Robert Hooke
Robert Hooke was born on the 18th of July 1635 in Freshwater, Isle of Wight. His father John Hooke served as a curate at All Saints' Church and his mother Cecily Gyles raised four children. Robert was the youngest by seven years and appeared so frail that observers did not expect him to survive childhood. He received some instruction in English grammar and divinity from his father but his education remained largely neglected after that point. Left to his own devices he constructed mechanical toys including a wooden replica of a brass clock that actually worked. This early self-education laid the foundation for a life dedicated to mechanics and observation.
On the 5th of November 1661 Robert Moray proposed the appointment of a curator to furnish experiments for the Royal Society. Hooke was named on Boyle's recommendation and confirmed to the office on the 27th of June 1664. An annual salary of £80 consisting of £30 from the Society and Cutler's £50 annuity supported this role. He demonstrated experiments ranging from the implosion of glass bubbles to keeping a dog alive with its thorax opened. The society did not have reliable income to fully fund the post yet Hooke managed to establish an experimental culture through these demonstrations. His work included measuring barometric pressure at different heights and tracking pendulum movements up to long distances.
Hooke published Micrographia in 1665 containing observations made with microscopes and telescopes. The book describes the earliest recorded observation of a microorganism known as Mucor. He coined the term cell suggesting a resemblance between plant structures and honeycomb cells. A handcrafted leather-and-gold-tooled microscope designed by Hooke and built by Christopher Cock enabled these discoveries. Samuel Pepys wrote in his diary on the 21st of January 1666 that he read until two o'clock in the morning calling it the most ingenious book ever written. The work developed from Henry Power's microscopy research but Leeuwenhoek later increased magnification to reveal protozoa and blood cells.
Following the Great Fire of 1666 Hooke served as Surveyor to the City of London and chief assistant to Christopher Wren. From 1671 to 1696 Wren's office paid Hooke £2,820 in fees which exceeded earnings from other posts. He helped map the fire-damaged area within four weeks starting from the 4th of October 1666. Hooke compiled a Land Information System for London and drew up building regulations for an Act of Parliament. His precise surveys enabled the production of Ogilby and Morgan's large-scale map of London published in 1677 with a scale of 1:1200. He also measured land for compulsory purchase so compensation could be paid to property owners.
In November 1679 Hooke initiated a notable exchange of letters with Isaac Newton regarding planetary motion. Hooke communicated his supposition that attraction is always in a duplicate proportion to distance from the center. Newton replied offering a terrestrial experiment rather than a proposal about celestial motions. By May 1686 Newton was presented with Hooke's claim to priority on the inverse square law but denied he was credited as author of the idea. Newton acknowledged Wren Hooke and Halley in his Scholium to Proposition 4 yet maintained that Hooke had not provided mathematical demonstrations. The dispute over this insight contributed to the rivalry between the two men throughout their lives.
Hooke suffered from migraine tinnitus dizziness and bouts of insomnia since childhood. A spinal deformity consistent with Scheuermann's kyphosis gave him a thin and crooked body with an over-large head and protruding eyes. He experimented with self-medication using sal ammoniac emetics laxatives and opiates which appear to have worsened his physical and mental health over time. His diary revealed previously unknown details about social relationships including a sexual relationship with his niece Grace after she turned 16. Grace lived in his custody since age 10 and died in 1687 leaving Hooke devastated. He never married but had relations with several maids and housekeepers during his lifetime.
Richard Waller described Hooke as despicable and melancholy in his introduction to Posthumous Works published in 1705. These comments influenced writers for more than 200 years portraying Hooke as a disgruntled selfish anti-social curmudgeon. Arthur Berry claimed Hooke took credit for most scientific discoveries while others called him unscrupulous or envious. The publication of Hooke's diary in 1935 revealed false pictures of him as a recluse showing he interacted with artisans like Thomas Tompion. Modern historians like Lisa Jardine and Stephen Inwood have restored his standing by highlighting his contributions to geology architecture and mechanics. Today he is often called England's Leonardo da Vinci despite centuries of vilification.
Continue Browsing
Common questions
When and where was Robert Hooke born?
Robert Hooke was born on the 18th of July 1635 in Freshwater, Isle of Wight. His father John Hooke served as a curate at All Saints' Church while his mother Cecily Gyles raised four children.
What role did Robert Hooke hold at the Royal Society starting in 1664?
Robert Hooke was appointed curator to furnish experiments for the Royal Society on the 27th of June 1664. He received an annual salary of £80 consisting of £30 from the Society and Cutler's £50 annuity to support this role.
Why is Robert Hooke famous for publishing Micrographia in 1665?
Robert Hooke published Micrographia in 1665 containing observations made with microscopes and telescopes that described the earliest recorded observation of a microorganism known as Mucor. He coined the term cell suggesting a resemblance between plant structures and honeycomb cells using a handcrafted leather-and-gold-tooled microscope designed by him and built by Christopher Cock.
How did Robert Hooke contribute to rebuilding London after the Great Fire of 1666?
Robert Hooke served as Surveyor to the City of London and chief assistant to Christopher Wren following the Great Fire of 1666. He helped map the fire-damaged area within four weeks starting from the 4th of October 1666 and compiled a Land Information System for London while drawing up building regulations for an Act of Parliament.
What was the nature of the dispute between Robert Hooke and Isaac Newton regarding planetary motion?
Robert Hooke initiated a notable exchange of letters with Isaac Newton in November 1679 regarding planetary motion where he communicated his supposition that attraction is always in a duplicate proportion to distance from the center. By May 1686 Newton was presented with Hooke's claim to priority on the inverse square law but denied he was credited as author of the idea despite acknowledging Wren Hooke and Halley in his Scholium to Proposition 4.