Sir Thomas Millington
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Millington FRS (1628 Newbury
– 5 January 1703/1704 Gosfield
), the son of Thomas Millington, was an English physician. Greatly respected in his day, he was eulogised by Samuel Garth
under the name of Machaon in his poem 'The Dispensary' while Thomas Sydenham
held him in high regard.
He received his education at Richard Busby
's Westminster School
, and then in 1645, at Trinity College, Cambridge
under James Duport
. From here he graduated AB in 1649, and moved on to Oxford
, obtaining his AM. At Cambridge he was elected a fellow of All Souls College and became a doctor of medicine at Oxford on 9 July 1659. Appointed to the chair of Sedleian Professor of Natural Philosophy
in 1675, a position he held for life. Admitted as a candidate for the College of Physicians in 1659, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
in 1672. He was in turn Censor, Harveian Orator, Treasurer, Consiliarius and President, and was present at the deathbed of Charles II
.
After his admittance to the College of Physicians, he was said to be 'the delight of it; affable in his conversation, firm in his friendships, diligent and happy in his practice, candid and open in consultations, eloquent to an extraordinary degree in his public speeches; being chosen President, his behaviour was grave, tempered with courtesy, steady without obstinacy, continually intent on the good of the College.' He was appointed physician in ordinary to William III
and Mary II
, and later to Queen Anne. Millington was knighted in 1679. Millington was one of the physicians to dissect William III’s body.
Millington had ventured in a conversation with Nehemiah Grew
that the stamen ('˜attire") serves as the male organ for the production of the seed. Grew at once "replied that he was of the same opinion, gave some reasons for thinking so, and answered some objections which might be made to it."
Grew further explored this idea and found that stamens with their theca
e are male sex organs while pistils represent the female organs. These ideas were published by Grew in the 'Anatomy of Plants' in 1682, which is today regarded as a major milepost in the development of botanical science.
In 1691 he was living at Gosfield Hall
and was responsible for a great deal of reconstruction. His family Coat of Arms
is displayed in the hall and consists of the 'blazon of a silver shield, theron a black eagle displayed with two heads, the crest being a bull's head erased,' and the motto Virtutis proemium honor ("Honour the reward of virtue"). He married Hannah King, the widow of Henry King, on 23 February 1680. The union produced a son, Thomas (notorious as a rake), and two daughters, Anne and Mary. Anne followed her lover, a British army officer, to America, but eventually married Gershom Lockwood of Greenwich.
Thomas Millington was laid to rest on 28 January 1703-4 in the Wentworth Chapel of Gosfield
church. A monument of Purbeck marble
to his memory was destroyed some sixty years on by looters who tore up the brasswork. There is a good portrait of Millington at the College. Linnaeus named the genus Millingtonia in the Bignoniaceae
in his honour.
Newbury, Berkshire
Newbury is a civil parish and the principal town in the west of the county of Berkshire in England. It is situated on the River Kennet and the Kennet and Avon Canal, and has a town centre containing many 17th century buildings. Newbury is best known for its racecourse and the adjoining former USAF...
– 5 January 1703/1704 Gosfield
Gosfield
Gosfield is a village near Halstead, Essex. It is the location of Gosfield School, an independent school.-External links:*...
), the son of Thomas Millington, was an English physician. Greatly respected in his day, he was eulogised by Samuel Garth
Samuel Garth
Sir Samuel Garth FRS was an English physician and poet.Garth was born in Bolam in County Durham and matriculated at Peterhouse, Cambridge in 1676, graduating B.A. in 1679 and...
under the name of Machaon in his poem 'The Dispensary' while Thomas Sydenham
Thomas Sydenham
Thomas Sydenham was an English physician. He was born at Wynford Eagle in Dorset, where his father was a gentleman of property. His brother was Colonel William Sydenham. Thomas fought for the Parliament throughout the English Civil War, and, at its end, resumed his medical studies at Oxford...
held him in high regard.
He received his education at Richard Busby
Richard Busby
The Rev. Dr. Richard Busby was an English Anglican priest who served as head master of Westminster School for more than fifty-five years.-Life:...
's Westminster School
Westminster School
The Royal College of St. Peter in Westminster, almost always known as Westminster School, is one of Britain's leading independent schools, with the highest Oxford and Cambridge acceptance rate of any secondary school or college in Britain...
, and then in 1645, at Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
under James Duport
James Duport
James Duport was an English classical scholar.-Life:His father, John Duport, who was descended from an old Norman family , was master of Jesus College, Cambridge...
. From here he graduated AB in 1649, and moved on to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, obtaining his AM. At Cambridge he was elected a fellow of All Souls College and became a doctor of medicine at Oxford on 9 July 1659. Appointed to the chair of Sedleian Professor of Natural Philosophy
Sedleian professor of natural philosophy
The Sedleian professor of natural philosophy is the name of a chair at the Mathematical Institute of the University of Oxford.The Sedleian Chair was founded by Sir William Sedley who, by his will dated October 20, 1618, left the sum of ₤2,000 to the University of Oxford for purchase of lands for...
in 1675, a position he held for life. Admitted as a candidate for the College of Physicians in 1659, he became a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians
Royal College of Physicians
The Royal College of Physicians of London was founded in 1518 as the College of Physicians by royal charter of King Henry VIII in 1518 - the first medical institution in England to receive a royal charter...
in 1672. He was in turn Censor, Harveian Orator, Treasurer, Consiliarius and President, and was present at the deathbed of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
.
After his admittance to the College of Physicians, he was said to be 'the delight of it; affable in his conversation, firm in his friendships, diligent and happy in his practice, candid and open in consultations, eloquent to an extraordinary degree in his public speeches; being chosen President, his behaviour was grave, tempered with courtesy, steady without obstinacy, continually intent on the good of the College.' He was appointed physician in ordinary to William III
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
and Mary II
Mary II of England
Mary II was joint Sovereign of England, Scotland, and Ireland with her husband and first cousin, William III and II, from 1689 until her death. William and Mary, both Protestants, became king and queen regnant, respectively, following the Glorious Revolution, which resulted in the deposition of...
, and later to Queen Anne. Millington was knighted in 1679. Millington was one of the physicians to dissect William III’s body.
Millington had ventured in a conversation with Nehemiah Grew
Nehemiah Grew
Nehemiah Grew was an English plant anatomist and physiologist, very famously known as the "Father of Plant Physiology"...
that the stamen ('˜attire") serves as the male organ for the production of the seed. Grew at once "replied that he was of the same opinion, gave some reasons for thinking so, and answered some objections which might be made to it."
Grew further explored this idea and found that stamens with their theca
Theca
A theca refers to any case, covering, or sheath.In botany, the theca of an angiosperm consists a pair of microsporangia that are adjacent to each other and share a common area of dehiscence called the stomium. Any part of a microsporophyll that bears microsporangia is called an anther. Most...
e are male sex organs while pistils represent the female organs. These ideas were published by Grew in the 'Anatomy of Plants' in 1682, which is today regarded as a major milepost in the development of botanical science.
In 1691 he was living at Gosfield Hall
Gosfield Hall
Gosfield Hall near Braintree in Essex, England was built in 1545 by Sir John Wentworth, a member of Cardinal Wolsey’s household, and hosted Royal visits by Queen Elizabeth I and her grand retinue throughout the middle of the 16th century....
and was responsible for a great deal of reconstruction. His family Coat of Arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
is displayed in the hall and consists of the 'blazon of a silver shield, theron a black eagle displayed with two heads, the crest being a bull's head erased,' and the motto Virtutis proemium honor ("Honour the reward of virtue"). He married Hannah King, the widow of Henry King, on 23 February 1680. The union produced a son, Thomas (notorious as a rake), and two daughters, Anne and Mary. Anne followed her lover, a British army officer, to America, but eventually married Gershom Lockwood of Greenwich.
Thomas Millington was laid to rest on 28 January 1703-4 in the Wentworth Chapel of Gosfield
Gosfield
Gosfield is a village near Halstead, Essex. It is the location of Gosfield School, an independent school.-External links:*...
church. A monument of Purbeck marble
Purbeck Marble
Purbeck Marble is a fossiliferous limestone quarried in the Isle of Purbeck, a peninsula in south-east Dorset, England.It is one of many kinds of Purbeck Limestone, deposited in the late Jurassic or early Cretaceous periods....
to his memory was destroyed some sixty years on by looters who tore up the brasswork. There is a good portrait of Millington at the College. Linnaeus named the genus Millingtonia in the Bignoniaceae
Bignoniaceae
The Bignoniaceae, or Trumpet Creeper Family, is a family of flowering plants comprising about 650-750 species in 116-120 genera. Members of the family are mostly trees and lianas , shrubs and more rarely herbaceous plants. As climber plants, they are twine climbers or tendril climbers, and rarely...
in his honour.