Founding of the Royal Society Following a lecture by Sir Christopher Wren, the Royal Society was founded at Gresham College, London, on 28 November 1660. This was the very first ‘learned society’ meeting, and it was attended by the leading polymaths of the day. Shortly thereafter, on 12 January 1662, the Society received a royal charter from King Charles II, and the King became their official patron. In its original form, the Society was an ‘invisible college’ of natural philosophers and physicians. From 1663, it was known as the Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge. Founding members included Wren, the Irish natural philosopher and chemist Robert Boyle, the economist and physician William Petty, and the author and diarist John Evelyn. Many of the clockmakers, artisans and scientists featured on Clocktime were members, such as Thomas Tompion, George Graham, Robert Hooke, William Harrison, John Shelton, Henry Wynne, John Flamsteed, Edmund Halley and Nevil Maskelyne. Image Credit FA6X80 The Royal Society in Crane Court, London, 17th century. FALKENSTEINFOTO / Alamy Stock Photo
