| Authorised form of name | Brouncker; William (c1620 - 1684); 2nd Viscount Brouncker; mathematician |
| Other forms of surname | Brounker |
| Dates | c1620 - 1684 |
| Nationality | British |
| Place of birth | Newcastle Lyons, co. Dublin, Ireland, Europe |
| Date of birth | 1620 |
| Place of death | St James' Street, Westminster, London, England, Europe |
| Date of death | 5 April 1684 |
| DatesAndPlaces | Burial:
Chapel of St Katharine's Hospital, London, England, Europe (14 April 1684) |
| Occupation | Mathematician |
| Research field | Mathematics |
| Activity | Education:
Oxford (MD 1646)
Career:
Published a translation of Descartes' 'Musicae compendium' (1653); MP for Westbury (1660); Chancellor to Catherine, Queen Consort (1662-1684); commissioned and designed a yacht for Charles II (1662); Commissioner of the Admirality (1664-1679); Assistant comptroller to the treasurer of the Admirality (1666-1679; 1681-1684); President of Gresham College (1664-1667); Lord of the Admiralty (1680-1683); Master of St Katharine's Hospital, London (1681-1684)
|
| Membership category | Founder Fellow |
| Date of election | 28/11/1660 |
| RSActivity | Royal Society roles:
PRS 1663-1677
Committee and panels:
Committee to consider of Mr Buckland's proposition to plant potatoes through all the parts of England (1662) ; Committee to examine [William] Ball's accounts from Midsumer until St Andrews Day (1663) ; Mechanical Committee (1664-65) ; Committee to consider a way of determining the measure of a degree on the earth (1669) |
| Relationships | Parents: Sir William Brouncker, 1st Viscount Brouncker, and Winifred Leigh
Siblings: Henry Brouncker, 3rd Viscount Brouncker |
| OtherInfo | One of Brouncker's most well-known contributions to mathematics is related to the famous problem of the quadrature of the circle. He was moved towards the informal philosophical discussions at Gresham College, out of which the Royal Society grew, through these mathematical contributions and his friendship with John Wallis (FRS 1663). Furthermore, much of his mathematical work concerned itself with calculations of lengths of parabola and cycloid, as well as the quadrature of the hyperbola. Reportedly, Brouncker - not Pell - was the first person to solve Pell's equation, and he continued to work on the generalised continued fraction of pi. During his career at the Admirality, Brouncker developed a close relationship with Samuel Pepys. During the Protectorate and as a royalist himself, Brouncker kept out of public life as much as he could.
The viscountcy and barony became extinct with the death of his brother Henry Brouncker in 1688, who was generally not well-liked within society and to whom William Brouncker had left very little in his will. |
| Related images | Discover a selection of related images in our picture library |
| Image | 
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| Source | Sources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB; Foster; GEC; Aubrey; ODNB
References:
Bryden, D J. 1993. 'Magnetic Inclinatory Needles: Approved by the Royal Society?', in Notes and Records, vol. 47, pp. 17-31
Cook, A. 2004. 'Rome and the Royal Society, 1660-1740', in Notes and Records, vol. 58, pp. 3-19
Gribbin, J. 2004. 'The Fellowship' (Penguin Books)
Scott J F and Hartley, Sir Harold. 1960. 'William, Viscount Brouncker, PRS (1620-1684)', in Notes and Records, vol. 15, pp. 147-157
Stedall, J A. 'Catching Proteus: the collaborations of Wallis and Brouncker. I. Squaring the circle', in Notes and Records, vol. 54, pp. 293-316
Stedall, J A. 2000. 'Catching Proteus: the collaborations of Wallis and Brouncker. II. Number problems', in Notes and Records, vol. 54, pp. 317-331
Thrower, N J W. 2003. 'Samuel Pepys FRS (1633-1733) and The Royal Society', in Notes and Records, vol. 57, pp. 3-13
Turnbull, G H. 1953. 'Samuel Hartlib's Influence on the Early History of the Royal Society', in notes and Records, vol. 10, pp. 101-130
Notes:
Election date given as 22/04/1663 in index to BR, the same date given in R, where Brouncker appears as President and a member of Council named by Second Royal Charter. He was present at the foundation meeting on 28 Nov 1660, which has been entered as his date of election. Biographical info from GEC; Henning says he was son of 1st Viscount and his wife Anne, daughter of Sir John Dauntsey of Bishop's Lavington; married Katherine, daughter of Thomas Moore of Hawkchurch, Devon and had three sons and two daughters |
| Virtual International Authority File | http://viaf.org/viaf/77098447 |
| Code | NA3503 |
| RefNo | Title | Date |
| RBC/1/43 | 'Account of the Sounding of the depth of the Sea between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, with the Wooden Globe and Lead By my Lord Brouncker and Sir Robert Moray' | nd |
| RBC/1/5 | 'Experiment of the weight of bodies increased in the Fire' | 1661 |
| EL/L5/5 | Letter, from Lord [William] Brouncker to Colonel [James] Long | 1663 |
| RBC/1/35 | 'Of the Recoyling of Gunns By the Lord Brouncker' | nd |
| RBC/1/39 | 'A Demonstration of the Violation of a Pendulum in a Cycloid By the Lord Brouncker' | 1662 |
| EL/P1/38 | Paper, 'Report of the committee of the members of the Royal Society in Ireland concerning the structure and sayling of Sir William Petty's new Shipp' to William Bouncer | nd |
| RBO/1/40 | 'Account of the Sounding of the Depth of the Sea betweene Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, with the wooden Globe and Lead By My Lord Brouncker and Sir Robert Moray' | nd |
| RBC/1/1 | 'Questions Propounded by Lord Brouncker and Mr Boyle and agreed upon to be sent to Tenariffe' | 2 January 1660 |
| RBC/1/48 | My Lord Brounckers Account of the third Experiment made by Dr Goddard | 1662 |
| DM/5/42 | Draft of an instrument from Lord Brouncker appointing Spencer Hickman printer to the Royal Society | November 1671 |
| DM/5/1 | Draft of a letter about payment of arrears | 17th century |
| DM/5/74A | 'Recommended to Mr Evelyn' | c.1666 |
| MM/20/45 | Letter from William, Lord Viscount Brouncker, President, Royal Society | 20 January 1663/4 |
| DM/5/73E | 'Experiments and Matters recommended to Mr William Balle' | 1664 |
| RBC/2/11 | 'Concerning Smutt in Corne' in a letter from Colonel Long to William Brouncker | 10 June 1663 |
| IM/000592 | Brouncker, William, 2nd Viscount Brouncker | nd |
| IM/000593 | Brouncker, William, 2nd Viscount Brouncker | April 2000 |
| IM/005408 | Brouncker, William, 2nd Viscount Brouncker | 1989/90 |
| LBO/2/68 | Copy letter from William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker, to Cardinal Leopold de Medici | 26 March 1668 |
| NLB/1/488 | Copy letter from Herbert Rix, to Mr Dyer, 8 Orchard Street, Portman Square | 30 June 1887 |
| LBO/2/26 | Copy letter from Speed, Bristol, to Willliam Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker | 20 November 1667 |
| NLB/10/360 | Copy letter from Herbert Rix, to Osmund Airy, Solihull, Birmingham | 13 November 1894 |
| NLB/11/492 | Copy letter from Herbert Rix, to Henry Benjamin Wheatley, Society of Arts, John Street, Adelphi, W.C. | 12 July 1895 |
| MS/390/13 | Bond of William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker, to the Treasurer of the Royal Society | 23 November 1674 |
| MOB/015 | Shoe buckle set with imitation diamonds | late 17th century |
| CLP/19/7 | Paper, 'Directions for sea men bound for far voyages' by William Brouncker and Robert Moray | [1662] |
| CLP/6/6 | Paper, 'Experiments of weighing glasse canes with the cylinders of quicksylver in them according to the torricellian experiment' by Jonathan Goddard and 'William Brouncker's account of the third experiment made by Dr Goddard' | 6 August 1662 |
| CLP/1/15/1 | Manuscript, regarding a pendulum experiment by [William Brouncker] | 22 January 1662 |
| CLP/1/15/2 | Diagrams, showing pendulum equations by [William Brouncker] | [1662] |
| EL/B1/3 | Paper, 'On infinite quantity' by William Brouncker | [1670s] |
| CLP/6/6/1 | Manuscript, 'Experiments of weighing glasse canes with the cylinders of quicksylver in them according to the torricellian experiment' by Jonathan Goddard and 'William Brouncker's account of the third experiment made by Dr Goddard' | 6 August 1662 |
| CLP/4i/34/1 | Manuscript, 'Observations on winds' by John Aubrey | 14 December 1671 | 5 February 1673 |
| DM/5/60 | Minute of a meeting of a Committee to be appointed 'to consider of Mr Buckland's proposition to plant potatoes through all the parts of England' | 20 March 1662 |
| DM/5/101 | A list of benefactors to the Museum, to the value of £5 or upwards at one time | c.1737 |
| IM/000591 | Brouncker, William, 2nd Viscount Brouncker | nd |
| DM/5/67 | 'Transactions of the Mechanicall Committee' | 14 November 1664, 12 May 1665 |
| EL/P1/20 | Copy of a letter, from William Petty to William Brouncker | 1663 |
| RBC/1/37 | 'An Experiment of the Instrument for Sounding the Depths of the Sea without a Line or Cord made the 19th of March 1662 By the Lord Brouncker and Sir Robert Moray' | 1662 |
| IM/007148 | Brouncker, William, 2nd Viscount Brouncker | 2002 |
| EL/W1/59 | Letter from John Wallis to William Brouncker, dated at Oxonian [Oxford] | 5 August 1668 |
| CLP/8i/29 | Paper, 'How to make an instrument, to know the height of the pole the longitude, the declination of the sun, the amplitude and the variation of the needle at any houre of the day' by unknown author | [17th Century] |
| EL/W1/60 | Letter, from John Wallis to William Brouncker, dated at Oxford | 6 August 1668 |
| DM/5/66 | Minutes of meetings of the Mechanicall Committee | July-October 1664 |
| DM/5/70 | Resolution signed by Henry Oldenburg, appointing a Committee of the Royal Society to consider a way of determining the measure of a degree on the earth | 21 October 1669 |
| P/0016 | Portrait of Brouncker, William; 2nd Viscount | |
| CLP/3i/55 | Paper, 'The cases of motion are but three as is thus made out' by [William] Brouncker | [1669] |
| EL/P1/21 | Copy of a letter, from William Petty to William Brouncker | nd |
| CLP/24/46 | Paper, 'Account of ye sounding of ye depth of ye sea between Portsmouth and ye Ile [Isle] of Wight with ye wooden globe and lead' by William Brounker and Sir Robert Moray | 17th century |
| MC/2 | Volume 2 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society | 1832-1838 |
| RBO/1/45 | 'Mr Lord Brouncker's Account of the third Experiment made by Dr Goddard' | 1662 |
| MC/2/270 | Letter from [Charles] Turnor, Doctor's Common, to the Royal Society | 24 January 1838 |
| RBO/1/36 | 'A Demonstration of the vibration of a Pendulum in a Cycloid By the Lord Brouncker' | 1662 |
| EL/B1/4 | Letter, from William Brouncker to the Duke of Ormond, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland | 3 January 1662 |
| CLP/10i/2 | Paper, 'Observations on the humble and sensible plants in Mr Chiffin's garden in St James his parke' by Dr Clarke | 9 August 1661 |
| EL/B1/1 | Letter, from William Brouncker to King Charles II | 3 September 1662 |
| EL/B1/12 | Note in answer to a letter by Mr [Richard] Townley, from William Brouncker | 29 January 1671 |
| EL/B1/6 | Letter, from William Brouncker to Cardinal Leopold de Medicis [Leopoldo de' Medici] | 26 March 1668 |
| EL/S1/42a | Observations of Venus witnessed in Madrid by Edward Montagu, dated at Madrid | 1666 |
| EL/B1/7 | Letter, from William Brouncker to Lord Henry Howard, Ambassador Extraordinary to the Emperor of Morocco at Tangier | 10 May 1670 |
| CLP/1/11/6 | Diagram, erroneous diagram for Brouncker's paper on the pendulum by Christopher Wren | [1669] |
| CLP/1/14/1 | Manuscript, 'To find two mean proportionalls betweene two straight lines given' by [Thomas Hobbes] | [17th century] |
| EL/P1/18 | Copy of a letter, from William Petty to William Brouncker, dated at Dublin | 1662 |
| EL/W3/3 | Copy of a letter, from Christopher Wren to William Brouncker | 30 July 1663 |
| CLP/1/11/8 | Diagram, for doubling the cube by William Brouncker | [1669] |
| EL/B1/2 | Paper, 'On compression of air under water' by William Brouncker | 1671 |
| CLP/1/11/7 | Diagram, for doubling the cube by William Brouncker | [1669] |
| CLP/1/15/3 | Diagrams, illustrating pendulum curve by [William Brouncker] | [1662] |
| EL/S1/113 | Letter, from Georg Stiernhielm to William Brouncker, dated at Stockholm | 21 September 1669 |
| EL/M1/44 | Letter, from Cardinal [Leopoldo] de Medici to William Brouncker | 1668 |
| EL/P1/19 | Letter, from William Petty to William Brouncker | February 1663 |
| EL/P1/12 | Copy of a letter, from William Petty to William Brouncker | 1662 |
| EL/P1/15 | Copy of a letter, from William Petty to William Brouncker | 1662 |
| EL/W2/65 | Letter, from John Wallis to William Brouncker | nd |
| EL/S1/94 | Letter, from Metredone Speed to William Brouncker, dated at Bristol | 20 September 1667 |
| EL/M1/43 | Letter, from Cardinal [Leopoldo] de Medici to William Brouncker | 5 May 1668 |
| EL/B1/9 | Letter, from William Brouncker to John Wallis, dated at London | 15 February 1670 |
| EL/B1/22 | Letter, from John Beale to William Brouncker | 16 February 1663 |
| EL/H1/92 | Letter, from Henry Howard to William Brouncker, dated at Cadiz | 21 February 1669 |
| EL/B1/13 | Copies of two letters, from William Brouncker and Christopher Wren regarding precedence of mathematical demonstration | 8 October 1673 |
| EL/S1/42 | Letter, from Earl of Sandwich [Edward Montagu] to William Brouncker, dated at Madrid | 26 March 1667 |
| CLP/4i/34 | Paper, 'Observations on winds' by John Aubrey | 14 December 1671 | 5 February 1673 |
| EL/F1/3 | Letter, from Robert Flynt to William Brouncker, dated at Runton | 14 November 1664 |
| EL/L1/32 | Letter, from Antoni van Leeuwenhoek to William Brouncker, dated at Delft | 16 October 1677 |
| EL/P1/14 | Letter, from William Petty to William Brouncker | 29 October 1662 |
| CLP/6/5 | Paper, 'Account of the sounding of the depth of the sea between Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight with the wooden globe and lead' by William Brouncker and Robert Moray | 1662 |
| CLP/3i/15 | Paper, 'The use of the pendulum watches at sea' by [William] Brouncker | [17th century] |
| CLP/4i/21 | Paper, 'A new experiment on the effect of the varying weight of the atmosphere on some bodies in the water' by Robert Boyle | 1671 |
| EL/B1/5 | Letter, from William Brouncker to the Council of the Royal Society | 12 February 1668 |
| RBO/1/18 | 'Observations on the humble and Sensible Plants in Mr Chiffins Garden in St James's Parke Made August the 9th 1661 Present The Lord Brouncker, Sir Robert Moray, Dr Wilkins, Mr Evelin, Dr Goddard, Dr Henshaw and Dr Clarke Brought in by Dr Clarke' | 28 September 1661 |
| RBO/1/32 | 'Of the Recoiling of Gunns by The Lord Brouncker' | nd |
| CLP/6/6/2 | Diagram, weighing of glass canes and cylinder of mercury by Jonathan Goddard | 6 August 1662 |
| CLP/4i/34/2 | Drawing, device for measuring wind by William Brouncker | 5 February 1673 |
| EL/B1/105 | Letter, from Monsieur [Pierre] Boreel [Borel] to William Brouncker, dated at London | 27 January 1664 |
| EL/B1/8 | Letter, from William Brouncker to Henry Oldenburg | 1 December 1670 |
| EL/B1/68 | Copy of a letter, from John Beale to William Brouncker | nd |
| CLP/1/15 | Paper, regarding a pendulum experiment by [William Brouncker] | [1662] |
| EL/B1/11 | Letter, from William Brouncker to Christiaan Huygens | 23 June 1673 |
| EL/B1/10 | Copy of a letter, from William Brouncker to Dr [Franciscus de la Boe] Sylvius, dated at London | 3 July 1671 |
| CLP/24/11/2 | Diagram, The Parisian problem by Henry Oldenburg | December 1667/January 1668 |
| CLP/3i/54 | Paper, 'Animadversiones in novam theoriam motus a viris Dno Christophoro Wren et Dno Christiano Hugenio' ['Amendments to the new theory of motion of Christopher Wren and Christian Huygens'] by Francis Willughby | [1669] |
| CLP/1/14 | Paper, 'To find two mean proportionalls betweene two straight lines given' by [Thomas Hobbes] | [17th century] |
| RBO/1/34 | 'An Experiment of the Instrument for Sounding of Depths without a line or cord made the 19 of March 1662 By The Lord Brouncker and Sir Robert Moray' | nd |
| RBO/2ii/26 | 'The Report of the Comittee of the Members of the Royal Societie in Ireland appointed to examine the Structure and Saileing of Sir William Pettys new Shipp. Addressed to my Lord Brouncker...' | 28 January 1662 |
| EL/D1/11 | Letter, from William Durston to William Brouncker, dated at Plymouth | 1669 |
| EL/W1/65 | Letter, from John Wallis to William Brouncker, dated at Oxford | 4 November 1668 |
| RBO/1/1 | 'Questions Propounded and agreed uppon to be sent to Tenariff' devised by Lord Brouncker and Mr Boyle | 2 January 1661 |
| RBO/1/5 | 'Experiment of the Weight of Bodies increased in the fire' | 23 February 1661 |
| RBC/1/24 | 'Answer to the Foregoing Probleme by the Lord Brouncker' | 1 October 1661 |
| RBO/1/21 | 'Answer to the foregoeing Probleme By The Lord Brouncker' | 1 October 1661 |
| RBO/2i/39 | 'An Account of the Experiments and Observations made by Lord Brouncker, Sir Robert Moray, Mr Bruce and Mr Hooke upon the Thames' | 18 March 1662 |
| RBO/4/2 | Mr Mercator's Logarithmotechnia - the Demonstration Promised at the end of the foregoing discourse | 5 August 1668 |
| MC/16 | Volume 16 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society | 1893-1896 |