Person Wallis; John (1616 - 1703); mathematician and cryptographer Wallis John mathematician and cryptographer Wallys 1616 - 1703 British Male Ashford, Kent, England, Europe 3 December 1616 16161203 Oxford, England, Europe 8 November 1703 17031108 Burial: St Mary's Church, Oxford, England, Europe

Clergyman, Church of England; Mathematician Mathematics Education: School at Ashford; James Mouat's School at Ley Green, near Tenterden, Kent; Felsted School (for 2 years); Emmanuel College, Cambridge (BA 1637); MA 1640); Incorporated at Oxford (1649; DD 1654); Incorporated from Oxford (1656) Career: Ordained (1640); Chaplain to Sir Richard Darley (1640-1642) and to Mary, Baroness Vere (1642-1644); employed by Parliament to decipher intercepted dispatches (1642-1645); Fellow of Queens' College, Cambridge (1644-1645); Secretary to the Westminster Assembly (1644); Rector of St Gabriel's, Fenchurch Street, London (1645-1647); Minister of St Martin's, Ironmonger Lane, London (1647); Savilian Professor of Geometry at Oxford (1649-1703); Keeper of the Archives at Oxford (1654-1703); published 'Arithmetica Infinitorum' (1656); one of twelve Presbyterian representatives at the Savoy Conference (1661); Justice of the Peace; Decipherer to William III; opposed the adoption of the Gregorian Calendar (1692); Parents: John Wallis and Joanna Chapman Married: 1) Susanna Glyde; 2) Elizabeth Harris Children: John Wallis; Anne Blencowe; Elizabeth Benson Wallis' impact on mathematics is substantial. He can be partially credited with the development of infinitesimal calculus and the introduction of the infinity symbol. He published works in a variety of mathematical areas, including geometry, algebra, arithmetic, and integral calculus. His appointment as Savilian Professor of Geometry was possibly facilitated by the expulsion of the Royalist Peter Turner as well as his previously demonstrated skill in deciphering letters for Parliamentarians. Committee and panels: Committee for Collecting all the Phaenomena of Nature hitherto observed, and all Experiments made and recorded ; Committee to consider a way of determining the measure of a degree on the earth (1669) Original Fellow 20/05/1663 Frequent correspondence with secretary Henry Oldenburg Sources: Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB; Venn; Foster References: Margaret Deacon, 'Founders of Marine Science in Britain: the Work of the Early Fellows of the Royal Society' in NR 1965 vol 20 pp 28-50 J F Scott, 'The Reverend John Wallis, FRS (1616-1703)' in NR 1960 vol 15 pp 57-67, plate J F Scott and Sir Harold Hartley, 'William, Viscount Brouncker, PRS (1620-1684)' in NR 1960 vol 15 pp 147-157 J E McGuire and P M Rattansi, 'Newton and the "Pipes of Pan"' in NR 1966 vol 21 pp 108-143 H E Bell, 'The Savilian Professors' Houses and Halley's Observatory at Oxford' in NR 1961 vol 16 pp 179-186 G H Turnbull, 'Samuel Hartlib's Influence on the Early History of the Royal Society' in NR 1953 vol 10 pp 101-130 Douglas McKie, 'The Origins and Foundation of the Royal Society of London' in NR 1960 vol 15 pp 1-37 Derek T Whiteside, 'Wren the Mathematician' in NR 1960 vol 15 pp 107-111 Christoph J Scriba, 'A Tentative Index of the Correspondence of John Wallis, FRS' in NR 1967 vol 22 pp 58-93 C S S, 'The Society's Library' in NR 1938 vol 1 pp 21-27 A C S, 'Notes on the Foundation and History of the Royal Society' in NR 1938 vol 1 pp 32-36 Jacqueline A Stedall, 'Catching Proteus: the collaborations of Wallis and Brouncker. I. Squaring the circle' in NR 2000 vol 54 pp 293-316 Jacqueline A Stedall, 'Catching Proteus: the collaborations of Wallis and Brouncker. II. Number problems' in NR 2000 vol 54 pp 317-331 Katherine Hill, 'Neither Ancient nor Modern: Wallis and Barrow on the Composition of Continua. Part One: Mathematical Styles and the Composition of Continua' in NR 1996 vol 50 pp 165-178, plate Katherine Hill, 'Neither Ancient nor Modern: Wallis and Barrow on the Composition of Continua. Part Two: The Seventeenth-Century Context: The Struggle Between Ancient and Modern' in NR 1997 vol 51 pp 13-22 Brebis Bleaney, 'The Physical Sciences in Oxford, 1918-1939 and Earlier' in NR 1994 vol 48 pp 247-261 G J Whitrow, 'Newton's Role in the History of Mathematics' in NR 1989 vol 43 pp 71-92 J R Philip, 'An Innumerate President of the Royal Society?' in NR 1994 vol 48 pp 1-10 A Rupert Hall and Marie Boas Hall, 'The Intellectual Origins of the Royal Society - London and Oxford' in NR 1968 vol 23 pp 157-168 Christoph J Scriba, 'The Autobiography of John Wallis, FRS' in NR 1970 vol 25 pp 17-46 Christopher Hill, 'The Intellectual Origins of the Royal Society - London or Oxford?' in NR 1968 vol 23 pp 144-156 G L'E Turner, 'Henry Baker, FRS: Founder of the Bakerian Lecture' in NR 1974-5 vol 29 pp 53-79 A Cook, '1703 and other anniversaries' in NR 2003 vol 57 pp 1-2 J Gray, 'Harriot Restored. <i>The greate invention of algebra: Thomas Harriot's treatise on equations</i>, by Jacqueline A Stedall' in NR 2004 vol 58 pp 101-102 Notes: The election date is Wallis' re-election date into the Society after the grant of the second charter in April 1663. All Fellows admitted in a two-month window after this charter, until 22 June 1663, are considered Original Fellows. He was previously elected on 6 March 1661. Old Style calendar puts Wallis' date of birth as 23 November 1616 and his date of death as 28 October 1703. Wallis P0138.jpg ©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 RCN: R82404 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/results?mi_search_type=adv&mi_adv_search=yes&adv_person_id=AUTH8834 https://pictures.royalsociety.org/image-rs-9752 23 Nov 1616 - 28 Oct 1703 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 26/11/2021 as part of Name Authority Project update. NA7472 21/11/2001 Andyg Martind 28/03/2023 RS_NET\JonathanB Yes http://viaf.org/viaf/100212546 c9da6550-832d-4148-bdf3-6f9015c8725a