By Tim Lambert Bess of Hardwick was a very rich woman in 16th century England. She was born Elizabeth Hardwick in the autumn of 1527 (the exact date is not known) in the village of Hardwick in Derbyshire. Her father was John Hardwick, a moderately prosperous landowner, and her mother was also called Elizabeth. She… Continue reading A Brief Biography of Bess of Hardwick
Category: Articles
A Brief Biography of Queen Mary
By Tim Lambert Mary Tudor was Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon’s daughter. Mary was born on 18 February 1516. As a child, she was well-educated. However, her mother lost favor with her father. In 1525 Mary was sent to Ludlow to preside over the Council of Wales. She was recalled from Wales in 1528.… Continue reading A Brief Biography of Queen Mary
A Biography of Margery Kempe
By Tim Lambert Margery Kempe was an English mystic of the Middle Ages. She is famous for her autobiography. Margery was born in Kings Lynn 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… Continue reading A Biography of Margery Kempe
A Brief Biography of Joan of Arc
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
A Brief Biography of Julian of Norwich
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 Brief Biography of Julian of Norwich
A Brief Biography of Florence Nightingale
By Tim Lambert Her Early Life Florence Nightingale was born in the city of Florence, Italy on 12 May 1820. She was the second daughter of wealthy parents (her elder sister was called Parthenope). When she was young Florence was very interested in mathematics. She was also a devout Christian and when she was 17… Continue reading A Brief Biography of Florence Nightingale
A Brief History of Public Health
By Tim Lambert Ancient Public Health In the ancient world, public health was often surprisingly advanced. Stone Age farmers lived in a village at Skara Brae in the Orkney Islands about 3,000 BC. Some of their stone huts had drains built under them and some houses had cubicles over the drains. It’s believed they were… Continue reading A Brief History of Public Health
A History of Surgery
By Tim Lambert Ancient Surgery Surgery was invented in the Stone Age. Some adults had holes cut in their skulls. At least sometimes, people survived the ‘operation’ because the bone grew back. We do not know the purpose of the ‘operation’. Perhaps it was performed on people with head injuries to release pressure on the… Continue reading A History of Surgery
A Brief History of Washing
By Tim Lambert Washing in the Ancient World The Egyptians are known for their cleanliness (they bathed frequently) and they used many cosmetics. Meanwhile in Babylon before 2,000 BC a form of soap was made. The Greeks knew that diet, exercise and keeping clean were important for health. The Greeks even invented a form of… Continue reading A Brief History of Washing
A History of Toilets
By Tim Lambert Toilets in the Ancient World In the ancient world, people were capable of designing quite sophisticated toilets. Stone Age farmers lived in a village at Skara Brae in the Orkney Islands. Some of their stone huts had drains built under them, and some houses had cubicles over the drains. They may have… Continue reading A History of Toilets