Relatives, Friends and Associates of Isaac Newton

Ayscough, Hannah d.1679

Mother of Sir Isaac Newton, widow of Isaac Newton and then of Barnabas Smith. ``Ayscough'' was sometimes also spelt ``Askew'', and was pronounced this way. She had two daughters and one son from her second marriage, Mary, Hannah and Benjamin.

Ayscough, William

Brother of Newton's mother Hannah. William had studied at Trinity College Cambridge and rector of the parish of Burton Coggles, only two miles from Woolsthorpe. Conduitt recorded that William was instrumental in persuading Newton's mother to allow him to go to Cambridge (Keynes MS 130.2 p32).

Babington, Humphrey 1615-91

Fellow of Trinity College Cambridge and brother of Mrs Clark of Grantham, where Newton lodged while he was at school.

Issac Barrow 1630-77

Fellow and then master of Trinity College Cambridge, and first Lucasian professor of mathematics. Barrow nominated Newton to succeed him in the Lucasian chair.

Barton, Catherine 1679-1740

Daughter of Newton's half sister Hannah Smith. She moved to London before 1700 to become Newton's housekeeper. Catherine may have been the mistress or even the wife of Charles Montague, first Earl of Halifax and Newton's patron. She married John Conduitt in 1717.

Clark, Dr.

Brother of ``Mr Clark'' the apothecary. Dr Clark had been a pupil of Henry More at Christ's College in Cambridge and returned to live in Grantham, where he was associated with the Grammar School Newton attended.

Clark, Mr.

Brother of ``Dr Clark'' and apothecary (``pharmacist'') in Grantham. During Newton's time at the Grammar School in Grantham, he lodged with Clark and his wife (a friend of Newton's mother and sister of Humphrey Babington.)

Clark, Mrs.

Husband of ``Mr Clark'' the apothecary and sister of Humphrey Babington. She was also a friend of Newton's mother.

Conduitt, John 1688-1737

Student at Trinity College Cambridge. In 1717 Conduitt married Catherine Barton, Newton's niece, and began to record biographical material about Newton. Almost all of these notes are now in the Keynes collection. After Newton's death, Conduitt succeeded him as Master of the Royal Mint and commissioned the memorial to Newton in Westminster Abbey.

Halley, Edmund 1656-1742

Astronomer and geophysicist; prompted Newton to write the Principia. At the age of 20 Halley went to St Helena and made the first accurate catalogue of the southern stars. His subsequent career included work on meteorology and terrestrial magnetism, as well as the astronomy for which he is famous today. In 1684 Halley travelled from London to Cambridge to ask Newton what would be the shape of planetary orbits if the force of gravity varied as the inverse square of the distance to the sun. Newton's response that it would be an ellipse, and the papers written in proof, eventually led to the publication of the Principia in 1687. Halley financed the printing himself when the Royal Society was unable, and expressed his selfless admiration for what Newton had done, in the book's Preface. Halley's modern fame is based on his identification of Halley's Comet in historical records, as it returned every 76 years, and this in turn is based on his calculation of its orbit with Newtonian techniques. During the 1696 recoinage, Halley was deputy comptroller of the Chester mint.

Montague, Charles 1661-1715

Student and then patron of Newton. Montague came from an aristocratic background and attended Trinity College, Cambridge. During this time they attempted to start a philosophical society in Cambridge, and after Montague left, would have met again when they were both members of the Convention Parliament in 1689. In 1694 Montague became Chancellor of the Exchequer, and in this capacity was able to influence Newton's appointment as Warden of the Mint in 1696. He became the first Earl of Halifax in 1700, but his political career never flourished again. He died in 1715 from pneumonia. Voltaire alleged that Newton's niece, Catherine Barton, had been Montague's mistress and it has also been suggested that they were married in secret. She certainly benefitted in his will.

More, Henry 1614-87

Leading Cambridge Platonist and early influence on Newton's philosophy. More was born and educated in Grantham and went to Christ's College, Cambridge where he worked for the rest of his life. More had been the teacher of Dr Clark and may have met Newton during one of his returns to Grantham. His writings were certainly an influence on Newton as a student. More both advocated and criticised parts of the Cartesian philsophy and this may have led to Newton's significant differences from Descartes (and most continental scientists.)

Newton, Isaac senior 1606-42

Father of Sir Isaac Newton and husband of Hannah Ayscough. After marrying Hannah in April 1642 and fathering his son, Newton senior died in the autumn, before his son was born on the 25th December. Newton's estate amounted to goods of £459 12s 4d, and the manor of Woolsthorpe.

Smith, Rev. Barnabas 1582-1653

Second husband of Hannah Ayscough and step father of Sir Isaac Newton. Smith married Hannah in 1646 and fathered three children: Mary, Hannah and Benjamin. It is likely that Newton hated his stepfather, since he was left behind at Woolsthorpe when Hannah moved to his rectory in North Witham. In 1662 Newton recorded ``Threatening my father and mother Smith to burne them and the house over them'' in a list of sins.

Smith, Benjamin b.1651

Son of Hannah Ayscough and Barnabas Smith; Newton's half brother.

Smith, Hannah

Daughter of Hannah Ayscough and Barnabas Smith; Newton's half sister.

Smith, Mary

Daughter of Hannah Ayscough and Barnabas Smith; Newton's half sister.