New memorials to Robert Hooke 2005 - 2009
Encyclopedia
Robert Hooke
, a major figure of 17th century England
, died essentially unmemorialized. With no immediate family, and with personal disputes with many members of the Royal Society
, no memorials were erected in his honor on the occasion of his death. On the occasion of the tercentenary of his death in 2003, several efforts were made to address this situation.
of which Hooke was a member, worked tirelessly on Hooke's behalf to get him a small memorial in Westminster Abbey
. The work took years but eventually in 2005 one was unveiled. The inscription reads "Robert Hooke 1703" and is carved from one of the black marble tiles in the floor beneath the Lantern, near the pulpit. This is appropriate as Hooke was responsible for the laying of this floor.
(known generally as just "The Monument"), erected to commemorate the Great Fire of London
in 1666, as Sir Christopher Wren has generally been given credit for the design of this monument. The new inscription acknowledges Hooke’s role in the monument's development.
As part of a project to improve the area around the pillar in 2007 it was possible to take a space in the paving for a large (16 square feet (1.5 m²)) carved stone. The stone was quarried at Caithness and made its long journey down to London to be carved at the workshop of Richard Kindersley. It can be seen from the entrance to the Monument Underground Station and is now included in sightseeing tours for tourists.
The wording on the memorial was written by Dr. Allan Chapman.
, Hooke's amazing book, published in 1665.
At the bottom of the memorial is an engraved metal bookworm in brass and chrome, recessed into the stone surface.
As the crypt is rather a dark place, a pale, ivory-coloured stone was chosen and the carved letters were painted with blue and brownish-red watercolour to make them more easily readable.
The memorial was dedicated by the Dean of St. Paul's after a special Evensong.
in the City of London
. Hooke was Professor of Geometry for many years at the original Gresham College, at the site where the NatWest Tower now stands.
, holding the model boat he made, with the church of All Saints (where his father was curate) in the background and the Western Yar
.
in Milton Keynes
. It shows Hooke concerned with minute objects and huge objects. The emphasis is on astronomy. It was unveiled in February 2009.
, wheel barometer and pocket watch
. Other features of his work are the spring, an optic and his microscope with open pages of his book Micrographia. He holds a chain to make a catenary
arch. Through the window can be seen the Bodleian Library
and the Sheldonian Theatre
, linking him with Oxford where he was an undergraduate.
Robert Hooke
Robert Hooke FRS was an English natural philosopher, architect and polymath.His adult life comprised three distinct periods: as a scientific inquirer lacking money; achieving great wealth and standing through his reputation for hard work and scrupulous honesty following the great fire of 1666, but...
, a major figure of 17th century England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, died essentially unmemorialized. With no immediate family, and with personal disputes with many members of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
, no memorials were erected in his honor on the occasion of his death. On the occasion of the tercentenary of his death in 2003, several efforts were made to address this situation.
Westminster Abbey
Eddie Smith, former Undermaster and archivist at Westminster SchoolWestminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
of which Hooke was a member, worked tirelessly on Hooke's behalf to get him a small memorial in Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
. The work took years but eventually in 2005 one was unveiled. The inscription reads "Robert Hooke 1703" and is carved from one of the black marble tiles in the floor beneath the Lantern, near the pulpit. This is appropriate as Hooke was responsible for the laying of this floor.
The Monument
Hooke's name was omitted from the Monument to the Great Fire of LondonMonument to the Great Fire of London
The Monument to the Great Fire of London, more commonly known as The monument, is a 202 ft tall stone Roman Doric column in the City of London, England, near the northern end of London Bridge. It stands at the junction of Monument Street and Panda Bear Hill, 202 ft from where the Great...
(known generally as just "The Monument"), erected to commemorate the Great Fire of London
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
in 1666, as Sir Christopher Wren has generally been given credit for the design of this monument. The new inscription acknowledges Hooke’s role in the monument's development.
As part of a project to improve the area around the pillar in 2007 it was possible to take a space in the paving for a large (16 square feet (1.5 m²)) carved stone. The stone was quarried at Caithness and made its long journey down to London to be carved at the workshop of Richard Kindersley. It can be seen from the entrance to the Monument Underground Station and is now included in sightseeing tours for tourists.
The wording on the memorial was written by Dr. Allan Chapman.
St Paul's Cathedral
Hooke's memorial at St. Paul's Cathedral is on the wall in the crypt of the cathedral, next to the tomb of Sir Christopher Wren. The quotation around the edge is from MicrographiaMicrographia
Micrographia is a historic book by Robert Hooke, detailing the then thirty year-old Hooke's observations through various lenses. Published in September 1665, the first major publication of the Royal Society, it was the first scientific best-seller, inspiring a wide public interest in the new...
, Hooke's amazing book, published in 1665.
At the bottom of the memorial is an engraved metal bookworm in brass and chrome, recessed into the stone surface.
As the crypt is rather a dark place, a pale, ivory-coloured stone was chosen and the carved letters were painted with blue and brownish-red watercolour to make them more easily readable.
The memorial was dedicated by the Dean of St. Paul's after a special Evensong.
Painted Memorials
Artist Rita Greer has created several new images of Hooke and donated them to various sites.Gresham College, City of London
This portrait in oils is the first of a series of memorial portraits. It shows a list of Hooke's interests and skills. It now hangs in the hall at Gresham CollegeGresham College
Gresham College is an institution of higher learning located at Barnard's Inn Hall off Holborn in central London, England. It was founded in 1597 under the will of Sir Thomas Gresham and today it hosts over 140 free public lectures every year within the City of London.-History:Sir Thomas Gresham,...
in the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. Hooke was Professor of Geometry for many years at the original Gresham College, at the site where the NatWest Tower now stands.
The Planetarium, Isle of Wight
This painting shows Hooke as a child on the Isle of WightIsle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, holding the model boat he made, with the church of All Saints (where his father was curate) in the background and the Western Yar
Western Yar
The River Yar on the Isle of Wight, England, rises near the beach at Freshwater Bay, on the south coast of the island and flows only a few miles north to Yarmouth, on the north coast, where it meets the Solent. Most of the river is a tidal estuary...
.
The Open University, Milton Keynes
This memorial painting now hangs in the Seminar Room of the Robert Hooke Science Building at the Open UniversityOpen University
The Open University is a distance learning and research university founded by Royal Charter in the United Kingdom...
in Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
. It shows Hooke concerned with minute objects and huge objects. The emphasis is on astronomy. It was unveiled in February 2009.
Willen Church near Milton Keynes
This building is Hooke's only remaining church, not far from the Open University. He designed it for Dr. Richard Busby, the first headmaster of Westminster School. The memorial painting shows the church in the background.University of Oxford
This memorial was commissioned for the Master's office at the Department of Engineering Science of Oxford University in 2009. It shows a portrait of Robert Hooke as an engineer with a few of his inventions – the universal jointUniversal joint
A universal joint, universal coupling, U joint, Cardan joint, Hardy-Spicer joint, or Hooke's joint is a joint or coupling in a rigid rod that allows the rod to 'bend' in any direction, and is commonly used in shafts that transmit rotary motion...
, wheel barometer and pocket watch
Anchor escapement
In horology, the recoil or anchor escapement is a type of escapement used in pendulum clocks. An escapement is the mechanism in a mechanical clock that maintains the swing of the pendulum and allows the clock's wheels to advance a fixed amount with each swing, moving the hands forward...
. Other features of his work are the spring, an optic and his microscope with open pages of his book Micrographia. He holds a chain to make a catenary
Catenary
In physics and geometry, the catenary is the curve that an idealised hanging chain or cable assumes when supported at its ends and acted on only by its own weight. The curve is the graph of the hyperbolic cosine function, and has a U-like shape, superficially similar in appearance to a parabola...
arch. Through the window can be seen the Bodleian Library
Bodleian Library
The Bodleian Library , the main research library of the University of Oxford, is one of the oldest libraries in Europe, and in Britain is second in size only to the British Library...
and the Sheldonian Theatre
Sheldonian Theatre
The Sheldonian Theatre, located in Oxford, England, was built from 1664 to 1668 after a design by Christopher Wren for the University of Oxford. The building is named after Gilbert Sheldon, chancellor of the university at the time and the project's main financial backer...
, linking him with Oxford where he was an undergraduate.