| Authorised form of name | Plot; Robert (1640 - 1696); naturalist and antiquary |
| Other forms of surname | Plott |
| Dates | 1640 - 1696 |
| Nationality | British |
| Place of birth | Borden, Kent, England, Europe |
| Date of birth | c. December 1640 |
| Place of death | Sutton Barne, Borden, Kent, England, Europe |
| Date of death | 30 April 1696 |
| Dates and places | Baptism:
Borden, Kent, England, Europe (13 December 1640)
Burial:
Borden church, Kent, England, Europe |
| Occupation | Antiquary; herald |
| Research field | Natural history |
| Archaeology |
| Chemistry |
| Activity | Education:
Free School at Wye, Kent; Magdalen Hall, Oxford (BA 1661; MA 1664; BCL 1671; DCL 1671)
Career:
First Keeper of the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford (1683-1690); Professor of Chemistry, Oxford University (1683); Secretary to the Earl Marshal, Henry Howard, 7th Duke of Norfolk (FRS 1672) (1687); Registrar of the Court of Chivalry (1687); Historiographer Royal (1688); Mowbray Herald Extraordinary (1694)
Memberships:
Oxford Philosophical Society |
| Membership category | Fellow |
| Date of election | 06/12/1677 |
| Royal Society activity | Royal Society roles:
Secretary 1682-1684; Council 1680, 1682-1683, 1687-1688, 1692, 1694; Editor of the 'Philosophical Transactions': 1682-1684 (along with Francis Aston) |
| Relationships | Parents: Robert Plot and Rebecca Pedenden (or Platenden)
Married: Rebecca Burton (née Sherwood)
Children: Robert Plot and Ralph Sherwood Plot |
| Published works | RCN: 59277
RCN: 59281
RCN: 59280 |
| General context | Through his work, Plot became involved in the circle of natural philosophers active in Oxford at that time and which included Robert Boyle (FRS 1660). After he was appointed First Keeper of the Ashmolean, he resigned as Secretary of the Royal Society and could also complete his second publication on 'The Natural History of Stafford-shire' (1686), which followed on from a similar work on the county of Oxfordshire (1677). He also counted Samuel Pepys (FRS 1665) and John Evelyn (FRS 1663) amongst his friends. |
| Related images | Discover a selection of related images in our picture library |
| Sources | Sources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB; Hunter; Foster; Gunther; ODNB
References:
Josten, C H. 1960. 'Elias Ashmole, FRS (1617-1692)', in Notes and Records, vol. 15, pp. 221-230
Mendyk, S. 1984-85. 'Robert Plot: Britain's "Genial Father of County Natural Histories"', in Notes and Records, vol. 39, pp. 159-177 |
| Virtual International Authority File | http://viaf.org/viaf/76658346 |
| Royal Society code | NA7670 |
| Reference number | Title | Date |
| IM/003607 | Plot, Robert | 1991 |
| RBO/8/16 | 'A Catalogue of Electricall Bodies' by the late Dr Robert Plot | nd |
| RBO/6/12 | 'A Paper of Queries concerning the splitting of Trees by the Last Frost' sent by Robert Plot to Viscount Weymouth | 1684 |
| RBO/8/2 | 'A Catalogue of Some of the Areana and Desiderata in Chymistry' by Dr Plot | 1698 |
| IM/001264 | Plot, Robert | May 2003 |
| RBO/7/71 | 'Some observations concerning the substance commonly called black lead' by Robert Plot | nd |
| RBO/6/18 | 'Discourse concerning Sepulchrall Lamps' by Robert Plot | nd |
| CLP/19/93 | Paper, questions to be asked to 'the most ingenious of each county in my travels through England' by R[obert] P[lot] | c.17th century |
| IM/003606 | Plot, Robert | 1994 |
| LBO/8/121 | Copy letter communicated by Robert Plot from an unknown hand | 31 January 1682 |
| MS/390/73 | Bond of Robert Plot to the Treasurer of the Royal Society | 3 January 1682 |
| CLP/22i/32 | Paper, 'The Natural History of Staffordshire' by Robert Plot | [1687] |
| CLP/19/94 | Paper, 'Enquiries to be propounded to the most Ingenious of each County in my Travels through England and Wales, in order to their History of Nature and Arts' by R[obert] P[lot] | c.17th century |
| CLP/16/22 | Paper, 'Ex inventorio mobilium [...] Matildis de Hakelinton' [From the inventory of the movables of Matilda de Hackelinton] by unknown author | [1660-1686] |
| RBO/8/6 | Details of an inventory of livestock and consumables (with prices) which belonged to Matilda of Hakelinton taken from a book in the Ashmolean | nd |
| IM/003605 | Plot, Robert | nd |
| CLP/10i/25 | Paper, details of a large cucumber grown in Dr William Jacob's garden in Canterbury by Dr [Robert] Plot | 1686 |
| CLP/11i/27 | Paper, 'Of some calcinations' by Mr Ballard | [1684] |
| CLP/22i/12 | Paper, Proposal of a natural history of England based on Pliny's 'Naturalis Historia' by Robert Plot | 17th century |
| CLP/9i/39 | Paper, 'A catalogue of electrical bodies by the late Dr Rob [Robert] Plott [Plot]' | c1683 |
| EL/G1/40 | Letter, from Thomas Graile to Robert Plot, dated at Lassington | 1685 |
| EL/P1/95 | Letter, from Robert Plot to Robert Southwell, dated at London | 24 October 1694 |
| CLP/7i/37 | Paper, 'A discourse considering the most seasonable time of felling timber by the advice of the honourable Samuel Pepys' by Robert Plot | [c1687] |
| RBO/8/7 | 'A Paper concerning a Monstrous Cucumber' by Dr Plot | nd |
| EL/H3/72 | Letter, from Robert Huntington to Robert Plot, dated at Trinity College, Dublin | 18 December 1683 |