FREEMASONS AND THE ROYAL SOCIETY Alphabetical List of ...

Fellows of the Royal Society who are or were Freemasons, listed alphabetically
K
Kater, Henry, FRS [15 Dec 1814] (16 Apr 1777–26 Apr 1835), geodesist and metrologist.
Born in Bristol, son of Henry Kater, sugar baker of German descent. Intended for the law, articled to Bristol
Attorney, 24 Sep 1794, but on his father’s death 5 months later allowed him then to leave the office and start once
more his mathematical studies, aiming to begin a military career. Purchased, 25 Apr 1799, commn as Ensign, 12 th
Foot, and sailed to join regt in Madras. For many years helped William LamBton, subaltern in 33 rd Foot, surveying
country between the Malabar and Coromandel coasts for Madras Govt. This laid foundation for great trigonometrical
survey of India under George Everest. Kater promoted Lt, 3 Nov 1803. During his time in India, he laid the basis for
his subsequent career, devising improvements to scientific instruments, but returned to England owing to ioll health.
Promoted Capt, 62 nd Foot, 13 Oct 1808, without purchase. Underwent further training in senior dept, Royal Military
Coll, High Wycombe, 1806–10 and joined 2 nd Bt of his Regt in Jersey.
Put on half pay 1814, ending his military career. The RS was the focus of much of his scientific work during the
remainder of his life and as a result he met many leading contemporary scientists. He served on RS’s Council, Treas
1827–30 and once as V-P. Served on committee set up to determine length of a pendulum beating 2nds in latitude of
London to provide a basis for a standard of length, devising a reversible pendulum with knife-edge supports towards
each end, conducting experiments and measurements, for which he received the Socy’s Copley Medal, 1817. Again
his entry in ODNB proves a mine of useful information about his later career.
Married 31 May 1810 and had 3 children including 2 boys, the younger of whom, Edward Kater (1816–1866),
published in 1840 the result of his father’s investigations into clock escapement mechanism, as a result of which he
was elected FRS 19 Nov that year.
Died at his home, 12 York Gate, Regent’s Park, London, and buried with his wife and dau in the recently built
church of St Mary-in-the-Castle, Silverdale, Hastings.
Although his entry in ODNB asserts that ‘at the beginning of 1799 he was made a freemason’, it had proved
impossible to find any reference to support this contention in the records held at FMH, 60 Great Queen Street, so his
membership of the Craft is currently unproven and likely to remain so. He is, however, included in case fresh
evidence of his becoming a Freemason emerges later.
Kearton, (Christopher) Frank, OBE, FRS [16 Mar 1961], later [1966] Sir Frank Kearton, then [5 Feb 1970]
Baron Kearton of Whitchurch [Life Peer] (17 Feb 1911–2 Jul 1992), Scientist and industrialist, of 31 Redwing
Lane, Norton, Stockton-on-Tees, Co Durham.
Born in Cheshire and brought up in Tunstall. Graduated from St John’s Coll, Oxford with 1 st Cl honours in natural
science in 1933. Joined the Billingham division of Imperial Chemical Industries where he worked on chemical
engineering research. Seconded in 1941 to the Br atomic bomb project. In 1945, Kearton joined Courtaulds,
becoming Chmn in 1962, during which time he transformed Courtaulds into a major interNatl co based on its research
and development in man-made fibres. Served on several govt advisory bodies including the Industrial Reorganisation
Corporation established by the Labour Govt in the 1960s.
Initiated, aged 29, 20 Jun 1940, passed 16 Nov 1940 and raised 15 May 1941, Universities L. No. 2352, Durham,
membership ceasing 1946.
Kemeys-Tynte, Col Charles John, MP, FRS [18 Dec 1834] (1800–16 Sep 1882), of Halswell Manor, Somerset,
Cefn Mably, Glamorgan, and Burleigh Hall, Leicestershire, only son of Charles Kemeys Kemeys-Tynte (1778–1860),
MP, Bridgwater, 1820–37, Col, W Somerset Yeomanry; JGW, UGLE, 1830; ProvGM, Somerset, 1820–60, GSupt,
Somerset, 1820–60.
Commissioned in the Army, sometime officer, 11 th (Prince Albert’s Own) Hussars; Col, Royal Glamorgan LI Mil;
MP, West Somerset, 10 Dec 1832–24 Jul 1837, and Bridgwater, 29 Jul 1847–11 Jul 1865. Senior coheir to the Barony
of Wharton and coheir also to Barony of Grey de Wilton and Representative of the ancient families of Halswell,
Kemeys and Tynte.
Married twice: (1), 1821, Elizabeth Swinnerton (†1838), daughter and co-heir of Thomas Swinnerton of Butterton
Hall, Staffordshire, and they had 2 sons; (2), 15 Apr 1841, Vincentia Brabazon (†1894), 3 rd dau of Wallop Brabazon
of Rath House, Co. Louth, and they had 5 sons and 4 daus. When he died, succeeded by his eldest son, Charles
Kemeys Kemeys-Tynte (1822–1891), later JP, DL, Col, 1 st Somerset Mil.
Initiated, 4 Nov 1817, a Lewis, allegedly aged 18, but only 17, L. of Perpetual Friendship No. 157, now No. 135,
at Lamb Inn, Cornhill, Bridgwater, Somerset. Joined, 3 Sep 1845, Silurian L. No. 693, now No. 471, at Westgate
Hotel, Commercial Street, Newport, Monmouthshire. ProvGM, Monmouthshire, 27 Apr 1831, but not installed until
30 Jun 1847 by members of GL, Bristol, at an emergency meeting of Silurian L. No. 693, held at MH, High Street,
Newport, during which intervening period he was abroad, perhaps on Army service, for at least some of it, so UGLE
‘sanctioned the Bristol authorities taking charge’, 304 until late 1862 or early 1863, resigning.
Kennedy, Archibald, 12 th Earl of Cassillis and 1 st Marquess of Ailsa, FRS [18 Feb 1819], later [17 Jul 1821] KT
(Feb 1770–8 Sep 1846), born in America, eldest son of Capt Archibald Kennedy, 11 th Earl of Cassillis, RN (1718–
1794), by his 2 nd wife, Anne Watts (1754–1793).
304 F. Hubert James, Freemasonry in Monmouthshire From 1764 (1924), 7.
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