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

By Tim Lambert His early life Robert Boyle was one of the great 17th century scientists. He was an outstanding chemist. Robert Boyle was born on 25 January 1627. Robert was the 7th son of Richard Boyle the first Earl of Cork and his wife Catherine (who died in 1630). In 1635 when he was… Continue reading A Biography of Robert Boyle

By Tim Lambert Thomas Hardy was a great British writer of the 19th century. Thomas was born in the village of Higher Bockhampton, Dorset on 2 June 1840. His father, also called Thomas was a stonemason. His mother was named Jemima. They had 4 children. (Thomas had a brother and two sisters). Thomas was the… Continue reading A Biography of Thomas Hardy

By Tim Lambert His Early Life Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the USA. He was born on 13 April 1743 in Albemarle County, Virginia. His father Peter was a wealthy landowner. His mother was called Jane. However, his father died when he was 14 leaving him a substantial amount of land. In 1760… Continue reading A Biography of Thomas Jefferson

By Tim Lambert His Early Life Thomas More was an English statesman and writer of the early 16th century. Thomas More was born on 7 February 1478 in Milk Street in London. (At that time London was a bustling town of perhaps 60,000 or 70,000 people). His father, John More was a lawyer and the… Continue reading A Biography of Thomas More

By Tim Lambert His Early Life Tycho Brahe was one of the great astronomers of the 16th century. He lived before the telescope was invented yet he made very accurate observations of the positions of stars. Tycho Brahe was born on Knudstrup on 14 December 1546. (It was then part of n but it is… Continue reading A Biography of Tycho Brahe

By Tim Lambert His Early Life William Blake was a famous poet, painter, and engraver of the late 18th century and early 19th century. Blake was a radical, anti-authority figure. William Blake was born at 28 Broad Street in Soho, London on 28 November 1757. His father James Blake was a hosier. He and his… Continue reading A Biography of William Blake

By Tim Lambert His Early Life William Herschel was one of the great astronomers of the 18th century. He was born Friedrich Wilhelm in Hanover, Germany on 15 November 1738. He was one of 10 children, of whom 6 survived. His father was a musician and Herschel followed in his footsteps. When he was 14… Continue reading A Biography of William Herschel

By Tim Lambert His Early Life William Shakespeare was baptized on 26 April 1564. We don’t know the exact date of his birth but in the 16th century, it was normal for babies to be baptised within a few days of their birth (because so many died). Shakespeare was born the same year as Christopher… Continue reading A Biography of William Shakespeare

By Tim Lambert His Early Life William the Conqueror was born about 1028. He was the son of Robert I Duke of Normandy. His father died in 1035. At first, William was too young to rule but as he grew older he took control of Normandy. In 1053 he married a woman named Matilda of… Continue reading A Biography of William the Conqueror

By Tim Lambert The Early Life of Tyndale William Tyndale was a great man of the 16th century. Little is known about his childhood. Tyndale was born about 1494 in Gloucestershire. He came from a family of landowners and wool merchants. We also know that Tyndale had two brothers. The family was well off and… Continue reading A Biography of William Tyndale