Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1957 (Accumulation)
- 1705 (Publication)
Level of description
Extent and medium
Fo , 1 volume
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
HOOKE, ROBERT, son of Rev. John Hooke, Curate, Freshwater, Isle of Wight, and his second wife Cecily, dau. of Robert Gyles, Brading, Isle of Wight, merchant; b. 18 Jul 1635; a pupil of Sir Peter Lely, the painter; subsequently adm. to the School, boarding with the Head Master (Busby) (Chapter Muniments 43112); astonished his teachers by mastering the six books of Euclid in one week; while at school learned “to play twenty lessons on the organ” and “invented thirty several ways of flying” (Wood, Athenae Oxonienses, iv, 628); Christ Church, Oxford, adm. as chorister or servitor, matr. 31 Jul 1658; MA 28 Sep 1663; MD (Lambeth) 7 Dec 1691; assisted Thomas Willis in his chemistry and Robert Boyle with his air-pump; Curator of Experiments, Royal Society, from 12 Nov 1662; FRS 20 May 1663, being one of original Fellows under second charter; Secretary, Royal Society 30 Nov 1677 – 30 Nov 1679; Professor of Geometry, Gresham College, from 20 Mar 1665; the first to apply a spiral spring to regulate the balance of a watch 1658, and the first to infer the rotation of Jupiter 1664; discovered the fifth star in Orion 1664; proposed to measure the force of gravity by the swinging of a pendulum 1666; constructed the first Gregorian telescope 1674; expounded the true theory of the elasticity and the kinetic hypothesis of gases 1678; described a practical system of telegraphy 1684; invented a marine barometer and other instruments; laid before the Common Council of the City of London in Sep 1666 his plan for rebuilding the City of London after the fire, and in Oct 1666 was appointed one of the City’s three surveyors; also one of the Surveyors for rebuilding the City churches, collaborating with his cousin Sir Christopher Wren (qv); buildings designed by him included Bethlehem Hospital, Montagu House and the Royal College of Physicians; Surveyor to the Dean and Chapter of Westminster Jan 1690/1 – Jan 1696/7; author, Micrographia 1665; his Posthumous Works were edited by Richard Waller, 1705; his diaries for the years 1672-80 were published as The Diary of Robert Hooke, 1935, and those for 1688-90, 1692-3 were published in R. T. Gunther (ed), Early Science in Oxford, 1935, 69-265; d. unm. 3 Mar 1702/3. DNB.
Repository
Archival history
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Access to rare books is granted to bona-fide researchers, by prior appointment, in cases where the item in unavailable at another UK repository.
Conditions governing reproduction
A reprographics service is available to researchers subject to the access restrictions outlined above. Copying will not be undertaken if there is any risk of damage to the item. Copies are supplied in accordance with Westminster School's Policy on Archive and Heritage Collections, and under provisions of any relevant copyright legislation. Permission to reproduce images of items in the custody of Westminster School must be sought from its Governing Body.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Westminster School (Accumulator)
- Greene, Godfrey George Roundell, 1888-1956 (Accumulator)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Status
Level of detail
Language(s)
- English
Script(s)
- Latin