History

A memorial for Robert Hooke, one of the most brilliant and versatile of English scientists, was unveiled on 3 March 2005. The stone is in the lantern area, near the grave of Dr Richard Busby, Head Master of Westminster School when Hooke was a pupil there. Hooke was born on 18 July 1635 at Freshwater, Isle of Wight, a son of the Revd. John Hooke and his wife Cecily (Gyles). He was educated at Westminster and Christ Church, Oxford and in 1662 became curator of experiments at the Royal Society. In the following year he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society and in 1665 became professor of geometry at Gresham College. He was a true polymath and as an inventor was second to none. Author of the influential Micrographia he was one of the leading natural philosophers of his day and he also played a major role in the rebuilding of London after the great fire of 1666. From 1690-96 he was College Surveyor at the Abbey. Hooke died unmarried on 3 March 1703 and he was buried at St Helen’s church, Bishopsgate in the city of London.

A photograph of the stone can be purchased from Westminster Abbey Library.

Further reading

Stephen Inwood “The man who knew too much: the strange and inventive life of Robert Hooke”, 2002.
H.W.Robinson & W.Adam (editors) “The diary of Robert Hooke”, 1935.