The forgotten high-flyer who led a scientific revolution
FOR HUNDREDS of years, Francis Willughby’s key role in the scientific revolution of the 17th Century has been largely underplayed, partly because of his untimely death at the early age of 36. But now a new book and exhibition is hoping to restore the reputation of a man who helped pioneer the study of natural history.
Professor Tim Birkhead, from the University of Sheffield, and his historian colleague Professor Mark Greengrass have been part of a project researching Willughby’s life for the past three years and a new public exhibition has now gone on display at the university’s library until February. It comes ahead of a new book, called
being published next year.
Birkhead says he became interested in the topic several years ago after meeting Willughby’s descendants when he was seeking a picture of him for a book he was writing at the time. After speaking to his family, he realised that Willughby’s role in scientific history had been overshadowed by his colleague John Ray.
Born into wealth, Willughby originally lived in Middleton Hall near Tamworth in the Midlands and went to Cambridge University at an opportune time for those interested in studying science and the world around us.
Birkhead says: “When he went to Cambridge in the late 1650s, this was at the very beginning of the scientific revolution, where people were thinking about science in this completely fresh, evidence-based way. John Ray and him and one or two other friends travelled around Britain. They decided to overhaul the whole of natural history – it was a pretty ambitious thing to do. Up until that point it relied on folklore, old wives’ tales and emblematics, which were natural history images and expressions designed to result in moral improvement.”
But Willughby died in 1672 at the age of 36 from what records indicate may have either been a form of malaria or pneumonia before any of his findings could be published. However, Ray took on his mantle and in 1678 a book called
by John Ray was published. It is seen today as the first useful encyclopedia of birds and is among the items on display at the Sheffield exhibition. As well as studying birds, his work on fish and insects were also published after his death.
But Birkhead says the title of the ornithology book combined with a different author name may have actually contributed to Willughby’s full legacy not being recognised in the decades and centuries which followed. “It has caused centuries of confusion as nobody knew quite who had done what. What our research shows is Willughby was just as much of a genius as John Ray,” he says. “They had very different personalities but complemented each other very well. Willughby was what you might call in scientific circles a romantic; he was in a hurry, liked ideas, wrote very quickly and couldn’t wait to get on to the next thing. John Ray was almost the exact opposite, slow, methodical and his handwriting is beautiful and clear as he obviously took his time to think over things. Between them, they did come up with this amazing work.”
Birkhead says the work of the pair remains hugely influential to this day. “Willughby set a new standard for scientific ornithology and put it on a firm professional footing. Everything that came before, you didn’t trust it and together with Ray, they set the new standard. The book remains a model for all subsequent encyclopedias of natural history.”
On display in the exhibition are some of the specimens, illustrations and information Willughby acquired on his travels across the UK and Europe.
Birkhead will give a free lecture about Willughby’s endeavours on December 8 between 6pm and 8pm at Sheffield University library.