Thomas Arkisden facts for kids
Thomas Arkisden was a clever person who lived a long time ago, in the 1600s. He was known as a stenographer, which means he was an expert in a special way of writing called shorthand. He even invented his own shorthand alphabet! Thomas Arkisden studied at Emmanuel College, Cambridge. Later, he lived in a place called Aspley Guise and worked as a minister.
The Life of Thomas Arkisden
Thomas Arkisden was born around the year 1608. His parents were Thomas Arkisden and Francis Durrant. When he was young, his father passed away. Thomas and his brother were then looked after by a minister named Henry Sande. During this time, he became friends with the Winthrop family, including John Winthrop the Younger. When Mr. Sande died, John Winthrop took care of Thomas.
Thomas went to Emmanuel College, Cambridge for his education. He earned his first degree in 1629 or 1630, and a master's degree in 1633. In 1636, Thomas Arkisden married Alice Sparker. She was one of ten children of Reverend William Sparker. Reverend Sparker was a rector, or church leader, in Bletchley.
After getting married, Thomas Arkisden became a Presbyterian rector himself. He worked in Aspley Guise, a town in Bedfordshire. Sir Oliver Luke supported his work there. Thomas also spent a lot of time working as a minister in Bletchley. Thomas and Alice had nine children. Their first child, Alice, was born in 1637. Their second child, William, was born in 1641. Their youngest child was born in 1675. Thomas Arkisden was buried in the same church parish on June 16, 1682.
Arkisden's Shorthand System
While he was studying at university, Thomas Arkisden created his own special shorthand alphabet. Shorthand is a fast way to write using symbols instead of full words. It helps people write down speeches or conversations very quickly.
Arkisden's shorthand system became quite interesting. This was because it was similar to other early shorthand systems. These other systems were published a bit later by people like William Cartwright and his nephew, Jeremiah Rich. Jeremiah Rich even claimed that his own system was completely new. However, Arkisden's earlier work showed similarities. You can find Arkisden's shorthand alphabet in the 'Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society'.
