By Tim Lambert The Cathars were a religious sect that flourished in Southern France and Northern Italy in the 12th and 13th centuries. (They became very common after about 1140). The name Cathar comes from the Greek Kathori, meaning pure ones. In France, they were called Albigensians after the town of Albi. The Cathars were… Continue reading A History of The Cathars
Category: Articles
A Biography of Geoffrey Chaucer
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
A Biography of Millicent Garrett Fawcett
By Tim Lambert Her Early Life Millicent Garrett Fawcett was a famous suffragist. She was born on 11 June 1847 in Aldeburgh, Suffolk. Her father Newson Garrett was a merchant. His wife was named Louisa. The couple had ten children. Millicent was eighth. When she was 12 Millicent was sent to a private school in… Continue reading A Biography of Millicent Garrett Fawcett
A Biography of Henry Cavendish
By Tim Lambert His Early Life Henry Cavendish was one of the great scientists of the 18th century. Cavendish was born on 10 October 1731 in Nice in France. He was born into a rich family. His father was Lord Charles Cavendish, who was himself a noted scientist. Henry’s family moved to London in 1738… Continue reading A Biography of Henry Cavendish
A Biography of Edmund Halley
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
A Biography of Captain Scott
By Tim Lambert The early life of Scott Robert Falcon Scott was a great Antarctic explorer. He is sometimes called Scott of the Antarctic. However, he died tragically in 1912. Robert Scott was born on 6 June 1868 in Devon. He was one of 6 children. His father was a brewer and the family was… Continue reading A Biography of Captain Scott
A Biography of George Orwell
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
Tudor Children
By Tim Lambert Tudor Babies Many people born in Tudor Times did not survive childhood. Perhaps 25% of children died before their 5th birthday and as many as 40% died before their 16th birthday. When a child was born it was washed in warm water and then to keep it warm it was rubbed with… Continue reading Tudor Children
The Origin of London Place Names
By Tim Lambert Acton Acton comes from ac tun meaning oak farm or village Barking Barking was Berica ingas, which means Berica’s people Barnet Barnet is derived from the Saxon word baernet, meaning a burned place, from the days when people cleared land for farming by burning trees. Battersea An eg was an island or… Continue reading The Origin of London Place Names
A History of Tudor Theatre
By Tim Lambert In the Middle Ages, plays for ordinary people were often religious. They were based on Bible stories or were meant to teach the people Christian values. The actors were usually amateurs and plays were performed on carts or wagons. They were financed by craftsmen’s guilds. However, in Tudor times theatre became separated… Continue reading A History of Tudor Theatre