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

By Tim Lambert The early life of Newton Isaac Newton was born at Woolsthorpe near Grantham in Lincolnshire, England on 4 January 1643. His father died before he was born and in 1645 his mother married a clergyman from North Welham in Leicestershire. She went to live with him while Isaac Newton lived with his… Continue reading A Brief Biography of Isaac Newton

By Tim Lambert Isambard Kingdom Brunel was born in Portsea, Portsmouth on 9 April 1806. His father Isambard Marc Brunel was also an engineer. He was born in France in 1769 but he fled abroad in 1793 during the French Revolution. In 1799 he married Sophia Kingdom and they had 3 children, Sophia, Isambard, and Emma. Isambard… Continue reading A Brief Biography of Isambard Kingdom Brunel

By Tim Lambert James Simpson was born on 7 June 1811 in the village of Bathgate in Linlithgowshire, Scotland. His parents were the village bakers and he was one of 7 children. However, his mother died when he was 9 years old. James Simpson attended the parish school then when he was 14 he went… Continue reading A Brief Biography of James Simpson

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 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 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 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 Brief Biography of John Wesley