# Walter Pope

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{{Short description|English astronomer and poet}}
{{For|the United States federal judge (1889–1969)|Walter Lyndon Pope}}
{{For|the Texas state legislator (1897–1844)|Walter Elmer Pope}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2016}}
'''Walter Pope''' (''c.'' 1627 – 1714) was an [English](/source/English_people) [astronomer](/source/astronomer) and poet. He was the son of Francis Pope and Jane Dod, daughter of the Puritan minister [John Dod](/source/John_Dod).  He was born in [Northamptonshire](/source/Northamptonshire) and was the half brother of [John Wilkins](/source/John_Wilkins), who would become bishop of Chester and one of the founders of the [Royal Society](/source/Royal_Society). He was educated at [Wadham College, Oxford](/source/Wadham_College%2C_Oxford), with a BA in 1649, MA in 1651. Until the [Restoration](/source/English_Restoration), he worked in Wadham College.

In 1660, he became the professor of astronomy at [Gresham College](/source/Gresham_College) in London, taking over for Sir [Christopher Wren](/source/Christopher_Wren), and he was also appointed [Dean of Wadham College](/source/Dean_of_Wadham_College).  He became one of the earliest members of the [Royal Society](/source/Royal_Society), and he was also made the registrar of the diocese of Chester. During the 1660s, he was active in the Royal Society, with two letters published in ''Philosophical Transactions'' in 1665 and 1666. He traveled to France and Italy and reported for the Royal Society from Italy.

In 1686, he developed a severe eye infection, and he resigned his teaching post in 1687. In 1693, his collection of books burned. [Anthony à Wood](/source/Anthony_%C3%A0_Wood) wrote of Pope as a libertine, and he published collections of poetry and translations in [1698](/source/1698_in_literature), but others regarded him as pious and devout. He died in 1714 and left his money and belongings to a woman named Anne Shargold, who had cared for him in his illness.  He was buried in [St. Giles, Cripplegate](/source/St_Giles-without-Cripplegate).

==References==
*Clerke, A. M. and [Anita McConnell](/source/Anita_McConnell).  "Walter Pope" in Matthew, H.C.G. and Brian Harrison, eds.  ''[The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_National_Biography).''  vol. 44, p 885.  London: [OUP](/source/Oxford_University_Press), 2004.

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pope, Walter}}
Category:1714 deaths
Category:17th-century English astronomers
Category:1620s births
Category:Original fellows of the Royal Society
Category:English male poets
Category:Alumni of Wadham College, Oxford
Category:British fellows of the Royal Society

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