John Willis (inventor) facts for kids

John Willis was a clever British man who lived a long time ago, from about 1575 to 1625. He was a church leader, but he is most famous for inventing a way to write very quickly called shorthand. He also studied how people remember things. His shorthand ideas were inspired by another smart person, Timothy Bright.

Early Life and Education

John Willis went to Christ's College, Cambridge, a famous university in England. He finished his studies there in 1592.

Life as a Church Leader

In 1601, John Willis became a leader at a church in London. This job was called a "rector." He worked there until 1606. Then, he moved to another church in Essex, where he also became a rector.

Inventing Shorthand

In 1602, John Willis published a book called The Art of Stenographie. This book introduced his new and easier system for writing down spoken words very quickly. This fast writing is what we call shorthand. His system used special, simple symbols. Each symbol stood for a single letter of the alphabet. This made it possible to write much faster than usual.

His Published Work

• The Art of Stenographie, London, 1602