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[[Doctor]] '''Benjamin Franklin''' ([[1706]]-[[1790]]) was one of the [[Founding Fathers or the United States]] who was also a pioneering scientist and innovator. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Time Traveller's Almanac (reference book)|The Time Travellers' Almanac]]'') He discovered [[static electricity]] and proved that [[lightning]] had electrical nature rather than being a fire in the sky. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Founding Fathers (audio story)|The Founding Fathers]]'') He had a son named [[William Franklin]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Founding Fathers (audio story)|The Founding Fathers]]'')
[[Doctor]] '''Benjamin Franklin''' ([[1706]]-[[1790]]) was one of the [[Founding Fathers of the United States]] who was also a pioneering scientist and innovator. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Time Traveller's Almanac (reference book)|The Time Travellers' Almanac]]'') He discovered [[static electricity]] and proved that [[lightning]] had electrical nature rather than being a fire in the sky. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Founding Fathers (audio story)|The Founding Fathers]]'') He had a son named [[William Franklin]]. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Founding Fathers (audio story)|The Founding Fathers]]'')


== Biography ==
== Biography ==
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In [[1750]], Franklin theorised that lightning was a form of electricity and proposed to prove this by flying a kite in a storm. He conducted this experiment two years later, on [[15 June]] [[1752]], during which he magaed to extract sparks from a cloud. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Time Traveller's Almanac (reference book)|The Time Travellers' Almanac]]'') The [[Tenth Doctor]] once claimed to have worked with Franklin on the night he discovered static electricity. He also claimed that he got rope burns from Franklin's kite, soaked and then electrocuted. ([[TV]]: ''[[Smith and Jones (TV story)|Smith and Jones]]'')
In [[1750]], Franklin theorised that lightning was a form of electricity and proposed to prove this by flying a kite in a storm. He conducted this experiment two years later, on [[15 June]] [[1752]], during which he magaed to extract sparks from a cloud. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Time Traveller's Almanac (reference book)|The Time Travellers' Almanac]]'') The [[Tenth Doctor]] once claimed to have worked with Franklin on the night he discovered static electricity. He also claimed that he got rope burns from Franklin's kite, soaked and then electrocuted. ([[TV]]: ''[[Smith and Jones (TV story)|Smith and Jones]]'')


The theory led Franklin to invent the [[lightning rod]] - a conductor placed on the roofs of tall buildings to attract lightning and divert it from striking other targets. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Time Traveller's Almanac (reference book)|The Time Travellers' Almanac]]'')
The theory led Franklin to invent the [[lightning rod]], a conductor placed on the roofs of tall buildings to attract lightning and divert it from striking other targets. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Time Traveller's Almanac (reference book)|The Time Travellers' Almanac]]'')


The [[First Doctor]], [[Steven Taylor]] and [[Vicki Pallister]] met Franklin in [[1762]]. They were frequent guests at his [[Benjamin Franklin House|lodgings]] at [[Margaret Stevenson|Mrs Stevenson]]'s. After opening the [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]] by means of lightning, the Doctor failed to prevent Franklin from entering. The Doctor then pretended not to know how the ship operated and, when Franklin insisted on operating the controls at random, made the console live. The electric shock rendered Franklin unconscious. The Doctor expected that Franklin's memory of the TARDIS would be attributed to shock. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Founding Fathers (audio story)|The Founding Fathers]]'')
The [[First Doctor]], [[Steven Taylor]] and [[Vicki Pallister]] met Franklin in [[1762]]. They were frequent guests at his [[Benjamin Franklin House|lodgings]] at [[Margaret Stevenson|Mrs Stevenson]]'s. After opening the [[The Doctor's TARDIS|TARDIS]] by means of lightning, the Doctor failed to prevent Franklin from entering. The Doctor then pretended not to know how the ship operated and, when Franklin insisted on operating the controls at random, made the console live. The electric shock rendered Franklin unconscious. The Doctor expected that Franklin's memory of the TARDIS would be attributed to shock. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[The Founding Fathers (audio story)|The Founding Fathers]]'')
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For a while, Franklin was the owner of a mysterious living [[hand]]. It was later reacquired by [[Alexander Monro]] to create a clone of himself: Alexander Monro III. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Many Hands (novel)|The Many Hands]]'')
For a while, Franklin was the owner of a mysterious living [[hand]]. It was later reacquired by [[Alexander Monro]] to create a clone of himself: Alexander Monro III. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Many Hands (novel)|The Many Hands]]'')


Franklin died in [[1790]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Time Traveller's Almanac (reference book)|The Time Travellers' Almanac]]'')
Franklin died in [[1790]]. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Time Traveller's Almanac (reference book)|The Time Travellers' Almanac]]'') The [[Third Doctor]] considered him to have been a "splendid chap, for [a human]". ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Landbound (audio story)|Landbound]]'')


=== Alternate timeline ===
=== Alternate timeline ===

Latest revision as of 00:13, 6 September 2024

Benjamin Franklin

Doctor Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States who was also a pioneering scientist and innovator. (PROSE: The Time Travellers' Almanac) He discovered static electricity and proved that lightning had electrical nature rather than being a fire in the sky. (AUDIO: The Founding Fathers) He had a son named William Franklin. (AUDIO: The Founding Fathers)

Biography[[edit] | [edit source]]

Benjamin Franklin was born in 1706. (PROSE: The Time Travellers' Almanac)

In 1750, Franklin theorised that lightning was a form of electricity and proposed to prove this by flying a kite in a storm. He conducted this experiment two years later, on 15 June 1752, during which he magaed to extract sparks from a cloud. (PROSE: The Time Travellers' Almanac) The Tenth Doctor once claimed to have worked with Franklin on the night he discovered static electricity. He also claimed that he got rope burns from Franklin's kite, soaked and then electrocuted. (TV: Smith and Jones)

The theory led Franklin to invent the lightning rod, a conductor placed on the roofs of tall buildings to attract lightning and divert it from striking other targets. (PROSE: The Time Travellers' Almanac)

The First Doctor, Steven Taylor and Vicki Pallister met Franklin in 1762. They were frequent guests at his lodgings at Mrs Stevenson's. After opening the TARDIS by means of lightning, the Doctor failed to prevent Franklin from entering. The Doctor then pretended not to know how the ship operated and, when Franklin insisted on operating the controls at random, made the console live. The electric shock rendered Franklin unconscious. The Doctor expected that Franklin's memory of the TARDIS would be attributed to shock. (AUDIO: The Founding Fathers)

The Doctor met Franklin and fellow American founding father Alexander Hamilton on 1 July 1789. (COMIC: The Long Con)

For a while, Franklin was the owner of a mysterious living hand. It was later reacquired by Alexander Monro to create a clone of himself: Alexander Monro III. (PROSE: The Many Hands)

Franklin died in 1790. (PROSE: The Time Travellers' Almanac) The Third Doctor considered him to have been a "splendid chap, for [a human]". (AUDIO: Landbound)

Alternate timeline[[edit] | [edit source]]

In a timeline created when the Web of Time was broken, Franklin served as President of the United States. This version of Franklin was a member of the Hellfire Club. (AUDIO: Seasons of Fear, Neverland)

Behind the scenes[[edit] | [edit source]]

  • The comic story Who Was 'Ere!, from The Doctor Who Fun Book, which is not considered a valid source on this Wiki due to its parodical nature, provided an alternate version of the Doctor's involvement in the night of Ben Franklin's experiments with kites and electricity. In this version, it was the Third Doctor who accompanied his friend Ben, and he lent him some rubber-soled shoes after the first electrocution-causing mishap.
  • He was played by Howard Da Silva in the film 1776.