Norwood, Richard

Biography

Mathematician and surveyor. Born Stevenage, Hertfordshire. Attended grammar school at Berkhamsted for two years. Apprenticed to a London fishmonger aged 15. Allowed to join a coastal trading ship, studied mathematics and navigation whilst on board. Returned to London after a year. Visited Netherlands 1608, returned to England 1610. Bound to a master's mate of Limehouse, again studied mathetmatics and navigation. Bought his freedom 1612. Became navigation tutor to Captain Henry Mainwaring. Taught mathematics in London briefly. Visited Bermuda Dec 1613, then employed to survey and map the country til 1617. Surveyor to the Virginia Company 1621. Became a mathematics teacher in London 1622. Returned to Bermuda as a schoolmaster 1638, resigned 1649 but returned to post briefly 1661. Died Bermuda 1675. Wrote several works on mathematics and navigation.

Biography Date

c.1590-1675

Biography References

LOC; CERL; DNB;

Book List