A Partnership between Harry Boller and Clive Chivens  brought Telescope Design into the Modern Age Benefitting the Total Astronomical Community

Harry Berthold Boller
Biography
Born: February 16,1915 – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
?Died: September 1, 1997
Married: Gertrude Clare Solleder February 14,1940
Son: Carl Edward Boller – Wife: Janet
Grandson: Eric ?
Granddaughter: Tracy – Husband: James Perkins
Son: William Allen Boller – Wife: Holly
Granddaughter: Jennifer
Granddaughter: Hillary
Grandson: Mathew Boller
Daughter: Mary Boller Southard

Harry Boller graduated from California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech) with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, June 1938.

Harry worked at Cal Tech’s Hydro-Lab as a Associate Mechanical Engineer designing instruments and research machinery as well as supervising the construction and operation of such equipment.

Harry went to work at Byron Jackson Co. as a Mechanical Engineer & Designer, from 1940 to 1941 designing tools and equipment for oil wells.

Harry worked C. F. Braun as a Mechanical Engineer and Designer, from1941 to 1946.

In 1946, Harry partnered with Clyde Chivens starting a company naming it Boller and Chivens in South Pasadena, California for manufacturing scientific instruments.

Harry, and his wife Gertrude, purchased their first home in Alhambra, California. They purchased their second home in South Pasadena, California to be near Harry’s new business.

Harry and Clyde were also associated in a firm called High Vacuum Electronics in 1964.

Boller and Chivens was purchased and became a division of Perkin Elmer Corp. in 1965.

Harry retired from the Boller and Chivens Division of Perkin Elmer in 1966. He moved to his final home in Naples, California where his wife, Gertrude, still lives.

After retiring, Harry could now work in his well-equipped workshop and follow his many interests.

Throughout his life Harry was an avid skin diver along with being an accomplished sailor.

One of Harry’s good friends was Ralph Larabee, owner of L & F Machine Co., in Huntington Park, California. L & F became the principle fabricating shop for all Boller and Chiven’s large telescopes and weldments.
Harry, with Ralph Larabee, also co-owned a commercial tuna fishing boat named Cyvones.

Ralph Larabee was also owner of a 165 foot sailing schooner called the Goodwill.
Harry spent much of his time maintaining different items requiring his technical skills such as servicing the autopilot with his navigational skills, which became significant on a sailing schooner of this size.

Harry owned a 110-acre ranch near Bakersfield, California, that raised beef cattle. Mary, his daughter, managed the ranch.

Harry made a one and only parachute jump on May 21, 1970.

Clyde Cuthbertson Chivens
Biography
Born February 26, 1915 – Dallas, Texas?
Died: February 28, 2008
Married: Dorothy Hadsell June 30, 1936
Son: Donald Chivens  – Wife:- Martha
Grandson: Daniel Chivens – Wife – Krys
Great-grandson: Kurtis Chivens
Great-grandson: Tyler Chivens
Grandson: Thomas Chivens – Wife – Kate
Great-granddaughter: Kathryn Dickenson Rolin
Son: David Chivens – Wife – Lee
Grandson: Glen: Chivens
Granddaughter: Julie Chivens
Son: Allen Chivens

Clyde Chivens Graduated from California Institute of Technology (Cal Tech), with a Bachelors in Mechanical Engineering, June 1935.

Clyde’s first job after graduation was working for a company developing centrifugal pumps.

In 1938, Clyde and his wife Dorothy moved to Cincinnati, Ohio. Clyde went to work for Cincinnati Milacron Co, running tests on centrifugal pumps.

In 1941, Clyde moved back to Southern California and started working for Fred C. Henson Company in Pasadena, who made scientific instruments.

Clyde consulted in the Office of Scientific Research and Development during World War II.

In 1946, Clyde partnered with Harry Boller starting a company naming it Boller and Chivens in South Pasadena, California for manufacturing scientific instruments.

Harry and Clyde were also associated in a firm called High Vacuum Electronics in 1964.

Boller and Chivens was purchased and became a division of Perkin Elmer Corp. in 1965.

Clyde retired from Perkin Elmer in 1983.

Clyde’s family residence was in Pasadena, California, and then later at Emerald Bay in Laguna Beach, California.

Later after his retirement he moved to San Luis Obispo, California to be near his sons Don and Dave.

Throughout his life, his wife, and his three boys were avid campers and active with Boy Scouts.

The family traveled in a 1959 Chevrolet convertible to Alaska on the new Al-Can highway when it first opened to the public in the 1960.