A Personal History of Pembrokeshire (part 5)

Today Mathematics, did you know that Robert Recorde, known as the founder of modern mathematics, was born in Tenby in 1510. He introduced the = sign. Not much I know, but apparently it opened the way for all modern maths. He was a boy genius and went to Oxford University when he was 15 years old and was made a fellow of All Souls College in 1531. He took up medicine as a profession and went to the University of Cambridge to take the degree of M.D. in 1545. He afterwards returned to Oxford, where he publicly taught mathematics, as he had done prior to going to Cambridge. It appears that he afterwards went to London, and acted as physician to King Edward VI and to Queen Mary, to whom some of his books are dedicated. He was also controller of the Royal Mint and served as "Comptroller of Mines and Monies" in Ireland. After being sued for defamation by a political enemy, he was arrested for debt and died in the King's Bench Prison, Southwark, in 1558, one year after introducing the = sign. Now, more than ever, it's time to do your sums and come to Pembrokeshire on holiday. FBM Holidays, http://www.fbmholidays.co.uk/special-offers/, have some unrepeatable special offers with up to 30% off weekly holidays. So come to Pembrokeshire where there is more history than you realise, just waiting for you to discover. DS