Ten fun facts about John Ray

Fact 1
A text publication society called the Ray Society was named after him.

Fact 2
Although he has more than 170 pieces published, most of them are rare and only in libraries in England.

Fact 3
In his piece the "History of Plants", he was the first person to introduce the definition of the word species.

Fact 4
He lived in poor health until the age of 67. He suffered chronic sores.

Fact 5
Ray became a member of the Royal Society in 1667.

Fact 6
He explained how an ash tree founded its age, using the tree-rings in his early description of dendrochronology.

Fact 7
In the 1650's he became a lecturer in Greek, math and humanity.

Fact 8
At the young age of 16, he was sent to Cambridge University.

Fact 9
He published three pieces on religion, describing the lives of species and how nature worked.

Fact 10
In the Braintree Museum, a "John Ray" gallery was opened to celebrate the 300th anniversary in 1986 to his piece "Historia Plantarum".

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