Christopher Merrett

Christopher Merret
Born	16 February 1614/5 Winchcombe, Gloucestershire, England
Died	19 August 1695 Hatton Garden, London
Residence	London
Nationality	English
Fields	Natural history, glassmaking
Institutions	Royal Society, Royal College of Physicians
Alma mater	Gloucester Hall, Oxford (matriculated 1632); BMed (1636), DMed (1643); Oriel College, Oxford; BA (1635)
Known for	First description of sparkling wine First list of British birds

Christopher Merret FRS (16 February 1614/5 – 19 August 1695), also spelt Merrett, was an English physician and scientist. He was the first to document the deliberate addition of sugar for the production of sparkling wine, and produced the first lists of British birds and butterflies.

Merret was born in Winchcombe, Gloucestershire on 16 February; Hunter gives the year of his birth as 1615, which may be 1614 Old Style. In 1632 he went up to Gloucester Hall, Oxford (which later became Worcester College); he received his BA from Oriel in 1635, and his BMed and DMed from Gloucester Hall in 1636 and 1643 respectively.

Merret then practised medicine in London, becoming a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in 1651. Three years later he moved to the RCP's premises at Amen Corner near St Paul's Cathedral, as the first Harveian Librarian, for which he received room and board and a small stipend. But disaster struck in 1666 with the Great fire of London, which destroyed many of the rooms and most of the books. The college felt that he was no longer needed, but he felt that he had been appointed for life and fought them before the King's Bench twice, losing both times. He was expelled from his rooms and lost his Fellowship. He was a founding Fellow of the Royal Society, joining May 20, 1663. He became the chairman of the Royal Society's committee concerned with the history of trade and commerce, but was expelled in 1685.

He died at his home near the chapel in Hatton Garden, on 19 August 1695, and was buried at St Andrew's, Holborn.

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