Katherine Jones, Viscountess Ranelagh facts for kids

Katherine Jones, Viscountess Ranelagh (born March 22, 1615 – died December 3, 1691), also known as Lady Ranelagh, was an important Anglo-Irish scientist. She lived in Britain during the 1600s. Katherine was also a thinker in politics and religion. She was part of many smart groups, like the Hartlib Circle and the Invisible College.

She wrote letters to famous people such as Samuel Hartlib and John Milton. Katherine was the sister of Robert Boyle, a very famous chemist. Many people believe she greatly influenced his work. Lady Ranelagh was also a key social figure. She hosted a popular meeting place in London in the 1650s. Many clever people linked to the Hartlib Circle visited her there.

Early Life and Marriage

Katherine Boyle was born in Youghal, Ireland, on March 22, 1615. Her parents were Catherine Fenton and Richard Boyle, the first Earl of Cork. She was the seventh of fifteen children. Her siblings included the scientist Robert Boyle and her sister Lady Mary Rich.

It is not clear how much formal schooling Katherine received. Her brothers had extensive education. She might have been taught at home by family teachers. She likely learned about religion and good manners. Her wealthy father made sure his sons were well-educated. He also arranged good marriages for his daughters.

When Katherine was nine, she moved in with the Beaumont family. This was because she was set to marry their son, Sapcott Beaumont. When she was thirteen, Sapcott's father died. This caused the marriage plans to end. She moved back home. Two years later, at age 15, she married Arthur Jones. He was the heir to Viscount Ranelagh. After her marriage, she became known as Katherine Jones. It was common for noble women to marry young. However, most women at that time married in their twenties.

Letters from her husband to her father suggest that Arthur Jones was not always loyal to her. Their marriage was not a happy one. They often lived apart. Katherine traveled between Ireland and London. Arthur spent much time traveling. They had three daughters and one son: Catherine, Elizabeth, Frances, and Richard. Katherine lived in Ireland until 1642. She was trapped in Athlone Castle for four months. This happened because of the rebellions in Ireland. Feeling frustrated, she moved to London with her four children.

Her Intellectual World

In the mid-1640s, Katherine became a friend and supporter of John Milton in London. She sent her nephew Richard Barry to him as a student in 1645. Later, Milton also taught her son Richard.

Besides Samuel Hartlib and John Dury, she knew many other smart people. These included John Beale, William Petty, and Robert Wood. Some historians believe her house might have been the meeting place for the "Invisible College" in the late 1640s. From 1656, Henry Oldenburg tutored her son Richard.

In the 1650s, her brother Robert Boyle had a laboratory in her London house. They did experiments together there. She was also very active in the Hartlib Circle of correspondents. In 1676, she hired Robert Hooke to change her house. This was to add a laboratory for her brother.

Her letters show that she greatly encouraged and influenced Boyle's work. Boyle mentioned her in some of his writings. He called her "a great Lady" instead of using her name. People at the time knew about Jones's influence on him. However, later history books often left her out. They had "a lifelong intellectual partnership." Brother and sister shared medical remedies. They also promoted each other's scientific ideas. They even edited each other's writings.

In 1656, she went to Ireland for family matters and stayed for several years. After the English Restoration of 1660, she helped John Milton when he was arrested. She asked Arthur Annesley and William Morice to speak for him. In 1668, her brother came to live with her on Pall Mall. They lived together for the last 23 years of their lives. Both died in 1691, very close in time. They are buried in the south chancel of St Martin-in-the-Fields, London.

Katherine and her sisters on their parents' funeral monument

Intellectual Groups

Katherine Jones was part of several important intellectual groups. These included the Great Tew Circle, the Hartlib Circle, and the Invisible College. These groups were like early versions of the Royal Society. They included natural philosophers and people who loved to experiment.

The Invisible College included many of Robert Boyle's friends. They were spread out geographically. This group often met at Katherine Jones's house. This was mainly because she was Robert Boyle's older sister. Their main interest was science. But they also believed in improving society. They wanted better education, science, and technology.

The Great Tew Circle was started by Jones's friend Lucius Cary. He was the Viscount of Falkland. Members included Edward Hyde and Thomas Hobbes. This group began with friends who talked and studied together. It grew into a place where people could study and discuss their discoveries. This circle was known for respecting "liberty of conscience."

Among Jones's friends was Samuel Hartlib, who created the Hartlib Circle. She met Hartlib through her aunt Dorothy Moore when she first arrived in London in 1642. Hartlib collected letters from many smart people, including Milton and Jones herself. Hartlib and Jones were very close. Jones's house often became a meeting place. People with different political and religious ideas came to discuss things.

Another friend of Jones was Thomas Willis. He was a writer and doctor. He was also a member of the Oxford Club. This club was a group of experimenters. They wanted to find new and better ways to treat illnesses. Willis and Jones worked closely on medical recipes. Some of her recipes even appeared in Willis's book, Pharmaceutice rationalis, published in 1674. This book helped change how we understand anatomy and medicine today.

Her Political Views

Many people know Jones for her work in science and medicine. But her letters show she was also a strong political and religious thinker. She was open-minded. Her beliefs changed as she learned new things. Jones mainly used letters to share her ideas. She used her family and friends to spread information. This included news about the English Civil Wars. She often wrote to powerful people during the wars. She tried to persuade them to make peace. This was her main way of communicating and influencing others.

In the 1630s, Jones supported the idea of a constitutional monarchy. This is a system where a king or queen shares power with a parliament. In the 1640s, she changed her mind. She began to support a republic. This was because she wanted to spread critical thinking across Europe. Another reason might be that she saw monarchy as a threat to the nation. This was likely due to King Charles I of England. During the English Civil Wars, Charles refused to give up power to Parliament. This made it hard to achieve peace.

Between 1642 and 1646, Jones strongly supported King Charles. She wanted him to end the war quickly. She wrote to her close friend Edward Hyde, an advisor to Charles. In her letter, she gave advice for Charles. She suggested ways he could make peace with Parliament. However, the war continued for two more years. Jones eventually stopped supporting the king.

She had also written to Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia, King Charles's sister. Jones encouraged Elizabeth to talk to Charles. In the letter, Jones shared her growing disappointment with Charles. He kept refusing a peaceful solution with Parliament. In this letter, Jones became more sympathetic to Parliament's side. It is clear that Jones wanted peace above all else. Her changing political alliances were mainly driven by her desire for peace. If she felt one side was closer to peace, she would support them.

In 1648, Jones wrote to the Hartlib circle. She listed seven questions about the recent changes in political power. Jones and others in the Hartlib circle worried about whether the transfer of power from Charles to Parliament was legal. Jones believed Charles should remain King. But she thought most of his powers, like the royal veto, should be taken away. She was arguing for a limited constitutional monarchy.

In the late 1640s, Jones's political views changed again. She became involved with religious nonconformists. These were Protestants, Presbyterians, Independents, and Baptists. They united against the Church of England. Jones was part of these groups. She supported the toleration movement. This was during a time of great division in London.

Jones believed in respecting people despite their religious beliefs. She worked to unite nonconformists and conformists during the Great Plague of 1665. She called herself a conformist. But she deeply cared about how nonconformists were treated during the Plague. She argued they were following their spiritual duties. They were doing what they believed God wanted, even if it went against the law. She said they had the right to follow their own religious beliefs. The toleration movement continued into the 1670s and 80s. It led to the Toleration Act of 1689. In the 1670s, she supported the Whig party. They believed in a limited monarchy and limited religious freedom.

Her Influence on Others

Jones could influence men through her writings. These writings were for private groups. This gave her a way to share her ideas with educated men. She did this without directly challenging the social rules of the time. She used clever ways to make her voice heard. She became friends with important people. She also wrote letters to many influential individuals. This allowed her to spread her ideas widely.

Jones often used her connections to reform education. She wanted it to be more available, especially for girls. She also used her connections to spread interest in Protestantism to Ireland. She wrote to many people who agreed with her, and some who did not. With her aunt, Dorothy King, Jones discussed how girls' education needed to change. It should include "reason and intellect," not just household topics. She was a strong supporter of educating girls. However, her plans with Moore were never fully put into action.

Jones also wrote to Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia. Elizabeth was the sister of King Charles I. In her letters, Jones openly criticized Parliament and the King. She criticized their inability to solve their religious differences. In August 1646, she directly criticized King Charles. This was after he lost a battle. She felt he was not negotiating a peaceful compromise with Parliament. Jones usually supported peace between opposing sides. She tried to use the Queen of Bohemia's influence with King Charles. She urged him to agree to a peaceful solution with Parliament.

Contributions to Science

Jones is known for her intelligence in medicine. In a letter to her brother, Lord Burlington, she described a friend, Lady Clarendon. Lady Clarendon was having "fits." Jones cared for her even when doctors had given up. Jones used her own special mixture. It seemed to be the only thing that helped Lady Clarendon.

During the 1600s, women often practiced what we now call chemistry. They made medical remedies in their kitchens. These remedies sometimes used herbs. Other times, they used chemical compounds. Women kept these remedies in their recipe books. These books usually included household tips, financial records, food recipes, and medical remedies.

There is proof that Jones practiced chemistry at home with her brother, Robert Boyle. Her chemistry and experiments can be found in her recipe book. This book contains scientific and medical mixtures, as well as food recipes. According to Lynette Hunter, Jones had a chemistry set built for her brother in her home. This was so he could do scientific experiments. Hunter believes that Jones practiced alongside him.

A recipe book thought to belong to the Boyle family has handwriting that some believe is Jones's. This is based on a line that says "My Brother Robert Boyl." Lynette Hunter suggested that Jones kept two recipe books. One was called ‘Kitchen-Physick’. It had household remedies and food recipes. The other book had herbal remedies and chemistry. The ‘Kitchen-Physick’ book included a recipe for "Spirit of Roses My Brother Robert Boyl's Way."

However, Michelle DiMeo argues that the handwriting in ‘Kitchen-Physick’ looks more like her sister-in-law Margaret Boyle, Countess of Orrery. Margaret was married to Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery. It was common then for her to call her brother-in-law (Arthur Jones) "my brother." Handwriting analysis shows there are up to four different writing styles in the family recipe book. DiMeo says the cookbook should be seen as a collection of the Orrery family's household knowledge.

Even so, some medical recipes in the book are clearly credited to Jones. These recipes use both common and rare plant ingredients. The methods in these recipes range from simple ones, like crushing herbs in a mortar, to complex skills like distillation. Jones's medical practice was wide-ranging. It included new and expensive scientific tools, as well as common household and folk methods.

Jones's involvement in chemistry and her influence on her brother made her an extraordinary woman for her time. Women were not usually accepted in medicine or chemistry back then. It was thought they should be busy with household duties. Chemistry was generally left to men who had the time and money for experiments.

Her Final Years

In her last days, Jones was still very involved in politics and science. She wrote letters giving political advice to friends. They wanted to advance in their careers. She had connections and influence that people desired in politics. So, many friends asked her for advice and to speak well of them. She also continued to give medical advice to those who wrote to her. Even as she grew sicker and weaker, she had others write letters for her. Her hands were too weak to do it herself. She never stopped trying to help her friends.

Katherine Jones, Viscountess Ranelagh, died on December 23, 1691. The exact cause of her death is not fully known. Her brother, Robert Boyle, died on December 31, 1691. In his will, he named Katherine Jones as the main person to handle his estate. She was also the first person on his list of beneficiaries. He planned to give her a ring he had worn and cherished. He stated that he and Katherine shared a special love for this ring. He also left his estate to her. He asked that it be used as a Christian establishment. He also left his research notes and medical recipes.

However, because she died before him, these notes went to Robert Boyle's friend, John Locke. Locke later published the second volume of Robert Boyle's Medicinal Experiments. Robert Boyle changed his will on December 29, 1691. He did this to acknowledge his sister's death and remove her as the main executor.

Katherine Jones's life was honored with her brother Robert at a combined funeral. It took place on January 7, 1692. They were buried next to each other at St. Martin-in-the-Fields. At the funeral, Gilbert Burnet, a friend and bishop of Salisbury, spoke about Katherine. His words are considered one of the most famous descriptions of her. He noted how she used her advantages to help others. She never did things for personal gain. He also noted that even though she was very political and had strong opinions, "her Soul was never of a Party." This meant she did not let politics stop her from helping others. He ended his remembrance by appreciating her positive effect on her brother. His full remembrance highlighted her "piety and charity."