Obituary of John Thomas Swansea Astronomical Society member

I am sad to report that the longest standing member of the Swansea Astronomical Society has passed away.

John Edward Thomas

4 November 1946 – 12 February 2021

In this photograph, John is demonstrating the safe observation of the sun by the projection method, outside the Marina Towers Observatory.

John's first job as a teenager was at McSymmon and Potter Ships Chandlers (formerly known as the Ice House) in the Maritime Quarter. The company provided every type of supplies to the ships that docked in Swansea from all over the world.

John then worked for Swansea Council for a few years. He was then offered jobs at Royal Mail as well as Swansea Fire Service and British Rail Depot at Landore. He chose to work for British Rail.

John was extremely fit and active and enjoyed judo walking and cycling in the Brecon Beacons and Gower. In 1986 John met his future wife Nesta. Their first romantic date was a brisk walk up to Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons. From then on together they enjoyed many varied activities across the UK and abroad while still finding time to care for their rescued cats dogs and rabbits..

John's special interest was astronomical observing and he was one of the youngest members to join Swansea Astronomical Society which he supported from its earliest days through to manning the Swansea Marina Observatory telescope to joining their Zoom broadcasts on the internet. He hand built his own telescopes which he installed in his garden at St. Thomas, from where he could observe Lunar and Solar phenomena sketching and plotting moon craters and sunspots.

A talented wildlife photographer John processed and printed his own black and white film. He combined this with his other great interest in geology recording the surrounding landscape on his walks. He specialised in photographing fossils and gathered a unique collection of soil samples which he sketched using an ex Swansea University microscope. His collection of books on astronomy and geology contains several valuable first editions.

John also loved to travel and visited Moscow to see one of their astronomical space exhibitions. He also joined an astronomical themed cruise to the Canary Islands headed by tv's favourite astronomer Patrick Moore which included a field trip to the Sahara.

John will be sadly missed by all who knew him and by the Swansea Astronomical Society.

We have recently seen John with Nesta at the SAS Zoom meetings and it is a reminder for us to make the most of the things and the people we love. Rest in Peace John!