Researching George Chambers

Chambers was one of three Deputy Leaders of the PNM when then-Prime Minister Eric Williams died suddenly in 1981. He was appointed Prime Minister by then-President Ellis Clarke and led the PNM to victory in the 1981 General Elections. In 1986 he led the PNM to its worst ever electoral defeat (winning only three of the 36 seats in Parliament). Following the defeat Chambers resigned and was succeeded as PNM leader by Patrick Manning.

George Chambers was born in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Princeton College in 1804, studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1807 and commenced practice in Chambersburg.

Chambers was elected as an Anti-Masonic candidate to the Twenty-third and Twenty-fourth Congresses. After his time in Congress, he resumed the practice of law and was a member of the State constitutional convention in 1837. He was appointed a justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on April 12, 1851, which position he held until it was vacated by constitutional provision. From 1849 to 1858 he served as a trustee of Lafayette College. He died in Chambersburg in 1866. Interment in Falling Spring Presbyterian Churchyard.

Chambers was born on 18 October 1841 at Upton-upon-Severn,Worcestershire. He was introduced to astronomy by his uncle, whoowned an observatory in Eastbourne, Sussex, where Chambers stayedfrom time to time as a child. Chambers went on to study engineering asa student in London.

George Chambers published his first book, A Handbook of Descriptive and Practical Astronomy, when he was aged only 19 years. It provided a review of astronomy across 600 pages. It was later republished in anexpanded form, and eventually appeared as three volumes.

Chambers turned from engineering to study law. He became abarrister in 1868, and worked for many years as a parliamentarybarrister.

Chambers set up home in Eastbourne in 1873, where he and his family lived until 1902. He built a private observatory, which he used to study double stars, variable stars, and star colours. He served asdirector of the Star-Colour Section of the British Astronomical Association between 1894 and 1900.

Chambers became a prolific author. He produced a revised version ofA Cycle of Celestial Objects by Admiral W. H. Smyth. This was followed by Pictorial Astronomy in 1891.

His most popular books were a series of introductions to astronomy, withvolumes called The Story of the Solar System, The Story of the Stars, The Story of Eclipses, and The Story of Comets. Theseserved to educate general readers about science.

Chambers also wrote geographical guides and travel books, including aHandbook to Eastbourne. He was the author of many magazine articlesand legal works.

George Chambers later moved to Sydenham in south London. He died there on 24 May 1915.