Record

Authorised form of nameHales; Stephen (1677 - 1761); physiologist and inventor
Dates1677 - 1761
NationalityBritish
Place of birthBekesbourne, Kent, England
Date of birth07 or 17 September 1677
Place of deathTeddington, Middlesex
Date of death04 January 1761
DatesAndPlacesBurial:
Beneath the tower, Teddington Church
OccupationClergyman, Church of England
Research fieldPhysiology
Public health
ActivityEducation:
Revd Richard Johnson's school, Orpington, Kent; Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. MA (1703); BD (1711). Oxford. DD (by diploma 1733)
Career:
Fellow of Corpus Christi (1703-1719); ordained priest (1709); Perpetual curate, Teddington, Middlesex (1709-1761); had a laboratory, where he performed experiments relating to physiology, physics, chemistry, botany; published "Vegetable statics" (1727) and "Statical essays" (1733); was an active parish priest and helped his parishioners to a decent water supply; invented artificial ventilators and other things; one of the FRS who petitioned Parliament for Johanna Stephens to be paid for her method for dissolving stones in the bladder (1739); restored the tower of Teddington Church; Rector of Porlock, Somerset (1717-1723); Vicar of Farringdon, Hampshire (1722); Clerk of the Closet to the Princess Dowager Augusta (1751); Chaplain to Prince George, afterwards George III; one of the Trustees for the Colony of Georgia
Memberships:
French Academy; FRSA (Founder)
Membership categoryFellow
Date of election13/03/1718
ProposerWilliam Stukeley
RSActivityRoyal Society roles:
Council: 1727
Medals and prizes:
Copley Medal 1739
RelationshipsSon of Thomas Hales and his wife, Mary, daughter of Richard Wood of Abbots Langley, Hertfordshire; married Mary, daughter of Dr Richard Newce of Much Hadham, Hertfordshire and Rector of Hailsham, Sussex; no children
SourceSources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB; Venn; Foster
Authority:
Date of birth from DSB
References:
Marta Cavazza, 'The Institute of Science of Bologna and the Royal Society in the eighteenth century' in NR 2002 vol 56 pp 3-25, plate
John H Appleby, 'Robert Dingley, FRS (1710-1781), Merchant, Architect and Pioneering Philanthropist' in NR 1991 vol 45 pp 139-154
Ernest Heberden, 'Correspondence of William Heberden, FRS With the Reverend Stephen Hales and Sir Charles Blagden' in NR 1984-85 vol 39 pp 179-189
Jeffrey M N Boss, 'A Collection of Some Observations on Bills of Mortality & Parish Registers: An Unpublished Manuscript by Stephen Hales, FRS (1677-1761)' in NR 1977-8 vol 32 pp 131-147
J A Chaldecott, 'Cromwell Mortimer, FRS (c. 1698-1752) and the Invention of the Metalline Thermometer for Measuring High Temperatures' in NR 1969 vol 24 pp 113-135
H G Lyons, 'Two Hundred Years Ago: 1739' in NR 1939 vol 2 pp 34-42
'Gentleman's Magazine' 1761, p32, 44; 1764, p273-278 (Account of Hales's life by Peter Collinson FRS)
CodeNA8441
Archives associated with this Fellow
RefNoTitleDate
L&P/2/327Letter, 'On the repetition of Frankin's Philadelphia experiment at St Germain' from Guillaume Mazeas to Stephen Hales12 July 1752
IM/001842Hales, Stephennd
IM/001841Hales, Stephennd
IM/005880Hales, Stephennd
IM/001840Hales, Stephennd
LBO/21/103Copy letter from Stephen Hales, Teddington, to Cromwell Mortimer17 May 1735
MS/58Philosophical Experiments by Stephen Hales containing Usefull and necessary Instructions for such as undertake long Voyages at Sea1739
L&P/3/349Letter, 'Observations on the growth of trees' from Robert Marsham to Stephen Hales18 July 1758
L&P/2/291Letter, 'Sur les coleurs engendres par le frottement des surfaces planes et transparentes [On the colors caused by the friction of flat and transparent surfaces]' from Guileaume Mazeas to Stephen Hales1 September 1751
L&P/1/351Letter, 'Of a monstrous calf & of seeds of St Igantius's bean' from Stephen Hales to Martin Folkes1744
L&P/2/77Paper, 'Some considerations as to the cause of earthquakes' by Stephen Hales 1750
L&P/2/326Letter, 'On the repetition of Frankin's Philadelphia experiment at St Germain' from Guillaume Mazeas to Stephen Hales29 June 1752
L&P/2/119Letter, 'Of the earthquake of March 14' from Walter Bowman to Stephen Hales11 April 1750
L&P/2/545Paper, 'Use of lime-water to keep water, fish fresh' by Stephen Hales1754
L&P/2/214Letter, 'Account of Capt. Ellis's voyage to Hudson's Bay' from S Hales to Martin Folkes8 June 1751
L&P/2/298Letter, 'Of a gift of his works' from Jacques Nicholas Bellin to Stephen Hales20 April 1752
L&P/3/122/1Letter, 'Of distillation' from William Brownrigg to Stephen Hales3 December 1755
L&P/2/546Letter, 'On toxicodendron' from Guilleaum Mazeas to Stephen Hales16 August 1754
L&P/4/22Paper, 'A proposal to prevent noxious effects of exposure to dews at night in hot countries' by Stephen Hales12 June 1760
L&P/1/417Paper, 'A proposal to bring small stones out of the bladder' by Stephen Hales1745
L&P/2/324Letter, 'On the repetition of Frankin's Philadelphia experiment at St Germain' from Guillaume Mazeas to Stephen Hales20 May 1752
L&P/3/233Letter, 'Of the earthquake of Nov 17 1755' from Mrs L Belchier to Stephen Hales25 July 1756
L&P/2/582Letter, 'Upon a new Lampyris, a shining insect' from Guilleaume Mazeas to Stephen Hales27 September 1754
L&P/2/325Letter, 'On the repetition of Frankin's Philadelphia experiment at St Germain' from Guillaume Mazeas to Stephen Hales14 June 1752
L&P/1/419Paper, 'Revised copy of no. 417 [A proposal to bring small stones out of the bladder]' by Stephen Hales1745
L&P/1/38Letter, 'On ventilating the holds of ships' from Stephen Hales to Martin Folkes23 January 1741
MM/16/67Letter from TL Brunton, Stratford Place, Archibald Geikie30 October 1906
EL/H3/134Letter, from Stephen Hales to Cromwell Mortimer, dated at Teddington17 May 1725
L&P/2/328Letter, 'On the repetition of Frankin's Philadelphia experiment at St Germain' from Guillaume Mazeas to Stephen Hales29 August 1752
L&P/2/414Letter, 'Observations sur l'art de conserver les ouvrages de peinture qui menacent ruine [Observations on the art of preserving painting works that threaten ruin]' from Guilleaume Mazeas to Stephen Hales1753
L&P/1/260Paper, 'Of injecting a liquor during tapping' by Stephen Hales22 February 1743
L&P/2/329Letter, 'On the repetition of Frankin's Philadelphia experiment at St Germain [English translation]' from Guillaume Mazeas to Stephen Hales20 May 1752
L&P/2/464Letter, 'Experiments on atmospheric electricty' from Guilleaume Mazeas to Stephen Hales2 October 1753
L&P/2/137Letter, 'Of the residues from purging-waters; also a letter from Swithin Adee FRS on Jessop's well' from Stephen Hales to 14 March 1750
L&P/3/106/1Paper, 'Proposals to retard the putrefaction of animals in hot climates' by Stephen Hales1756
EL/H3/133Letter, from Stephen Hales to Mr Millet, dated at Teddington8 May 1728
RBO/13/92'An Account of a Book entitled: Vegetable Staticks, or an Account of some Statical experiments on the Sap in Vegetables; being an Essay towards a natural history of Vegetation' by Stephen Halesnd
L&P/3/106Paper, 'Proposals to retard the putrefaction of animals in hot climates' by Stephen Hales and extract of a letter 'from Governor Belcher's Lady; dated Elizabeth town, New Jersey, Oct 22, 1755; concerning an extraordinary motion in the waters in the Lake Ontario in North-America' sent to Stephen Hales1756
L&P/3/106/2Note, 'Extract of a letter to the Revd St Hales, FRS from Governor Belcher's Lady dated ElizabethTown - New Jersey. Oct. 22 1755' by Stephen Hales1756
MC/17Volume 17 of miscellaneous correspondence regarding business matters, sent to the Royal Society1897-1899
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