A talk by Kevin Shaw entitled Robert Hooke – ‘England’s Leonardo’: The Mystery of a Forgotten Mastermind

While everyone, rightly, appreciates the genius of Isaac Newton, this talk looks at the extraordinary, but largely overlooked, contribution made by Robert Hooke to the far-ranging inventions and discoveries of the 17th century – including those of Newton himself, who denigrated Hook, refusing to acknowledge him as a source of inspiration. Yet it was Hooke who for over forty years, more than anyone, established the enduring reputation of the early Royal  Society; Hooke who, as the creator of machines, made ‘Boyle’s Law’ provable; Hooke who through his microscopic studies coined the biological ‘cell’; Hooke who as a skilled architect and structural engineer was Wren’s key right-hand man in the rebuilding of London and St. Paul’s after the Great Fire. This talk, while outlining his intriguing life story from Freshwater to Fame, aims to redress the balance and reveal the extraordinary achievements of this truly great polymath.

An optional lunch will be served from 12:00and can be pre-booked before the talk.

To book online for the First Wednesday Talk, please click here.