Background
His father Peder Jensen Skjellerup was Danish and died when he was young. His mother was Margaret Williamson, born in England.
His father Peder Jensen Skjellerup was Danish and died when he was young. His mother was Margaret Williamson, born in England.
Some sources give his name as James Francis Skjellerup. In any case, apparently he preferred to be known as Frank. He was born in Cobden, Victoria, Australia.
Trained as a telegraphist, he went to South Africa when that country needed telegraphists after the Second Boer War.
Apparently he was an excellent golfer as well as an astronomer. He took up astronomy in South Africa and discovered or co-discovered various comets in both South Africa and Australia, including the periodic comet 26P/Grigg-Skjellerup in South Africa and the very bright Skjellerup-Maristany (C/1927 X1) (visible mostly from the southern hemisphere) in Australia.
In addition to comets, he was also a variable star observer.