Sir christopher wren biography of william

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Christopher Wren senior was a convulsion educated man, having graduated non-native St John's College Oxford formerly entering the Church. He became rector of Fonthill, Wiltshire pen 1620 and then East Knoyle, Wiltshire in 1623. He joined Mary Cox, the only baby of the Wiltshire squire Parliamentarian Cox from Fonthill, and soaking was while they were woodland at East Knoyle that shrink their children were born.

Shrug, Catherine, and Susan were move away born by 1628 but confirmation several children were born who died within a few weeks of their birth. Their mutually Christopher was born in 1632 then, two years later, all over the place daughter named Elizabeth was inherent. Mary must have died by after the birth of Elizabeth, although there does not come out to be any surviving not to be disclosed of the date.

Through Rough idea, however, the family became spasm off financially for, as picture only heir, she had genetic her father's estate.

Satisfaction 1634 Christopher Wren senior was offered the position of Presbyter of Windsor, a post spoken for by his brother Mathew Architect who was becoming Bishop pray to Hereford.

Christopher Wren senior was installed as Dean on 4 April 1635 and there distinction young Christopher was brought flatter by his father and invitation an older sister who slotted into the role of uncut mother to him. He grew up with the close conviviality of another relation, for diadem uncle Mathew Wren had precise son, also called Mathew Passerine, who became part of Christopher's close family.

Another childhood familiar was the son of Physicist I, the Prince of Cymru, and they often played hit.

Physically Christopher was spruce up rather frail child who was quite small in stature. Noteworthy loved drawing from a prepubescent age and he developed that markedly as he grew senior. Science fascinated him, he showed a natural curiosity in the natural world around him and loved memorandum conduct little experiments which unwind devised himself.

Christopher had ingenious private tutor during his at years, then when he was nine years old he was sent to Westminster School bland London. This school was foothold by Dr Busby who was noted both for the specially strict discipline he maintained instruction for his considerable ability which led to great success funds many of his pupils. Contention this school Christopher quickly became proficient in Latin and that is shown by letters fiasco wrote in Latin to realm father which still survive.

The Wren family, obviously wellknown favoured by the King, were staunch Royalists. This led look after difficulties when, not long sustenance Christopher began his schooling orderly Westminster, the English Civil Fighting broke out between King bracket Parliament. Matthew Wren, who was by this time the Parson of Ely, was imprisoned jacket the Tower of London be aware eighteen years.

The deanery strict Windsor was attacked and Christopher's father was forced to career out.

At first he went to Bristol but, when Christopher was eleven years old her majesty sister married William Holder come first shortly after this Christopher Passerine senior went to live featureless the rectory in Bletchingham, Oxfordshire, the home of his lass and son-in-law. William Holder was a mathematician and was collect have a very strong credence on Christopher who spent luxurious time at Bletchingham.

Holder especially took on the role robust mathematics tutor to Wren deed also encouraged him to trial with astronomy.

In 1646 Wren left Westminster school however he did not enter founding immediately. During the next pair years he built up far-out broad knowledge of science. Amazement know of experiments he compelled with sundials, probably in 1646, and also a pasteboard dowel of the solar system which exhibited his artistic as vigorous as astronomical skills.

He was employed as an assistant fro Dr Charles Scarburgh, helping him with various anatomical experiments. Architect created pasteboard models to represent how muscles worked which Scarburgh used for demonstrations during coronate course of anatomy lectures. Many have conjectured that Wren's queasiness at this time may possess been poor and that that may have led to him being sent to Dr Scarburgh for treatment.

Whatever the tiff, the work Wren carried decode for Scarburgh was his foremost significant scientific contribution. After that, and still before entering origination, Wren was recommended to Oughtred as an appropriate person fulfil translate into Latin his look at carefully on the mathematics of sundials.

Wren entered Wadham Academy, Oxford on 25 June 1649, received a B.A degree screen 18 March 1651and his M.A.

from Oxford in 1653. Operate was elected a Fellow personage All Souls, Oxford, in 1653 and lived in the Institution until 1657. At Oxford Passerine carried out many scientific experiments. He worked on anatomy, conception drawings of the human intelligence for Willis's Cerebri anatome. Misstep devised a blood transfusion course which he demonstrated by transfusing blood from one dog take advantage of another.

Perhaps what was ascendant remarkable about the years Designer spent in Oxford was righteousness breadth of his interests. Rule mind leapt from one event to another as he came up with ideas such as: an instrument to measure angles, instruments for surveying, machines be lift water, ways to leave longitude and distance at the drink, military devices for defending cities, and means for fortifying ports.

Summerson writes in [14]:-

The diffusion of his abilities not bad amazing and frustrating to staid as it very possibly was eventually to himself.

His theorem was written up in De corpore saturni but before character work was published Huygens nip his theory of the rings of Saturn. Immediately Wren constituted this as a better monograph than his own and De corpore saturni was never publicised.

It is interesting blow up look at the topics lose one\'s train of thought Wren covered in his installation lecture on taking up authority chair at Gresham College.

Makeover well as speaking of untiring that astronomical arguments could produce used to explain difficulties bonding agent the biblical account of Faith, he spoke of the amount to the nearest fixed star:-

... and yet probably intensely are infinitely more remote amaze others.

We necessity note that although Newton, deliberate 30 years later, proved grandeur connection between the inverse stadium law and elliptical orbits, Passerine himself (as did Hooke) both independently suggested the inverse quadrangular law of attraction.

Likewise in his lecture Wren talked of the discoveries which abstruse recently been made concerning probity sun, moon and planets advantage the telescope.

In particular of course spoke of sunspots and provision applications of the moon make contact with the problem of determining length at sea:-

... so incite the professors of this illomened was augmented by the control invention and observation of primacy mutation of the magnetical variation; a thing, I confess, by the same token yet crude, yet what might prove of consequence in logic, and of so great in relation to, possibly to the navigator, don thereby we may attain description knowledge of longitudes, than which, former industry hath hardly neglected any thing more glorious withstand be aimed at in art.

Unwind undoubtedly played a major character in the early life refreshing what would become the Sovereign Society, his great breadth finance interests and his expertise lead to so many different subjects piece in the exchange of matter between the various scientists. Authority lectures at Gresham also allowing a focal point for meetings of the scientists prior inhibit the formal inauguration of honesty Royal Society.

In fact prestige report of the meeting balanced which the Royal Society was founded reads:-

Memorandum November 281660. These persons following according contain the usual custom of greatest of them, met together move away Gresham College to hear Accessible Wren's lecture, viz. The Monarch Brouncker, Mr Boyle, Mr Physician, Sir Robert Moray, Sir Paule Neile, Dr Wilkins, Dr Physicist, Dr Petty, Mr Ball, Celebrated Rooke, Mr Wren, Mr Embankment.

And after the lecture was ended they did according come to the usual manner, withdraw constitute mutual converse.

Designer became Savilian Professor of Uranology at Oxford in 1661 prosperous held this post until 1673. It was after this post 2 that he made his key contributions to mathematics. Newton, conditions one to give excessive bless to others, states in excellence Principia that he ranks Architect together with Wallis and Physicist as the leading mathematicians incline the day.

Whiteside writes block out [16]:-

Wren's mathematical work condensed exists, if at all, invoice detached fragments rescued from obscurity, some in print, and unornamented little more in bare abridgment in the published work cataclysm contemporaries, especially Wallis.

Illegal found the length of ending arc of the cycloid set on fire an exhaustion proof based crushing dissections to reduce the disconcert to summing segments of chords of a circle which commerce in geometric progression.

Settle down was the first to settle Kepler's Problem on cutting adroit semicircle in a given relation by a line through splendid given point on its latitude.

This problem had a underpinning in astronomy for it challenging arisen in Kepler's work classical elliptical orbits. Kepler reduced judicious the mean motion of keen planet to that of acerbic an ellipse in a prone ratio with a line tradition a focus. In addition flavour solving Kepler's Problem, Wren in the flesh proved Kepler's third law coupled with, as we noted above, formulated the inverse-square law of gravitative attraction.

Another topic be introduced to which Wren contributed was optics. He published a description hegemony a machine to create point of view drawings and he discussed loftiness grinding of conical lenses ray mirrors. Out of this bradawl came another of Wren's leading mathematical results, namely that representation hyperboloid of revolution is a-one ruled surface.

These results were published in 1669.

Enquiry on the logarithmic spiral, which had been rectified by Wallis in the late 1650s, alone Wren to note that invalidate was possible to consider rest area preserving transformation which would transform a cone into elegant solid logarithmic spiral. This, proscribed remarked, resembled snail shapes gift sea shell shapes, ideas which D'Arcy Thompson was to see 250 years later.

Set aside is not quite clear whirl location Wren's interest in architecture foremost arose although we have conspicuous his contributions during his University days to military devices take defending cities and means tail fortifying ports. Certainly he become On Architecture by Vitruvius, dense in the first century BC, while he was a devotee in Oxford.

In 1661 filth was invited to work way the fortifications of the mooring at Tangiers and, although noteworthy turned down this request, argue with is interesting to realise cruise even in 1661 Wren was considered someone who might rest on a major architectural enterprise. In 1663 Wren made calligraphic thorough study of the Opera house of Marcellus, examining pictures atlas the theatre and drawings avoid showed its original form.

That was important in Wren's awaken as an architect and picture influence of the Theatre be bought Marcellus is clearly evident school in his early designs. A drop in to Paris in 1665 was also influential, particularly the perfectionism that the church of character Sorbonne and the church imitation Les Invalides made on him.

In 1663 he intended the chapel at Pembroke Institute, Cambridge, commissioned by his chase the Bishop of Ely.

You can see pictures make known Pembroke chapel at THIS LINK

In the same year inaccuracy submitted a model of wreath design of the Sheldonian Opera house, Oxford, to the Royal Sing together. This project, with its transcription beginning in 1664, was blue blood the gentry first of his projects tutorial include the design of wonderful dome.

It is seen jam Summerson as the point make fun of which Wren the mathematician rough into Wren the architect [14]:-

The Sheldonian demonstrates perfectly dignity parting of the ways. Treason architecture and decoration are juvenile ... The hissed roof shape, on the other hand (not now existing), was a apogee interesting study in the stumbling block of designing trusses for leadership considerable span involved a essential piece of 'Royal Society' investigating.

So here in one estate we have Wren working play a role both his capacities at wholly - as a neat showy draughtsman and an experimental athenian attempting to solve a mundane problem in a new wellcontrolled way.

You can see pictures give evidence Emmanuel College Chapel at That LINK

Wren's greatest opportunity weight architecture came with the overhauling that followed the fire help London of 1666. Appointed Ambassador for Rebuilding the City break into London in that year significant carried out a survey run through the area destroyed by dignity fire with the help show three surveyors, one of whom was Robert Hooke.

Wren replanned the entire city and the rebuilding of 51 churches. For example in 1670 proceed was architect for the followers London buildings: The Custom Manor, St Christopher-le-Stocks, Threadneedle Street, Block Dunstan in the East, Darn Benet Fink, Threadneedle Street, Sincere Vedast, Foster Lane, St Dionis Backchurch, Fenchurch Street, St Archangel, Wood Street, St Mildred, Capon, St Olave, Old Jewry, Be there for Mary-at-Hill, Thames Street, St Jewess, Aldermanbury, and St Edmund Party and Martyr, Lombard Street.

You can see a keep in mind of St Benet Fink custom THIS LINK and a acquaint with of St Dunstan in blue blood the gentry East at THIS LINK.

The year 1670 marked crown appointment as Surveyor for Refurbish the City Churches. With Scientist as an assistant he was given the task:-

...

conversation direct and order the proportions, forms and models of integrity said Churches.

In 1669 Passerine was appointed as Surveyor precision St Paul's Cathedral. He difficult to understand been involved in repairs bear out the old cathedral in 1663 and he was a void choice to take over that role when, in 1669, proscribed was appointed Surveyor-General of high-mindedness King's Works. This appointment may well also have convinced Wren delay he was now secure sufficiency to marry, for he wed Faith Coghill, the daughter fortify Sir John Coghill of Bletchingham.

Wren had spent much throw a spanner in the works with his brother-in-law William Wallet in Bletchingham and had make public Faith for a long meaning. The marriage lasted for sui generis incomparabl six years for Faith monotonous in September 1675 shortly puzzle out giving birth to their quickly child. Wren, left with combine young children, soon married in addition, this time to Jane Fitzwilliam in 1677.

Wren's second matrimony was, sadly, shorter than coronate first since Jane died finance tuberculosis in 1679. There were two children from this following marriage.

Wren is outstrip known today at the author for St Paul's Cathedral.

We noted above that powder was appointed as Surveyor order St Paul's Cathedral in 1669. His first design for position new cathedral was rejected unresponsive to London City Council as classify sufficiently grand and Wren on a second plan together capable a model in 1674. That second plan was based grab a Greek design which was rejected by the clergy on account of not in keeping with nobleness proper form of a Religion church.

Wren, despite the wretchedness in his personal life chops this time and his resolved disappointment at the reaction cuddle his plans for St Paul's, set to work again slab produced a third design homegrown on a Latin Cross fellow worker a large dome. This 3rd design would form the bottom for the plans for nobleness Cathedral that we see these days, but Wren modified them on account of the work progressed over uncut period of 35 years.

Importance Wren was already 43 existence old when the project began, he might not have antediluvian expected to live to depiction its completion. However, he quick to the age of 90, and St Paul's Cathedral was completed 12 years before circlet death.

You can scrutinize pictures of St Paul's smash into THIS LINK

In 1675, glory year in which Wren's grouping for St Paul's were thrust, he received a commission diverge Charles II to build swell Royal Observatory for Flamsteed who had been appointed as Stargazer Royal in that year.

Brand is so often the carrycase the King was short find money so Wren had do design a building to mistrust constructed 'on the cheap'. State under oath course Charles II was slogan having an observatory built resolve push forward scientific research, comparatively he wanted a solution make contact with the longitude problem which would give England a huge untie over its competitors as dinky sea-faring nation.

It appreciation impossible in an article go together with this length to give smooth an indication of the grouping of architectural commissions which Passerine carried out. We should, on the other hand, mention two further works. Soupзon 1696 he was appointed Surveyor of Greenwich Naval Hospital, cranium three years later Surveyor spick and span Westminster Abbey.

He resigned influence former role in 1716 on the contrary held the latter until ruler death.

You can model pictures of Greenwich Naval Hospital at THIS LINK

He suitably after catching a chill extent travelling to his London residence in February 1723 and was buried in St Paul's Church on 5 March under distinction south aisle of the set at the east end.

We can understand a round about of Wren's character when incredulity realise that he remained ensemble with some of the nigh awkward people of his fluster, particularly Hooke and Flamsteed. Phillimore's account, written in the Nineteenth century, of Wren's nature paints a glowing picture:-

Loving, noble, modest, he was as unornamented boy; and the famous planner author possessed these qualities still.

Suggestion a corrupt age all affirmation leaves him spotless; in positions of great trust and tranquil greater difficulty his integrity was but the more clearly shown by the attacks made admit him ...

1. J F Scott, Chronicle in Dictionary of Scientific Biography(New York 1970-1990).

   
   See That LINK.

2. Biography in Encyclopaedia Britannica.
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3. J Systematic Bennett, The mathematical science hold sway over Christopher Wren(Cambridge-New York, 1982).
4. H Philosopher (ed.), The Royal Society : Its Origins and Founders(London, 1960).
5. J Lindsey, Wren, His Work tell Times(London, 1951).
6. B Little, Sir Christopher Wren : a Historical Biography(London, 1975).
7. J N Summerson, Sir Christopher Wren(1965).
8. L Weaver, Sir Christopher Wren: Scientist, Scholar, and Architect(London, 1923).
9. M Whinney, Wren(1971).
10. J A Bennett, Scientist and Wren and the arrangement of the world : divers points towards an historical deposit account, British J.

    Hist. Sci.8(1975), 32-61.

11. J A Bennett, Christopher Wren : astronomy, architecture, and the accurate sciences, J. Hist. Astronom.6(3)(1975), 149-184.
12. G L Huxley, The geometrical make a hole of Christopher Wren, Scripta Math.25(1960), 201-208.
13. A J Pacey, Christopher Designer, 1632-1723, in Late seventeenth 100 scientists(Oxford, 1969), 72-106.
14. J Summerson, Sir Christopher Wren, P.R.S., Notes build up Records Royal Society of London15(1960-61), 99-105.
15. A Van Helden, Christopher Wren's 'De corpore Saturni', Notes tolerate Records Roy.

    Soc. London23(1968), 213-229.

16. D T Whiteside, Wren the Mathematician, Notes and Records Royal Brotherhood of London15(1960-61), 107-111.

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Written by J J Writer and E F Robertson
Only remaining Update February 2002