Hooker with a heart of gold

Did you know …

That the 17th century English natural philosopher Robert Hooke was the original “hooker with a heart of gold”? It’s true.

In addition to his interests in the natural world, architecture and engineering, Hooke sexualy catered to London’s elite, and by all accounts his services weren’t cheap; according to the memoir of a contemporary of Hooke’s, Hooke charged two gold coins to attend a party while not wearing underpants, and his prices only went up from there.

The “heart of gold” nickname was self applied, and ironically had very little to do with our current interpretation of the trope. While not on duty, Hooke was said to have been a real jerk. But he became so wealthy—through his patents as well as his gigiloery—that he began to claim that his very heart was made of gold. He was that kind of guy.

Of course Robert Hooke’s death put this claim so far to rest that the expression could never again be taken literally. At the age of 67, Hooke passed out in the back room of a distillery with a burning candle balanced on his gut. Whatever the exact chain of events was that ensued, it ended with an explosion in the distillery, and Hooke’s nearly liquified body being ejected through a window and onto an opposing wall across the street. Nowhere in the mess could anyone find a golden heart (and many looked—this was the Caroline Era, and no one was going to pass up the possibility of finding a fist-sized chunk of gold, even if it was probably partly hollow.)

And here’s a funny thing I just put together: His last name was “Hooke” and he was a “Hooker”! Is this a coincidence, or was he responsible for the term “hooker” as well as the “heart of gold” part? Probably the latter! Interesting!