Humphrey Ridley: 17th Century Evolution in Neuroanatomy
Humphrey Ridley: 17th Century Evolution in Neuroanatomy
Standard search term strategies including PubMed/Medline or Cochrane databases failed to return articles on the historical contributions of Ridley. The biographical details of Ridley's life were collated from the historical information obtained from the Archives and Rare Books Departments at Cambridge University, and University of Oxford, England. Additionally, the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (http://www.oxforddnb.com/) and Joseph Foster's Alumni Oxonienses provided important details about his life and work.
Humphrey Ridley was born in 1653 (the exact date is unknown), in the market town of Mansfield, 14 miles from the county of Nottinghamshire, England. His father Thomas Ridley was also a native of Mansfield. In 1661, he was admitted to Merton College, which was one of the colleges of University of Oxford, England. Founded in 1264, it was widely regarded as a premier educational institution. At Merton College, Ridley was a regular feepaying student with no records of scholarships to supplement the tuition. He finished his studies at the college on July 14, 1671, but did not obtain a degree and later joined the Merton College School of Medicine. Before finishing the coursework at the school, Ridley moved to the Netherlands to train at Leiden University in medicine. The last entry of Ridley's purchase recorded in the university's local cafeteria register, known as "Buttery Books," was on September 25, 1674. He graduated with a doctorate in medicine from Leiden University in September 1679 with a thesis in sexually transmitted diseases titled "De lue venerea."
Ridley then returned to England and was incorporated as a physician at Cambridge University in 1688. He later moved to London and became a potential candidate of the Royal College of Physicians on September 30, 1691. He was elected a fellow of the College after a year. Ridley was a presenter at the prestigious annual Goulstonian lecture series in 1694, a tradition of the Royal College of Physicians. Although the details of his family life are not available, he was recognized as a prominent member of the society. Gideon Tibbetts Ridlon discussed the genealogical origins of his family in 1884 in the History of the Ancient Ryedales: and their Descendants in Normandy, Great Britain, Ireland, and America, from 860 to 1884. Ridlon speculated on the genealogical descent from the Riddell, Ridley, Ridlon, Ridler, and Redlon lines. While discussing Humphrey Ridley, he stated, "I do not know the pedigree of this man, and place this notice here because of contemporary dates." Ridley died in April 1708, and he is buried at St. Andrew's Church, Holborn.
Personal Life
Standard search term strategies including PubMed/Medline or Cochrane databases failed to return articles on the historical contributions of Ridley. The biographical details of Ridley's life were collated from the historical information obtained from the Archives and Rare Books Departments at Cambridge University, and University of Oxford, England. Additionally, the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (http://www.oxforddnb.com/) and Joseph Foster's Alumni Oxonienses provided important details about his life and work.
Humphrey Ridley was born in 1653 (the exact date is unknown), in the market town of Mansfield, 14 miles from the county of Nottinghamshire, England. His father Thomas Ridley was also a native of Mansfield. In 1661, he was admitted to Merton College, which was one of the colleges of University of Oxford, England. Founded in 1264, it was widely regarded as a premier educational institution. At Merton College, Ridley was a regular feepaying student with no records of scholarships to supplement the tuition. He finished his studies at the college on July 14, 1671, but did not obtain a degree and later joined the Merton College School of Medicine. Before finishing the coursework at the school, Ridley moved to the Netherlands to train at Leiden University in medicine. The last entry of Ridley's purchase recorded in the university's local cafeteria register, known as "Buttery Books," was on September 25, 1674. He graduated with a doctorate in medicine from Leiden University in September 1679 with a thesis in sexually transmitted diseases titled "De lue venerea."
Ridley then returned to England and was incorporated as a physician at Cambridge University in 1688. He later moved to London and became a potential candidate of the Royal College of Physicians on September 30, 1691. He was elected a fellow of the College after a year. Ridley was a presenter at the prestigious annual Goulstonian lecture series in 1694, a tradition of the Royal College of Physicians. Although the details of his family life are not available, he was recognized as a prominent member of the society. Gideon Tibbetts Ridlon discussed the genealogical origins of his family in 1884 in the History of the Ancient Ryedales: and their Descendants in Normandy, Great Britain, Ireland, and America, from 860 to 1884. Ridlon speculated on the genealogical descent from the Riddell, Ridley, Ridlon, Ridler, and Redlon lines. While discussing Humphrey Ridley, he stated, "I do not know the pedigree of this man, and place this notice here because of contemporary dates." Ridley died in April 1708, and he is buried at St. Andrew's Church, Holborn.
