Category: Brief histories of famous people across the world and ages

By Tim Lambert Christine de Pizan was a great woman writer of the Middle Ages. Her father Tommaso was a famous academic and she was born in Italy in about 1363. When she was an infant Christine and her family moved to France, where her father was employed by the French king. In 1379 Christine… Continue reading A Biography of Christine de Pizan

By Tim Lambert The early life of Christopher Marlowe Christopher Marlowe was a great Elizabethan playwright. He was baptised in Canterbury, Kent on 26 February 1564. The exact date of his birth is not certain but he was born the same year as William Shakespeare during the reign of Elizabeth I. His father John Marlowe… Continue reading A Biography of Christopher Marlowe

By Tim Lambert Edmund Halley was a great astronomer of the late 17th century and early 18th century. Edmund was born in London on 8 November 1656. His father was a wealthy soap-maker. Edmund went to St Paul’s School. In 1673 he went to Oxford University. He left there in 1676 and sailed to the… Continue reading A Biography of Edmund Halley

By Tim Lambert His Early Life Edward Jenner was an English doctor famous for his role in defeating smallpox. (In the 18th century smallpox was a terrible disease that killed many people. Even if the patient survived they were often scarred.) Jenner was born on 17 May 1749 in Berkeley in Gloucestershire, England. He was… Continue reading A Biography of Edward Jenner

By Tim Lambert Enid Blyton was a famous writer of children’s books. Enid was born on 11 August 1897 in East Dulwich, London. Her father, Thomas Blyton was a salesman. Her mother was called Theresa. Enid had two younger brothers. Unfortunately in 1910, her father left the family for another woman. From 1907 Enid went… Continue reading A Biography of Enid Blyton

By Tim Lambert Ernest Shackleton was a great polar explorer. Ernest was born on 15 February 1874 in County Kildare, Ireland. His father, Henry was a farmer. His mother was called Henrietta. Ernest was the second of ten children. Ernest’s father gave up farming and trained to be a doctor. He moved with his family… Continue reading A Biography of Ernest Shackleton

By Tim Lambert Her Early Life Florence Nightingale was born in the city of Florence, Italy on 12 May 1820. She was the second daughter of wealthy parents (her elder sister was called Parthenope). When she was young Florence was very interested in mathematics. She was also a devout Christian and when she was 17… Continue reading A Biography of Florence Nightingale

By Tim Lambert His Early Life Geoffrey Chaucer was a great English writer of the 14th century. Chaucer was born between 1340 and 1343 but we don’t know the exact date. His father was a wine merchant in London. Little is known about the early life of Geoffrey Chaucer. He was first recorded in the… Continue reading A Biography of Geoffrey Chaucer

By Tim Lambert His Early Life George Orwell was one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. He was born Eric Arthur Blair on 25 June 1903 in India. His father was a colonial civil servant and the family was middle class but not particularly well off. However, when Orwell was only a year… Continue reading A Biography of George Orwell

By Tim Lambert George Vancouver was a great navigator of the 18th century. He was born in Fincham Street in the town of Kings Lynn in Norfolk, England on 22 June 1757. His father, John Vancouver was deputy collector of customs in Kings Lynn. As the son of a well-to-do man George probably attended Kings… Continue reading A Biography of George Vancouver