Stig Larson Stormglass

The Stormglass was, in so far as we know, first used in about 1750 by sailing ships to predict stormy weather. The first proper report concerning its use on board a ship stems from the Darwin Expedition in 1831-1836. On December 27th 1831, Charles Darwin set off in the three-masted bark “HMS Beagle” under the command of Captain Fitzroy (1805-1865), who throughout his career at sea and on land used the Stormglass. Fitzroy later became Admiral of the Fleet. Fitzroy was also a meteorologist who later became director of the British Meteorological Office. For example, he wrote the famous “Weather Book” popularising the art of forecasting the weather and communicating it to all strata of the population.The Stormglass is a reliable barometer. Everybody who has one will consult it daily to see what the weather is going to do in the next 24 hours or so. Others use the Stormglass to predict when the fish are biting! Whatever its use, there is no doubt that the Stormglass works. However, to date nobody has been able to provide a scientific explanation as to exactly why. Admiral Fitzroy, head of the British Meteorological Office, believed that it was down to static electricity in the fields around us. A revolutionary thought at the time!