2010 - 1510 = Robert Recorde
Robert Recorde was born in Tenby c1510 the son of Thomas Recorde, Mayor of Tenby in 1519. At the age of 15 he went to Oxford University and after gaining a B.A., and probably an M.A., he was elected a Fellow of All Souls College in 1531 teaching mathematics. Robert then went to Cambridge where he continued his studies and became a Doctor of Medicine in 1545. Here he taught astrology, explained cosmology and illustrated geometry and music.
Robert went to London in 1546. By 1549 Edward VI had appointed him Controller of the Mint in Bristol. In 1551 he was appointed Surveyor of Mines and Monies of Ireland. Whilst holding this post he crossed swords with Sir William Herbert, later Earl of Pembroke, who was one of three commissioners and a Privy Councillor. Originally political their differences became increasingly acrimonious and resulted in Robert being charged with defamation of magnates and fined £1000. Still owed the same sum for his work in Ireland he was unable to pay and was committed to the King's Bench Prison in Southwark where his health deteriorated and he died, probably of gaol fever. His will, admitted to probate on 18th June 1558, left his books to a fellow prisoner and various bequests to his family. It is not known whether he ever married.
Events in Tenby
June 6th Robert Recorde Memorial Service in St Mary's Church Tenby at 10.00am
(the hymn from The Castle of Knowledge will be set to music
by Dr John Harrison - Director of Music - and sung at this service).
Memorial Lecture by Prof. Gareth Roberts of Bangor University
Robert Recorde: the First Mathematics Educator?
2.00pm in Tenby Museum & Art Gallery.
The lecture was delivered on Sunday 6th June by Prof. Gareth Roberts of Bangor University here pictured
with Mr. & Mrs. Graham Roberts, Museum Hon. Curator Designate Kathy Talbot and Museum Hon. Librarian
and Trustee Sue Baldwin.
August 8th - 5th Sept Robert Recorde Art Exhibition: 2010-1510 = Robert Recorde
50 artists will display work interpreting Robert Recorde, his life and works.
The exhibition will be opened by Tenby born actor Josh Richards.
August 23rd - 27th Read Robert Recorde: Gordon and Liz Roberts will be on hand to meet the public
and handle facsimile copies and to explain how and why they have decided to republish
all Recorde's mathematical works at this time.
There will also be the opportunity to have the texts, which are written in Early Modern English, interpreted.
2.00pm every afternoon in the Wilfred Harrison Gallery at Tenby Museum & Art Gallery.
Tenby Infants School pupils will design a poster to commemorate the year of Robert Recorde.
These will be displayed throughout the town.
The BBC is featuring the life of Robert Recorde on its web site "A History of the World in 100 Objects" at:
The BBC has issued a press release about Tenby Museum's partnership with them on this project as follows:
A History of the World Press Release
Tenby Museum and Art Gallery is partnering BBC Cymru Wales as part of a pan-BBC project to tell the story of A History of the World through the objects humans left behind.
Tenby Museum and Art Gallery has added one artefact to the Wales section of the new BBC website bbc.co.uk/ahistoryoftheworld which aims to create a unique digital museum online.
The object Tenby Museum has included is The Whetstone of Witte by Robert Recorde. It was chosen to reflect the story of mathematics and scientific invention and the enormous impact these had on the world. In the book Tenby born Recorde records the mathematical symbol equals (=) for the first time, “bicause noe 2 thynges can be moare equalle”.
Honorary Librarian Sue Baldwin said, “The museum is delighted to have an object selected that will help tell the History of the World. Robert Recorde's work had a huge impact on mathematics and plays an important role in all walks of life. Recorde was obviously a genius and a polymath, writing knowledgeably on numerous subjects and Tenby should be proud of him. The appearance of his work on this digital museum will hopefully bring his achievements to a wider audience.” The museum is also planning a series of events and a major art exhibition later in the year to celebrate the life of Robert Recorde.
As well as visiting the museum to see the objects for yourself, you can get involved in the BBC's A History of the World project in several ways:
BBC Cymru Wales will be broadcasting a new series Wales and the History of the World, presented by rugby broadcaster and journalist Eddie Butler, telling the story of Wales' influence on the world and the world's influence on Wales through some museum artefacts. The programme, which will air in the spring, covers the themes of Welsh “firsts”, trade and industry, conflict, and identity and belief.
As well as the Robert Recorde book, Tenby Museum and Art Gallery has another artefact featuring in this series, a sword taken from the French invasion forces at Fishguard in 1797. On the hilt of the sword, the word Roy (French for king) has been obliterated by its revolutionary owner. Collections Manager Mark Lewis stated, “The sword dates from the last time that mainland Britain was invaded. Even though the invasion was a failure there is a true sense of history when you hold the object in your hands.” Both of these artefacts are on display at the museum.
Roy Noble's programme on BBC Radio Wales will also be taking a look at some of the best Welsh objects periodically from now until the spring while Nia Roberts programme on BBC Radio Cymru will feature regular updates on some of the website artefacts and some of the listener's objects for five weeks from Monday 25 January.
As well as browsing the various objects on the website, everyone in Wales can also upload their own treasures to help build the digital museum.
Clare Hudson, acting Director of BBC Wales, said she hoped people would visit some of the museums to see the website objects close at hand, but also think about what articles they may have at home to upload to tell a story related to the history of the world.
“This is an opportunity to help create a unique digital museum, where not just the famous objects that have imparted their knowledge to us, but also those very personal things kept at home or in the attic which still have a story to tell, can take their place” she said.
Chief Works
Robert Recorde was the first writer in English on Arithmetic, Geometry, Algebra and Astronomy:
Inventor of the signs = (equality), the trigonometrical term `sine' and the method of extracting the square root as we use it today. His works continued to be published for 150 years after his death.
1543 The Ground of Artes -Arithmetic
1547 The Urinal of Physick - Medicine
1551 The Pathway of Knowledge - Geometry
1556 The Castle of Knowledge - Astronomy and Geometry
1557 The Whetstone of Witte - Algebra*
*This is the first book where the modern equals (=) sign is used. Robert explains it thus:
bicause noe 2 thynges can be moare equalle
2010 is the 500th anniversary of the birth of Robert Recorde, inventor of the equals sign, and Tenby Museum & Art Gallery will be celebrating the life and work of this Tenby born mathematician. A major art exhibition is being organized as part of these celebrations which will run from 7th August to 5th September
The museum will also feature prominently in two BBC ventures - the book The Whetstone of Witte, where the equals sign was first used, is to feature on a major new website entitled A History of the World which shows through various objects Wales' influence on the world. The website will launch in January 2010. The book will also feature in a BBC television programme to coincide with the venture, to be broadcast in March 2010. There will be a permanent Robert Recorde display in the Wilfred Harrison Gallery which will include the
history of his life, the story of Tenby at the time and the book The Whetstone of Witte.
St John's Hospital by Charles Norris - home of the Recorde family
