William Brouncker – Ingliando

On this day in London, a meeting at Gresham College of 12 natural philosophers decided to commence a “Colledge for the Promoting of Physico-Mathematicall Experimentall Learning“. Amongst those founders were Christopher Wren, Robert Boyle, John Wilkins, William Brouncker and Robert Moray. At the second meeting, Sir Robert Moray announced that the King approved of the gatherings, and a royal charter was signed on 15 July 1662 which created the “Royal Society of London”. A second royal charter was signed on 23 April 1663, with the king noted as the founder and with the name of “the Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge”. The society fulfils a number of roles: promoting science and its benefits, recognising excellence in science, supporting outstanding science, providing scientific advice for policy, education and public engagement and fostering international and global co-operation. The Royal Society is the oldest continuously existing scientific academy in the world.