Wollaston, William Hyde, 1766-1828

Epithet: MD; of Add MS 32166

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000439.0x000015

Epithet: MD; of Add MS 18204

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000439.0x000014

William Hyde Wollaston (1766-1828) was born at East Dereham, Norfolk, on 6 August 1766. He was educated at Lewisham, before entering Charterhouse in 1774. He was admitted a pensioner of Caius College, Cambridge, in 1782 (M.B., 1788; M.D., 1793), and was appointed a senior fellow of Caius in 1787. In 1789 he began to practice as a physician, first at Huntingdon, and then at Bury St Edmund's. In 1794 he was admitted F.R.S., and in 1795 became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. In 1797 Wollaston set up a medical practice in London, but he retired in 1800, and began to carry out experimental work. In his new line of work he discovered a process for making platinum malleable, and published papers on astronomy, botany, chemistry, crystallography, electricity, mechanics, mineraology, optics, pathology, and physiology.

From the guide to the William Hyde Wollaston: Papers, c. 1786-1967, (Cambridge University Library, Department of Manuscripts and University Archives)

Epithet: M D, F R S

British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue : Person : Description : ark:/81055/vdc_100000000439.0x000013