John Cranke

John Cranke (1746–1816) was an English scientific thinker and clergyman, particularly notable for starting a scientific genealogy producing some eight Nobel Prize winners in total. Cranke was admitted as a sizar at the age of 21 into Trinity College, University of Cambridge on July 1, 1767, after graduating from Sedbergh School. His father was James Cranke, a notable artist who has an entry in Redgrave's Century of English Painters.

At the University of Cambridge, John Cranke obtained a BA in 1771, an MA in 1774, and a BD (Bachelor of Divinity) in 1792. He became a Fellow of Trinity College in 1772. At Trinity he acted as a tutor in mathematics and is notable as the mentor of Thomas Jones. In 1774, he became the curate of the Chesterton parish, in Cambridgeshire, and the parish curate of Great St Mary's, Cambridgeshire, 1784-1792. He was vicar of the Shudy Camps parish, Cambridgeshire, 1792-1798, then Vicar of Gainford, Durham, during 1798-1816. He died September 6, 1816.

Scientific genealogy

Cranke is notable as the tutor and academic advisor of Thomas Jones resulting in a scientific genealogy containing a number of Nobel Prize winners (see: Academic genealogy of theoretical physicists). The branch leading to J. J. Thomson is as follows:

• 1774, MA, University of Cambridge, John Cranke
• 1782, MA, University of Cambridge, Thomas Jones
• 1811, MA, University of Cambridge, Adam Sedgwick
• 1830, MA, University of Cambridge, William Hopkins
• 1857, MA, University of Cambridge, Edward John Routh
• 1868, MA, University of Cambridge, John William Strutt (Lord Rayleigh)
• 1883, MA, University of Cambridge, J. J. Thomson

References

• J. Venn and J.A. Venn, Alumni Cantabrigienses, Cambridge University Press, 1922-1954.