Early Fellows of the Royal Society

Image: Coat-of-Arms of the Royal Society, from Thomas Sprat. Source: National Galleries of Scotland. Public Domain (non-commercial use)

In November 1660, following a presentation by Christopher Wren at the Gresham College, London, the Royal Society was established under the patronage of Charles II. 

The Founding Fellows were: 

1. William Ball (1627–1690) ODNB
2. William Brouncker, 2nd Viscount Brouncker (1620–1684) - first President of the Royal Society ODNB
3. Jonathan Goddard (1617–1675) ODNB
4. Abraham Hill (1633–1721) ODNB
5. Sir Robert Moray (1608–1673) ODNB
6. Sir Paul Neile (1613–1686) ODNB
7. Sir William Petty (1623–1687) ODNB
8. Lawrence Rooke (1622–1662) ODNB
9. Alexander Bruce, 2nd Earl of Kincardine (1629–1681) ODNB
10. Christopher Wren 
11. John Wilkins
12. Robert Boyle

A much longer list of 'Original Fellows' comprises those elected until July 1663. Amongst these were: 

• Elias Ashmole
• Sir Kenelm Digby ODNB
• John Evelyn ODNB
• Nicaise Le Febvre
• Thomas Henshaw ODNB
• Robert Hooke
• Christiaan Huyghens
• Henry Oldenburg
• Thomas Sprat
• John Wallis ODNB
• Seth Ward
• Francis Willughby ODNB

Famous later fellows of the early Royal Society include:

• Isaac Newton (1643-1727)
• Robert Plot (1640-1696)
• Antonie Philips van Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723)
• Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz (1646-1716)