‘We would never have heard of Isaac Newton if not for his Grantham schooling’
Canon Christopher Andrews blesses the plaque prior to Prof Martin Rees giving his speech.
A BLUE plaque to Sir Isaac Newton was unveiled in Grantham on Saturday as part of the Gravity Fields festival.
Special guest was Professor Martin Rees, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, who was given the honour of unveiling the plaque in a crowded George Shopping Centre.
Prof Rees also gave a speech on Sir Isaac Newton in which he discussed the importance of his early schooling in Grantham.
Prof Rees said: “The schooling that Newton received here was, as it were, his launch pad. Without it we would never have heard of him.
“Even today many young people do not get the initial educational impetus that propels them to success and that was even more true, of course, in the 17th Century.
“So Newton was lucky in this start.”
Prof Rees also paid tribute to Grantham for making such an effort to remember Sir Isaac Newton and to boost his prestige.
Prof Rees said: “It is good that Newton’s home town is working to boost Newton’s prestige and, of course, we at Trinity College regard him as our greatest alumnus and I’m glad, incidently, that our college retains a link with Grantham as Professor Valerie Gibson, who was here yesterday, is a governor of the King’s School.”
The Sir Isaac Newton blue plaque is the latest Grantham Civic Society plaque to be unveiled. Chairman of Grantham Civic Society Louise Mumford shared the honour of unveiling the plaque with Prof Rees.
The plaque was initially unveiled inside the George Shopping Centre but the plan is to eventually move it outside and onto the wall of the Ask restaurant in the High Street.
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Friday 24 May 2013
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