| Authorised form of name | Henshaw; Thomas (1618 - 1700); alchemist and writer |
| Other forms of name | Halophilus |
| Surname | Henshaw |
| Forenames | Thomas |
| Dates | 1618 - 1700 |
| Nationality | British |
| Dates and places | Birth:
Milk Street, London, England, Europe (15 June 1618)
Death:
Kensington, London, England, Europe (2 January 1700)
Burial:
Kensington parish church, London, England, Europe (6 January 1700) |
| Activity | Profession:
Barrister
Soldier
Diplomat
Education:
Schools at Barnet and Cripplegate, London (-1634); University College, Oxford (matriculated 1634); Middle Temple (admitted 1638)
Career:
Joined the King's Army at York (1642); taken prisoner by Parliamentarians but released and went abroad; Major in the French Army and served under Sir Robert Moray (FRS 1663); travelled in Spain and in Italy with John Evelyn (FRS 1663); returned to England (c.1649); called to the Bar at Middle Temple (1654); sold his Middle Temple chamber to Elias Ashmole (FRS 1661) (1658); King's French Secretary and Gentleman of the Privy Chamber in Ordinary (1660); Secretary to the Duke of Richmond on his Embassy to Denmark (1671); prepared for publication Stephen Skinner's 'Etymologicum linguae Anglicanae' (1671) and the second edition 'Aero-Chalinos' (1677); Envoy extraordinary in Denmark (1672-1675) |
| Royal Society activity | Membership:
Original Fellow
Election Date:
22/04/1663
Council:
Secretary 1668-1672; 1675-1677; VP 1676-1680; 1682- ; 1686- ; 1690- ; 1695-
Committee appointments include:
Committee to audit Mr. Colwall's accounts (1677)
Committee to consider of the best way to dispose of Chelsey [Chelsea] College (1678) |
| Relationships | Parents: Benjamin Henshaw and Anne Bonham
Siblings: Nathaniel Henshaw (FRS 1663)
Married: Anne Darell (née Kipping)
Children: six sons and two daughters, one of which, Anne Halsey, survived her parents |
| General context | Henshaw's early life was heavily influenced by the civil war and upon his return to England, he sought scholarly and intellectual pursuits in favour of life in the public eye. He associated closely with John Evelyn (FRS 1663), alchemist Thomas Vaughan, Robert Child, as well as Elias Ashmole (FRS 1661). While Henshaw himself did not publish any alchemist works, his library was used by Ashmole for the latter's 'Theatrum chemicum' (1652) and 'The Way to Bliss' (1658). He also corresponded with Samuel Hartlib through loosely-established 'Christian Learned Society'. |
| Sources | Sources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB; Foster; Evelyn; ODNB
References:
G H Turnbull, 'Samuel Hartlib's Influence on the Early History of the Royal Society' in NR 1953 vol 10 pp 101-130
Stephen Pasmore, 'Thomas Henshaw, FRS (1618-1700)' in NR 1981-82 vol 36 pp 177-188, plate
Donald R Dickson, 'Thomas Henshaw and Sir Robert Paston's Pursuit of the Red Elixir: An Early Collaboration Between Fellows of the Royal Society' in NR 1997 vol 51 pp 57-76, plate |
| Virtual International Authority File | http://viaf.org/viaf/53130543 |
| Royal Society code | NA8237 |
| Reference number | Title | Date |
| EL/H3/17 | Thomas Henshaw, dated at Copenhagen, to Henry Oldenburg | 14 March 1674 |
| RBC/2/64 | 'Some Accounts concerning the nature of Frogspawn' by Mr Thomas Henshaw | nd |
| RBO/3/25 | 'Some Accounts concerning the Nature of Frogspawne' by Thomas Henshaw | 7 December 1664 |
| RBO/3/9 | 'Some Practical Observations - upon May-dew' by Thomas Henshaw | May 1664 |
| RBO/3/10 | 'Some Additional Experiments - to be made with May-dew' by Thomas Henshaw | 18 May 1664 |
| RBO/5/2 | Observations of Denmark and of the voyage there by Thomas Henshaw | 1675 |
| CLP/9ii/8 | Paper, 'Paper about the magnet' by Thomas Henshaw | 25 April 1683 |
| MM/20/56 | Letter from Thomas Henshaw to Robert Southwell | 18 November 1682 |
| MM/20/55 | Letter from Thomas Henshaw to Robert Southwell | 16 May 1682 |
| RBO/6/4 | Details of a magnetical experiment by Thomas Henshaw | nd |
| CLP/4i/4 | Paper 'Experiments concerning freezing' by Mr [Thomas?] Henshaw | [1662] |
| MM/20/57 | Letter from Thomas Henshaw to Robert Southwell | 23 December 1682 |
| MS/390/49 | Bond of Thomas Henshaw to the Treasurer of the Royal Society | 30 November 1674 |
| CLP/4i/12 | Paper, 'Some practicall observations uppon may dew' by Thomas Henshaw | 1664 |
| CLP/4i/37/5 | Drawing, the shattering of glass by an anonymous author | [1669] |
| CLP/4i/37/4 | Drawing, the breaking of a glass medallion by an anonymous author | [1669] |
| CLP/4i/37 | Paper, 'A philosophical letter to the Grand Duke of Tuscany' by an anonymous author | [1669] |
| CLP/4i/37/3 | Drawing, the breaking of a glass medallion by an anonymous author | [1669] |
| CLP/4i/37/1 | Paper, 'A philosophical letter to the Grand Duke of Tuscany' by an anonymous author | [1669] |
| CLP/4i/13 | Paper, 'Additional experiments on may dew' by Thomas Henshaw | 1663 |
| EL/H3/13 | Thomas Henshaw, dated at Copenhagen, to Henry Oldenburg | 12 December 1672 |
| EL/H3/12 | Thomas Henshaw (1618-1700), dated at Copenhagen, to Henry Oldenburg | 6 July 1672 |
| EL/H3/18 | Thomas Henshaw, dated at Kensington, to Henry Oldenburg | 22 March 1677 |
| EL/H3/14 | Thomas Henshaw, dated at Copenhagen, to Henry Oldenburg | 4 February 1673 |
| CLP/4i/37/2 | Drawing, the breaking of glass by an anonymous author | [1669] |
| EL/H3/15 | Thomas Henshaw, dated at Copenhagen, to Henry Oldenburg | 9 August 1673 |
| EL/H3/16 | Thomas Henshaw, dated at Copenhagen, to Henry Oldenburg | 9 December 1672 |
| DM/5/72C | 'Recommended to Mr Thomas Henshaw' | c.1663 |
| CLP/19/82 | Paper, answers sent by Thomas Henshaw concerning the island of Faro | [1673] |