Charles Stokes (collector) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Charles Stokes FGS FLS FRAS FRGS FRS FSA
Charles Stokes by Mary Dawson Turner, engraving after Sir Francis Leggatt Chantrey (1821)
Born	c. 1784 City of London, England
Died	(1853-12-28)28 December 1853 (aged 69) Camden, London, England
Burial place	Islington, London
Nationality	British
Occupation	Stockbroker, man of science, art collector

Charles Stokes (around 1784 – 28 December 1853) was a British man who lived in London. He was known for two main things: being a successful stockbroker and having a passion for both science and art.

About Charles Stokes

Charles Stokes was born in the City of London around 1784. Records show he was baptized in June 1783. He passed away in December 1853 when he was 69 years old. It seems he never married.

He worked as a partner in a stockbroking company called Hodges & Stokes. This company was located on Threadneedle Street in London. Some of his famous clients included the naturalist Charles Darwin, the art critic John Ruskin, and the artist J. M. W. Turner.

Stokes's Scientific Interests

Charles Stokes loved many areas of science. His main interests were geology (the study of Earth's rocks and history), malacology (the study of mollusks like snails and clams, especially corals and trilobites), and palaeobotany (the study of ancient plants).

He was recognized for his scientific work by many important groups:

• In 1808, he became a member of the Linnean Society, which focuses on natural history.
• In 1811, he joined both the Royal Geographical Society (for geography) and the Society of Antiquaries (for history and archaeology).
• In 1821, he became a Fellow of the Royal Society, one of the oldest and most respected scientific organizations.
• He was also a member of the Royal Asiatic Society and the Royal Astronomical Society.

Stokes was very active in the Geological Society. He served as a secretary in 1816 and 1817 and later became a member of its Council and even a vice-president. In 1838, he helped lead a group of scientists who asked the British Parliament to buy important fossil collections for the British Museum.

Stokes as an Art Collector

Besides science, Charles Stokes was a keen art collector. He collected watercolours and old master prints. But the most important part of his collection was the work of the famous artist J. M. W. Turner.

In 1853, Anna Matilda Whistler (the mother of the artist James McNeill Whistler) saw Stokes's collection. She said he had an "extraordinary treat of Turners paintings," showing the artist's work from when he was 16 years old to his best period.

His Wide Circle of Friends

Charles Stokes knew many important people in both the arts and sciences. He corresponded with or met famous figures like:

• Louis Agassiz, a Swiss-American biologist.
• Charles Babbage, who designed early computers.
• Charles Darwin, the famous naturalist.
• Charles Lyell, a Scottish geologist.
• Richard Owen, an English biologist and palaeontologist.
• John Ruskin, the art critic.
• J. M. W. Turner, the painter.

Stokes knew Charles Darwin before Darwin's famous journey on HMS Beagle in 1831. Stokes asked Darwin to collect information on a type of coral called Fungia, which Darwin did. Darwin even thanked Stokes for lending him his snuffbox in 1842!

What People Said About Him

Many people respected Charles Stokes greatly.

• Charles Lyell described him as a "respected member of the Stock Exchange" who had "vast research in the Natural History Sciences" and was known for his knowledge in literature, history, music, and art.
• Charles Darwin called him "a stockbroker of repute & an old friend of mine" and said he "long trusted" Stokes.
• After Stokes's death, Edward Forbes, a fellow scientist, spoke about him. He said Stokes was "one of the warmest and wisest friends" of the Geological Society. Forbes noted that even with his busy job, Stokes gained "a vast amount of minute and accurate scientific information." He collected rare specimens not for himself, but to help other scientists. Stokes also supported new technologies like microscopes and lithography (a printing method). Forbes said Stokes's writings were few, but his influence on science was huge.
• The Earl of Ellesmere, president of the Royal Geographical Society, also praised Stokes. He said Stokes was "one of its most enlightened promoters" of science. He also mentioned Stokes's support for explorers and his knowledge of many languages.

After Stokes died, his large library and scientific collections were sold at auctions by Sotheby's. Some of his Turner watercolours were passed to his niece, Hannah Smith. John Ruskin later bought ten of these watercolours from her.

Species Described by Stokes

Charles Stokes described several new species that were previously unknown to science. This means he was the first to formally name and explain them. Here are some of them:

• Actinoceras bigsbii, A. lyonii, and A. simmsii (1840) – These are three types of extinct cephalopods (ancient marine animals related to squid).
• Asaphus platycephalus (1824) – An extinct type of trilobite (an ancient sea creature with a hard shell).
• Caryophyllia smithii (1828, with William Broderip) – A type of solitary coral.
• Huronia (1824) – An extinct group of cephalopods.
• Ormoceras (1840) – Another extinct group of cephalopods.

Species Named in His Honour

Scientists often name new species after people they want to honor. Several species have been named stokesi or stokesii, likely in honor of Charles Stokes. These were described by scientists he knew and were in his areas of interest.

Here are some examples:

• Hemicidaris stokesii (1857) – An extinct sea urchin. This one is definitely named after him.
• Dichocoenia stokesi (1848) – A type of stony coral.
• Goniopora stokesi (1851) – A type of colonial stony coral.
• Mellitella stokesii (1841) – A type of sea urchin.
• Notopocorystes stokesii (1844) – An extinct crab.
• Phacops stokesii (1851) – A trilobite.
• Platytrochus stokesii (1848) – An extinct stony coral.
• Proetus stokesi (no date) and Proetus stokesii (1839) – Both are types of trilobites.
• Trigonotreta stokesi (1825) – An extinct type of brachiopod (a marine animal with two shells).
• Warburgella stokesii (1839) – A trilobite.
• Zaphrentis stokesi (1851) – An extinct coral.

Places Named in His Honour

• In 1826, the explorer John Franklin named Point Stokes in Yukon, Canada, after Charles Stokes. This headland is located in the Arctic Sea.
• There are also a Stokes Mountain and Stokes Range in Nunavut, Canada. It's not clear if these were named after Charles Stokes, but it's possible.