Jonathan Goddard facts for kids

Jonathan Goddard (1617–1675) was an English doctor and scientist. He was known for being a surgeon in Oliver Cromwell's army and for being an important early member of the Royal Society, a famous group of scientists.

Early Life and Education

Jonathan Goddard was born in 1617. His father was a wealthy shipbuilder. He went to Magdalen Hall, Oxford to study. Later, he qualified as a doctor at the University of Cambridge. In 1643, he joined the College of Physicians, a group for doctors.

Doctor to Kings and Leaders

Jonathan Goddard became a doctor to important people. He was even a physician to Charles I of England, who was the King of England at the time. Later, he also attended Oliver Cromwell, a powerful leader, when Cromwell was dying.

A Leader at Oxford

In the 1650s, Goddard became the head of Merton College, Oxford. This role is called a Warden. He was also part of a group of thinkers and scientists in Oxford. In 1653, he served as a Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire. This meant he helped make decisions for the country in a special meeting called the Barebone's Parliament.

Scientific Discoveries

In 1655, Jonathan Goddard became a professor at Gresham College. He was very interested in science. At Gresham College, he worked with another chemist named Johannes Banfi Hunyades. Together, they did important experiments. They were among the first to measure temperature during a process called distillation. This was a big step in understanding how to separate liquids.

Founding the Royal Society

After 1660, Jonathan Goddard lost his position at Merton College. However, he was a very important member of the Royal Society. This was a new and famous group of scientists. He was one of the first people to join it in November 1660. In early 1661, the Royal Society even met in his own rooms at Gresham College. This shows how important he was to the start of this famous scientific group.

Jonathan Goddard passed away in 1675. He was buried in a church in London.