We are sorry to hear of the death of Dr Allan Chapman

Born in 1946, Allan Chapman studied for his DPhil in the History of Science at Wadham, having gained his first degree in History from Lancaster University in 1972.

A historian of Science, Allan's research interests were in scientific biography and astronomy. He was an accomplished lecturer and public speaker and delivered the Royal Society's History of Science Wilkins Lecture on the subject of Edmond Halley in 1994. Alan was a visiting professor at Gresham College, London, 2004 - 2011. He was a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society and a founder member and president of the Society for the History of Astronomy. Allan wrote extensively and among his published works are England's Leonardo: Robert Hooke and the Seventeeth-century Scientific Revolution and Robert Hooke and the English Renaissance.

Allan was an Associate Member of the Faculty of History. He recorded a number of Podcasts for Oxford University and worked with us closely on Wadham Library's online exhibition, 'Science Before the Royal Society'.

Our thoughts are with Allan's wife, Rachel, at this time. Allan and Rachel met in Wadham Chapel in 1973, when she was in the choir, and they later married in the Chapel. Allan was a regular attender at Evensong for many decades. His funeral will take place at Christ Church Cathedral.