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

By Tim Lambert His Early Life John Wesley was a famous preacher of the 18th century. He helped to found the Methodist movement. John Wesley was born on 28 June in the village of Epworth in Lincolnshire. His father was Samuel Wesley and his mother was Susanna. In 1714 John was sent to Charterhouse School.… Continue reading A Biography of John Wesley

By Tim Lambert John Wycliffe was a famous preacher of the Middle Ages. He was born in the North of England but we do not know the exact year (it was around 1328). John Wycliffe was educated at Oxford University and he soon became famous there for his learning and his skill in debate. In… Continue reading A Biography of John Wycliffe

By Tim Lambert Joseph Lister is famous as the surgeon who invented antiseptic surgery. Lister was born on 5 April 1827 in Upton in Essex. He was one of 7 children and his father was a wine merchant. The Lister family were Quakers. At the age of 11, Joseph Lister was sent to school in… Continue reading A Biography of Joseph Lister

By Tim Lambert Her Early Life Julian of Norwich 1342-1416 was a great Christian mystic and writer of the Middle Ages, but little is known about her. It is a myth that women were unimportant in the Middle Ages. Some women like Julian certainly did have influence. However, we know very little about her life.… Continue reading A Biography of Julian of Norwich

By Tim Lambert His Early Life King John was born in December 1166 or 1167. John was a younger son of Henry II and he was not expected to become king. His father conquered Ireland and in 1185 John was sent to that country. The expedition was a failure and John returned to England in… Continue reading A Biography of King John

By Tim Lambert King Richard I was born in 1157 in Oxford. His father was Henry II and his mother was Eleanor of Aquitaine. Richard was an educated man. In 1172 he became Duke of Aquitaine. In 1183 his older brother Henry died and he became heir to the throne of England. Richard succeeded his… Continue reading A Biography of King Richard I

By Tim Lambert Lady Jane Grey was Queen of England for just nine days. She was born in 1537 (the exact date is not known). Her father, Henry, was the Marquess of Dorset. Her mother, Frances Brandon, was the daughter of Henry VIII’s sister Mary. So Lady Jane was Henry VIII’s granddaughter. At first, she… Continue reading A Biography of Lady Jane Grey

By Tim Lambert Her Early Life Margaret Fell helped to found the Quakers. Margaret was born in Dalton in Furness in Lancashire in 1614 (the exact date is not known. Her father was John Askew, a well-off landowner. In 1632 Margaret married a barrister called Thomas Fell. Her husband later became a judge and an… Continue reading A Biography of Margaret Fell

By Tim Lambert Margery Kempe was an English mystic of the Middle Ages. She is famous for her autobiography. Margery was born in n in 1373. Her father was a wealthy merchant. At that time Kings Lynn was a large and important town and port. When she grew up Margery married a merchant named John… Continue reading A Biography of Margery Kempe