A very scarce and unusual printed card Pilkington’s Copyright Weather Forecaster c1930

Printed card Weather Forecaster comprising curved barometric scale to top part with a range from 29.0” to 31.0”, 29.0”-29.8” in red, 30”-31” in blue, divided to 0.2”, and marked “Reduced to Sea Level.” Under this, three concentric rotating rings set to centre: the outer marked “Wind Direction Whence Coming,” and showing wind directions; the middle ”Behaviour of the Barometer;” the inner “Handicap Values are Shown in the Slots.” These three rings are also in red and blue, dependent on the option selected, and each has a circular aperture behind which are the numbers 1-3 in both red and blue.

The bottom part marked “Pilkington’s Copyright, Buxton” and “Borough Meteorologists for a Third of a Century” above instructions for use and a “Graded Forecast Table” marked “Blue – Favourable, Red – Adverse.” The verso with hanging loop.

Condition: In good working, if aged, condition.

Comments: Based on the Negretti & Zambra patented weather forecasters of c1915, this rare evolution was the invention of Edith Winnifred Pilkington and her father, William Pilkington. Mr Pilkington took daily readings from the Buxton Weather Station, the third oldest in the country, from 1899. Upon his retirement in 1925, Miss Pilkington took on this role, hence the statement “Borough Meteorologists for a Third of a Century.” Miss Pilkington was the first female Meteorologist, and this, and her style of descriptive and entertaining weather reports, made her something of a celebrity, both in the UK and as far afield as the USA.

The Negretti & Zambra forecasters had an accuracy of prediction, if used correctly, said to be as high as 80%, and it could be assumed that this later development at least matched, if not improved upon that.

Instructions for Use: Each disc is pointed to its appropriate position and the handicap values of each colour, shown in the aperture, added. Using the colour with the largest total, first subtract the total of the opposite colour if applicable, and then look up the adjusted total in the Table. As an example, here at Vavasseur Antiques today, 18 March 2026, the pressure at sea level is 30.0”, the wind is from the NE, and the pressure has been slowly rising. Setting the forecaster to these values gives a total of six blue handicap points, equating to “Fine Weather Likely,” indeed the Met Office forecast for our warmest day of the year thus far.