Person Baker; Henry (1698 - 1774); naturalist and poet Baker Henry naturalist and poet 1698 - 1774 British Male Quality Court, Chancery Lane, London, England 08 May 1698 16980508 The Strand, London, England 25 November 1774 17741125 Burial: Churchyard of St Mary-le-Strand[?]

Bookseller; editor; therapist for deaf children Education Morphology Microscopy Deafness Career: Apprenticed to John Parker, a bookseller of Pall Mall, whose business was later bought by Robert Dodsley, who printed Baker's books on microscopy (1713-1720); went to Enfield on a visit to John Forster, a relative and an attorney, whose eight-year-old daughter had been born deaf, and undertook the task of teaching this child, as well as her sister and younger brother, also born deaf, to speak and read, with such success that this became his chosen career; met Daniel Defoe and his family, and began to court Defoe's youngest daughter Sophia (1724); engaged to Sophia (1726); established The Universal Spectator and Weekly Journal (1728); Memberships: FAS Parents: William Baker, clerk in chancery, and Mary, daughter of Aaron Pengry, comptroller of the petty bag office. Spouse: (m. 30 April 1729) Sophia Defoe (1701–1762), Daniel Defoe's youngest daughter. Children: David Lionel Erskine Baker (1730–1767?), theatre historianr, and Henry Baker (1734–1766), a lawyer. Made important observation under the microscope of crystal morphology. Repeated the experiments on freshwater polyps (Hydra viridis) of Abraham Trembley. In association with Martin Folkes FRS 1714, examined the creatures with the microscope, and, with due acknowledgement to Trembley, published in November 1743 An Attempt towards a Natural History of the Polype. Examined and made measurements on the twenty-six bead microscopes bequeathed to the Royal Society by the Dutch microscopical pioneer Antoni van Leeuwenhoek FRS 1680. The book that established his name as a scientific writer was The Microscope Made Easy 1742. Employment, written for a popular audience, described Baker's own microscopical discoveries, which had been presented to the Royal Society. Achieved success with a poem published in 1727 entitled The Universe: a Philosophical Poem Intended to Restrain the Pride of Man. Medals and prizes: Copley Medal 1744; founder of the Bakerian lecture (bequeathed to the Royal Society £100 to establish a lecture bearing his name). Fellow 12/03/1741 43 James Theobald John Machin Martin Folkes Cromwell Mortimer Alexander Stuart Sir Hans Sloane Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB; 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 W Johnson, 'Richard Jack and Henry Baker, FRS, in the Late Summer of 1746' in NR 1993 vol 47 pp 225-231 G L E Turner, 'Henry Baker, FRS: Founder of the Bakerian Lecture' in NR 1974-5 vol 29 pp 53-79, plate ©The Royal Society International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families - ISAAR(CPF) - Ottawa 1996 ISBN 0-9696035-3-3 National Council on Archives, Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997 https://royalsocietypublishing.org/action/doSearch?ContribAuthorRaw=Baker%2C+Henry A Short History of Speech (1723), The Microscope made Easy (1743), Employment for the Microscope (1753), The Universe, a Poem intended to restrain the Pride of Man (1727) RCN 26114 RCN 26808 RCN 26115 RCN 26116 RCN 21232 RCN 26117 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/results?mi_search_type=adv&mi_adv_search=yes&adv_person_id=AUTH443 8 May 1698 - 25 Nov 1774 The past Fellows entries are under continuous revision. If you have queries or additional information to contribute, please contact Library@royalsociety.org. Content in external sources is not controlled by the Royal Society and historical sources may include content that is now unacceptable. Reviewed on 10/09/2025 as part of the Name Authority Project update. NA6218 21/11/2001 Andyg pmab 17/03/2026 RS_NET\VirginiaM Yes 539aa2e4-0dfa-41e4-a6fe-63c75ef26f8c