Paul Neile facts for kids

Sir Paul Neile (1613 – February 1686) was an English astronomer and politician. He was a member of the Royal Society, a famous group of scientists. He also served in the House of Commons, which is like a part of the government, in 1640 and again from 1673 to 1677.

Early Life and Education

Paul Neile was born in Westminster, England, in 1613. His father was Richard Neile, who later became the Archbishop of York. This was a very important religious leader position.

Paul started studying at Pembroke College, Cambridge when he was 14 years old, in 1627. He earned his first degree in 1631. After college, he worked for King Charles I. He was knighted in 1633, which means he was given the title "Sir."

A Career in Politics

In April 1640, Sir Paul Neile was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Ripon. This was during a time known as the Short Parliament. This Parliament lasted only a short time.

Later, from 1673 to 1677, he was elected to represent Newark. However, his election was not fully accepted by everyone. Because of this, he could not properly take his seat for several years. The election was eventually cancelled in 1677.

Passion for Astronomy

Even while involved in politics, Sir Paul Neile loved astronomy. During a period when England had no king (called the Interregnum), he lived in White Waltham, Berkshire. There, he spent his time studying the stars and building telescopes.

Building Telescopes

Sir Paul Neile was very good at making telescopes. The famous architect and scientist Sir Christopher Wren even used one of Neile's telescopes in 1655. In 1658, Neile gave a very long telescope, 35 feet (about 10.6 meters) long, to Gresham College.

Founding the Royal Society

Sir Paul Neile was one of the twelve people who started the Royal Society. This is a very old and respected group of scientists in England. In 1661, the Royal Society asked him to keep working with skilled craftspeople to make more lenses for telescopes. This shows how important his work was to the scientific community.

Family Life

Sir Paul Neile married Elizabeth Clarke. Her father was Gabriel Clarke, who was an important church leader. Paul and Elizabeth had a son named William Neile. William also became a well-known mathematician and astronomer, following in his father's footsteps.

Sir Paul Neile passed away in February 1686, when he was 73 years old.