861 to death; invented Chalmers target for defence of ships of war, it was tried at Shoeburyness 1863 and nearly completed at Atlas works, Sheffield for War Office at time of his death; made a design for a wrought-iron railway tunnel across the English channel; his Indian problem at chess baffled some of the best players; author of Channel railway connecting England and France 1861, 2 ed. 1867; England’s danger, the Admiralty policy of naval construction 1864; Armour for ships and forts 1865. d. 22 Southampton road, Haverstock hill, London 26 Dec. 1868 aged 49.
CHALMERS, Patrick (eld. son of Patrick Chalmers of Auldbar castle near Brechin who d. 1826). b. Auldbar castle 31 Oct. 1802; cornet 3 dragoon guards 12 June 1823, captain 1826–27 when he sold out; M.P. for Forfar district of burghs 15 Jany. 1835 to April 1842; F.S.A. 24 Jany. 1850; author of The ancient sculptural monuments of Angus 1848; The Cartulary of the abbey of Arbroath, vol. 2, 1856. d. Rome 23 June 1854. bur. churchyard of Auldbar church which he had just rebuilt. Journal of British Archæol. Assoc. xi, 164–70 (1855).
CHALMERS, Rev. Peter. Licensed by presbytery of Glasgow 11 Sep. 1814; minister of Dunfermline (second charge) 17 March 1817, ordained 18 July 1817; minister of Dunfermline (first charge) 5 Oct. 1836 to death; joined Free Secession 18 May 1843 but changed his mind and was received back 21 June 1843; D.D. 5 Feb. 1855; author of Two discourses on the sin, danger and remedy of duelling 1822; An historical and statistical account of Dunfermline 2 vols. 1844–59. d. the Abbey church manse, Dunfermline 11 April 1870 in 80 year.
CHALMERS, Sir William (eld. son of Wm. Chalmers, town clerk of Dundee). b. Castle st. Dundee 1785; ensign 52 foot 9 July 1803, captain 27 Aug. 1807 to 2 Oct. 1817 when placed on h.p.; brigade major of various infantry brigades in Peninsular campaigns 1810–14; colonel of 20 foot 28 Feb. 1853, of 78 foot 30 Sep. 1853 to death; L.G. 20 June 1854; K.C.H. 1837, C.B. 19 July 1838; knighted by patent 17 April 1844; principal clerk of the peace for the county of Forfar and keeper of Sasines about 1830 to death. d. Glenericht, Perthshire 21 June 1860. Norrie’s Dundee celebrities (1873) 179–81.
CHALON, Alfred Edward (younger son of Jean Chalon, professor of French at Royal military college at Sandhurst). b. Geneva 15 Feb. 1780; student at R.A. London 1797; exhibited 363 pictures at R.A. and 21 at B.I. 1801–60; A.R.A. 1812, R.A. 1816; founded with 7 other artists the Evening Sketching Society 1808 which lasted 40 years; the most fashionable portrait painter in water colours; painted the first portrait of Queen Victoria after her accession and many portraits of the female aristocracy; painter in water colours to the Queen; exhibited at Society of Arts a collection of 120 of his brother’s works with some of his own 1855. d. El Retiro, Campden hill, Kensington, London 3 Oct. 1860. Athenæum, ii, 487, 756, 792 (1860); Art Journal (1860) 337, (1862) 9; A memoir of T. Uwins with his correspondence with A. E. Chalon 1858.