Home > Copley Medal
The Copley Medal is a scientific award for work in any field of science, the highest award granted by the Royal Society of London. It is also the society's oldest award, the first medal being awarded in 1731.The award was created after a £100 bequest in 1709 to the Royal Society by Sir Godfrey Copley, a wealthy landowner from Sprotbrough , near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, who was elected to the Society in 1691.
It is one of ten medals that the Society awards (some awards are made annually, others at different intervals according to their terms of reference). The Copley Medal alternates between the physical sciences and the biological sciences, and the winners are selected by Fellows of the Society.
Past laureates are:
1 1730
1731 Stephen Gray
1732 Stephen Gray
1734 John Theophilus Desaguliers
1736 John Theophilus Desaguliers
1737 John Belchier
1738 James Valoue
1739 Stephen HalesStephen Hales ( September 17, 1677 January 4, 1761) was an English physiologist, chemist and inventor. Hales studied the role of air and water in the maintenance of both plant and animal life. He gave accurate accounts of the movements of water in plants,
1740Events May 31 Friedrich II comes to power in Prussia upon the death of his father, Friedrich Wilhelm I. October 20 Maria Theresia of Austria inherits the Habsburg hereditary dominions ( Austria, Bohemia, Hungary and present-day Belgium). However, her succ Alexander Stuart
1741Events April 10 Austrian army attack troops of Frederick the Great at Mollwitz December 19 Vitus Bering dies in his expedition east of Siberia December 25 Anders Celsius develops his own thermometer scale Celsius William Browning invents mineral water Eli John Theophilus Desaguliers
1742Events January 24 Charles VII Albert becomes Holy Roman Emperor. February 16 Spencer Compton, Earl of Wilmington, becomes Prime Minister of Great Britain. February 18 British attack La Guayra. April 8 The first performance of George Frideric Handel's orat Christopher Middleton
1743Events February 14 Henry Pelham becomes British Prime Minister February 21 - The premiere in London of George Frideric Handel's oratorio, Samson''. September 13 Treaty of Worms (1743) a treaty between Great Britain, Austria and Sardinia Battle of Dettinge Abraham TrembleyAbraham Trembley ( September 3, 1710 May 12, 1784) was a Swiss naturalist. He is best known for his studies of freshwater hydra. Trembley Trembley Trembley.
1744Events The third French and Indian War, known as " King George's War," breaks out at Port Royal, Nova Scotia Ongoing events War of the Austrian Succession ( 1740- 1748) Births May 19 Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, Queen-Consort of King George III of G Henry Baker
1745 William Watson
1746 Benjamin Robins
1747 Gowin Knight
1748 James Bradley
1749 John Harrison
2 1750
1750 George Edwards
1751 John Canton
1752 John Pringle
1753 Benjamin Franklin
1754 William Lewis
1755 John Huxham
1756 Not awarded
1757 Charles Cavendish
1758 John Dollond
1759 John Smeaton
1760 Benjamin Wilson
1761 Not awarded
1762 Not awarded
1763 Not awarded
1764 John Canton
1765 Not awarded
1766 William Brownrigg ; Edward Delaval ; Henry Cavendish
1767 John Ellis
1768 Peter Woulfe
1769 William Hewson
1770 William Hamilton
1771 Matthew Raper
1772 Joseph Priestley
1773 John Walsh
1774 Not awarded
1775 Nevil Maskelyne
1776 James Cook
1777 John Mudge
1778 Charles Hutton
1779 Not awarded
1780 Samuel Vince
1781 William Herschel
1782 Richard Kirwan
1783 John Goodricke; Thomas Hutchins
1784 Edward Waring
1785 William Roy
1786 Not awarded
1787 John Hunter
1788 Charles Blagden
1789 William Morgan
1790 Not awarded
1791 James Rennell; Jean-André Deluc (John Andrew de Luc)
1792 Benjamin Thompson, Count of Rumford
1793 Not awarded
1794 Alessandro Volta
1795 Jesse Ramsden
1796 George Atwood
1797 Not awarded
1798 George Shuckburgh ; Evelyn Charles Hatchett
1799 John Hellins
