Tributes paid to Portsmouth astronomer who led research into lunar craters

The honour was to mark the life of Portsmouth-born Alfred Curtis and was unveiled at his former home in Winchester, which his family built in the 1920s.

Malcolm Perrins and his wife, Eileen, are the only second family to live and were behind the plan to celebrate the Portsmouth astronomer.

They wanted to remember the remarkable work that he did during his lifetime, which includes building his own observatory in the garden and receiving a Fellowship of the Royal Astronomical Society for his research reports.

Malcolm said they found out the history of their home after John Glasgow, a close friend of Alfred and his daughter, Mira, turned up at the house with the history of it.

Malcolm said: ‘I feel it is really important that John is going to do the unveiling because without him, we would not know any of the history.

‘We love the bungalow, and I think we will be here for a very very long time and it is just nice that we can mark that it was once a really important place.’

Alfred was born in 1901 in Portsmouth and was a well-known character that developed his passion for astronomy at the age of 10 when his family moved to Winchester.

He joined the British Astronomical Association in 1920, where he published a paper on lunar craters.

He then joined the Southampton Astronomical Society in its early formation in 1924, where he continued in the society for years, and at one stage he was the president.

Alfred died in 1976, and the couple are determined to do something to continue his recognition.

Sir Patrick Moore was a friend and regular visitor to Stoney Lane from his home in Selsey.

The observatory Alfred built no longer exists due to the property being sold to developers who split the land up, but the couple want to make sure that Alfred is remembered.

Malcolm added: ‘That is the plaque on the front of the house forever hopefully.’

The blue plaque was unveiled by John with guests including Dr Lilian Hobbs and her brother Michael Hobbs who will be representing the Southampton Astronomical Society, which Alfred played such a significant part of during his lifetime.