John Locke (1632-1704), philosopher, was born at Wrington, Somerset, on 29 August 1632, and was brought up in his parents' home at Pensford. His father, also John (1606-61), attorney and clerk to the county justices, was on the margins of gentility; his grandfathers were a clothier and a tanner. Locke's mother was Agnes Keene (1597-1654), and he had one brother, Thomas (1637-64). Locke's education depended upon the benevolence of Colonel Alexander Popham, MP, under whose command his father had fought in the Parliamentarian army during the Civil War. Locke studied at Westminster School (1647-52), where the headmaster, Richard Busby, provided a combination of classical erudition and beatings. Fellow pupils included John Dryden, Robert Hooke and Christopher Wren. In 1649 King Charles I was…
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Citation: Goldie, Mark. "John Locke". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 25 November 2001 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=2768, accessed 21 November 2024.]
