Sir george gabriel stokes biography of christopher

Biography

George Stokes' father, Gabriel Stokes, was the Protestant minister of the parish of Skreen in County Sligo. His mother, Elizabeth Haughton, was the daughter of a minister of the church, so George Stokes' upbringing was a very religious one.

He was the youngest of six children and every one of his three older brothers went on to become a priest. As the priest of the church in Cambridge which Stokes later attended wrote (see [18]):-

Though he was never narrow in his faith and religious sympathies, he always held fast by the simple evangelical truths he learnt from his father...

In [4] the atmosphere in which George grew up is described in words which are more colourful than those which might be used today:-

The home-life in the Rectory at Skreen was very happy, and the children grew up in the fresh sea-air with well-knit frames and active minds.

Great economy was required to meet the educational needs of the large family...

It was not only religious teaching, but a wi