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

By Tim Lambert James Watt was a great Scottish engineer of the 18th century. He did not invent the steam engine. Instead, he greatly improved it. A man named Thomas Savery invented the first primitive steam engine in 1698. A man named Newcomen started making steam engines to pump water from mines in 1712. However,… Continue reading A Brief Biography of James Watt

By Tim Lambert Her Early Life Jane Austen was a great woman novelist of the early 19th century. Jane was born on 16 December 1775 in Steventon Rectory. She was the second daughter of The Reverend George Austen and his wife Cassandra. Apart from her older sister, also called Cassandra. Jane also had 6 brothers.… Continue reading A Brief Biography of Jane Austen

By Tim Lambert Her early Life Joan of Arc was a woman who inspired the French army to win victories in the 15th century. Joan was born about 1412 in the village of Domremy. Her parents were fairly well-off peasants and as a girl, Joan helped her mother around the house. She would have learned… Continue reading A Brief Biography of Joan of Arc

By Tim Lambert The early life of Kepler Johannes Kepler was one of the great astronomers of the 17th century. Kepler was born in Weil der Stadt in southern Germany on 27 December 1571. His father Heinrich was a mercenary soldier. Johannes’s family was poor but in 1588 he won a scholarship to study theology… Continue reading A Brief Biography of Johannes Kepler

By Tim Lambert His Early Life John Dalton was a great scientist of the early 19th century. He is famous for his theory of atoms. Dalton was born on 6 September 1766 in Eaglesfield, Cumbria, England. His father, Joseph Dalton was a weaver. His mother was called Deborah and the couple had 4 children. John… Continue reading A Brief Biography of John Dalton

By Tim Lambert His Early Life John Keats was one of England’s greatest poets. He was born in London on 31 October 1795. His father Thomas Keats was an innkeeper. His mother was called Frances. The couple had 5 children. In 1803 John Keats went to Clarke’s School in Enfield. However, in 1804 tragedy struck… Continue reading A Brief Biography of John Keats

By Tim Lambert His Early Life John Milton was a great English writer of the 17th Century. Milton was also a great believer in liberty. Milton was born in Bread Street in London on 9 December 1608. His father also called John was a scrivener (a man who wrote contracts and other legal documents). His… Continue reading A Brief Biography of John Milton

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 Brief 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 Brief Biography of Joseph Lister

By Tim Lambert His Early Life Joseph Priestley was a great chemist of the 18th century. Priestley was born in Yorkshire on 24 March 1733. He was one of 6 children. Joseph could not go to university because he was a dissenter (a Protestant who did not belong to the Church of England). Instead in… Continue reading A Brief Biography of Joseph Priestley