Inside to my suprise I found this framed document...
... recording that Robert Hooke had been born there when his father was a curate.
His mother is buried in the churchyard.
Hooke on the isle of Wight
While on holiday recently in the Isle of Wight I happened to walk through the village of Freshwater, and visited the church of All Saints.
the document reads:
Robert Hooke
Pilgrim of Enlightenment
HOOKE HILL, leading to the Parish Church of All Saints is familiar to all local residents and named after Freshwater's famour 'son' Robert Hooke, who with his father, John, lived in the area known as the Crundels.
John Hooke was a local curate, and Robert was born in 1635 to John's second wife, a former resident of Brading.
Following his father's death in 1648, Robert was taken to London by John Hoskyns a noteable glass painter, and continued his education at Westminster School.
In 1653 Robert became a scholar of Christ Church Oxford and in 1662 was appointed Curator of Experiments at the Royal Society. In 1664 he also became Gresham College, Professor of Geometry.
It is interesting to note that amongst many other things he was a chorister at both Westminster Abbey and Christ Church Oxford and an exponent of church organ Music.
Robert Hooke died in 1703 having contributed much in his lieftime as an Architect, Inventor, Author and Physicist. he lies buried in St. Helen, Bishopsgate, London.
August 1989
(An extract from page 12 of Aug 89 Edition of CONTACT)
(Does anyone know this newsletter 'CONTACT'?)
Oxford Exhibition
From 3 January 2003 the Museum of the History of Science, Broad Street, Oxford
(tel 01865 277 280 website http://www.mhs.ox.ac.uk ) has an exhibition
'Ingenuity in Restoration England: Hooke, Morland, Papin and Wren'
to mark the 300th anniversary of the death of Robert Hooke.
Hooke International Conference An international conference to honour Hooke's memory is also being held in London, at The Royal Society, under the auspices of Gresham College, from 7 - 8th July 2003. Particulars can be obtained from Mrs Julie Jones Tel: (01235) 762 744 email: julie.jones@btinternet.com