Sir William Francis Patrick Napier was a British soldier. He was born in 1785 and died in 1860. The brother of Sir Charles Napier the conqueror of Scinde, at the age of fourteen he entered the army, served at the siege of Copenhagen, and with his brothers Charles and George took a distinguished part in the Peninsular campaigns, became lieutenant-colonel in 1813, and colonel in 1830. Some years after the conclusion of peace he commenced his celebrated History of the Peninsular War, the publication of which began in 1828, and extended over the intermediate period until 1840. In 1841 ColonelNapier was advanced to the rank of major-general; he was appointed lieutenant-governor of Guernsey the following year, and in 1848 created a KCB. He also wrote History of the Conquest of Scinde, History of the Administration of Scinde, Life of Sir Charles James Napier, etc. Research William Napier
William Nelson was an American soldier. He was born in 1835 at Kentucky and died in 1862. He organized several regiments in 1861. He commanded a division at Shiloh and Richmond. He commanded Louisville when threatened by General Bragg in 1862. He was shot in an altercation with General J C Davis. Research William Nelson
William Smith O'Brien was an Irish nationalist. He was born in 1803 and died in 1864. He entered parliament in 1826, and subsequently joined the Young Ireland group of politicians, and advocated the use of physical force. In an endeavour in 1848 to effect a rising in Tipperary, he was surrounded, arrested, tried by special commission at Clonmel, and sentenced to death, but in the end this was commuted to transportation. He was freed in 1854, and fully pardoned in 1856. Research William O'Brien
William of Malmesbury was an English historian. He was born about 1075 probably in Somerset and died about 1143. He received his education at the BenedictineAbbey of Malmesbury, and subsequently became librarian and precentor of the abbey. His De Gestis Regum Anglorum is a general history of England, from the arrival of the Saxons in 449 to 1128; he also wrote a history from that year to 1143; De Gestis Pontificum Anglorum: Antiquities of Glastonbury; etc. All his works are highly esteemed as trustworthy chronicles. Research William of Malmesbury
William of Occam was a mediaeval controversialist. He was known as the Venerabilis Inceptor and Doctor Invincibilis. Born about the end of the thirteenth century, probably at Ockham, in Surrey, he was educated at Oxford and afterwards went to the University of Paris. He became a Franciscan, and his attitude on the question of evangelical poverty led to a controversy with PopeJohn XXII. He was seized and imprisoned at Avignon, but escaped in 1328, and was cordially received by Louis the Bavarian in Italy. He was excommunicated, and spent the rest of his life at Louis' court, engaged in constant polemical warfare against the papal authority. In 1342 he became general of the Franciscans, and about 1349 he died at Munich. Occam is regarded as the second founder of nominalism, for which he secured a final victory over realism, and he was a forerunner of the Reformation. Several Latin works by him are extant. Research William of Occam
William of Wykeham was an English divine. He was born in 1324 at Wykeham, Hampshire and died in 1404. He received a liberal education from the lord of the manor of Wykeham, and was afterwards recommended by him to the notice of Edward III. Having taken holy orders he was elevated to the rich see of Winchester, and in 1367 was appointed to the chancellorship of England. In 1387 he founded the famous public school or college at Winchester, and about the same time a college at Oxford, later called New College. In the last years of his life he rebuilt WinchesterCathedral. Research William of Wykeham
William Oldys was an English bibliographer. He was in 1687 or 1696 and died in 1761. He was appointed librarian to the Earl of Oxford; remained ten years in this nobleman's service, and in 1755 was appointed Norroy king-at-arms by the Duke of Norfolk. The works by which he is best known are the British Librarian, a bibliographical treatise, and a Life of Sir Walter Raleigh, prefixed to his History of the World published in 1738. Research William Oldys
Sir William Quilleb Orchardson was a British genre and portrait painter. He was born at Edinburgh in 1835 and died in 1910. He settled in London in 1863 and was knighted in 1907.
He painted portraits and exhibited in the RSA until 1863, when he moved to London. He became an associate of the Royal Academy in 1868, and full academician in 1879. He was among the first of the British incident painters, a fine colourist, and most of his works were skilfully dramatic and picturesque. Among his more notable pictures are The Challenge, Christopher Sly, The Queen of the Swords, Napoleon on Board the Bellerophon, Un Mariage de Convenance, Salon of Mme. Recamier, The First Cloud, and The Young Duke. Research William Orchardson
Sir William Osler was a Canadian physician and author. He was born in 1849 and died in 1919. He studied at Montreal, London, Berlin and Vienna and became professor of medicine at Oxford in 1905, a post he held until his death. He wrote 'Principles and Practice of Medicine'. Research William Osler
William Cotton Oswell was an English explorer. He was born in 1818 at Leytonstone and died in 1893. He spent ten years from 1837 to 1847 as an official of the East India Company in Madras. Then he made successful expeditions into the regions north of the Cape Colony. He organised the transport and commissariat for Livingstone's expedition and shared in the expedition to the Zambezi in 1851. During the Crimean War he worked in the hospitals. Research William Oswell
William Paca was an American politician. He was born in 1740 and died in 1799. He opposed all taxation of the colonies by England. He was a member of, the Maryland Legislature from 1771 to 1774. He represented Maryland in the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1779 and signed the American Declaration of Independence. He was a State Senator from 1777 to 1779, Judge of the Federal Court of Appeals from 1780 until 1783, and Governor of Maryland from 1783 until 1786. He was US Judge for the District of Maryland from 1789 to 1799. Research William Paca
William Page was an American artist. He was born in 1811 at Albany and died in 1885. He won great distinction for his portrait-painting. He was also famous as a colourist, and was an accurate draughtsman. Research William Page
William Paley was an English theologian. He was born in 1743 at peterborough and died in 1805. In 1782 In 1758 he became a sizar of Christ's College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA as first wrangler in 1763. In 1766 he took his degree of MA, and became a fellow and tutor of his college. In the following year he was ordained. In 1776 he married and gave up his fellowship. In 1780 he became prebendary of Carlisle, and in 1785 chancellor of the diocese. In 1794 he was made prebendary of St Paul's and sub-dean of Lincoln; and in 1795 he received the rectory of Bishop-Wearmouth. He also received in this year the degree of DD from Cambridge University. His chief works are: The Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy (1785); Horae Pauliae; (1790); A View of the Evidences of Christianity (1794); Natural Theology, or Evidences of the Existence and Attributes of the Deity collected from the Appearance of Nature (1802), founded on a work by Nieuwentyt, a Dutch philosopher. As a writer he had little claim to originality, but was distinguished by clearness and cogency of reasoning, lucidity of arrangement, and force of illustration. His system of moral philosophy is founded purely on utilitarianism. Research William Paley
William Gifford Palgrave was an English missionary and diplomat. He was born in 1826 at London and died in
1888. A son of Sir Francis Palgrave he was Educated at Oxford, and from 1847 to 1853 served in the Bombay Light Infantry. He then became a Roman Catholic, was ordained a priest, joined the Jesuits and engaged in missionary labours in India and Syria. In 1862 he undertook for Napoleon III a jouiney through Central and Eastern Arabia. He subsequently left the Jesuits, entered the diplomatic service, and married. He acted as British consul at various places until 1876. He was appointed consul-general in Bulgaria in 1878, in Siam (Thailand) in 1879, and in 1884 minister resident and consul-general in Uruguay. His literary works include Personal Narrative of a Year's Journey through Central and Eastern Arabia (1872); Hermann Agha, a story (1872); Alkamah's Cave (1875); and Dutch Guiana (1876). Research William Palgrave
Sir William Palliser was a British soldier. He was born in 1830 at Dublin 1830 and died in 1882. After passing through the Staff College at Sandhurst he obtained a commission in the RifleBrigade in 1855. He was subsequently transferred to the Hussars, and retired from the army in 1871. He was the inventor of projectiles and guns which bear his name, and was the author of many improvements in fortifications, etc. He was knighted in 1873. Research William Palliser
Sir William Parker was a British sailor. He was born in 1781 and died in 1866, entered the naval service, greatly distinguished himself by the capture of the Belle Poule, a French frigate, and in 1809 made himself master of the citadel of Ferrol. In 1841 he took command of the fleet operating against China; forced the entrance of the Yang-tse-kiang, and appeared before Nanking, where terms of peace were agreed upon. A baronetcy was conferred upon him in 1844; in 1851 he was appointed admiral of the blue, and in 1863 admiral of the fleet. Research William Parker
Sir William Edward Parry was an English sailor. He was born in 1790 at Bath and died in 1855. He joined the navy in 1803, became lieutenant in 1810, took part in the successful expedition up the Connecticut River in 1813, and continued on the North American station until 1817. In the following year he was appointed commander of the Alexander in an expedition to the Arctic regions under Sir John Ross, and during the succeeding nine years he commanded various expeditions on his own account in efforts to find a north-west passage, and to reach the north pole. He afterwards filled various government situations, became rear-admiral of the white, lieutenant-governor of GreenwichHospital, and received the honour of knighthood. He published several volumes, in which he narrated his voyages and adventures. Research William Parry
William Parsons, the third earl of Rosse, was an English astronomer. He was born in 1800 at York and died in 1867. He was member of parliament for King's County, Ireland from 1823 to 1834, but resigned to devote time to improving reflecting telescopes. In 1827 he constructed a telescope, the speculum of which had a diameter of three feet, and the success and scientific value of this instrument induced him to attempt to cast a speculum twice as large. His great telescope was erected at Parsonstown in King's County in 1845 with a huge speculum, weighing three tons, without warp or flaw. This telescope cost 30,000 pounds to erect, was 54 feet in length with a tube seven feet in diameter. A series of cranks, swivels, and pulleys enables this huge instrument to be handled almost with as much ease as telescopes of ordinary size. The sphere of observation was immensely widened by Lord Posse's instrument, which was chiefly used in observations the of nebulas. Research William Parsons
William Paterson was a cottish financier and the founder of the Bank of England. He was born in 1665 at Dumfriesshire and died in 1719. He went through England as a pedlar, settled for a time at Bristol and subsequently resided in the Bahama Islands. Returning to London he successfully engaged in trade, and in 1694 proposed and founded the Bank of England, being one of its first directors. Before this time he had conceived the project of founding a free emporium of trade in Darien, and in 1695 he obtained the sanction of a Scottish act of parliament constituting the Darien Company. After the failure of this great scheme he returned to England, broken in health and fortune. When the Treaty of Union between England and Scotland was concluded in 1707, William Paterson, who was one of its warmest advocates, after much difficulty received an indemnity of 18,000 pounds for the losses he had sustained. William Paterson was a great financial genius, but most of his views - such as his advocacy of free-trade - were far in advance of his time. Research William Paterson
William Paterson was an American politician and jurist. He was born in 1745 and died in 1806. He was a New Jersey Delegate to the Continental Congress from 1780 to 1781. He was a member of the Federal Convention of 1787, and proposed the preservation of State sovereignty, in what was called the New Jersey Plan. He was a US Senator from 1789 to 1790, Governor of New Jersey from 1791 to 1793, and a Justice of the US Supreme Court from 1793 to 1806. Research William Paterson 2
William Penn was an English Quaker and the founder of Pennsylvania. He was born in 1644 at London and died in 1718. The son of Admiral Penn he was educated at Oxford where he joined the new sect of Quakers, and was expelled from the university. For a few years he traveled in France and Italy, and became a court favorite in England. From this life he turned to become a minister of the Society of Friends. This step led to a break with his father, to imprisonment in the Tower of London, in Newgate Prison and to other persecutions. He was aided, however, by his friendship with the Duke of York.
William Penn wrote numerous tracts and theological works, 'No Cross, no Crown' among others. He had already sent many emigrants to America, when in 1681 Charles II gave him an extensive grant. He sailed to his new possession in 1683, laid out the city of Philadelphia and negotiated the famous treaty with the Indians under the elm tree. He returned to England in 1684, and had considerable influence at court after his friend came to the throne as James II.
He was deprived of his government in 1693, but it was restored two years later. A visit to his colony in 1699 resulted in improving the condition of affairs. The new commonwealth had from the first a more tolerant basis than its neighbors. William Penn returned to England after a few years. In the latter part of his life he became involved in difficulties and passed some time in the Fleet Prison. Research William Penn
William Pennington was an American politician. He was born in 1796 and died in 1862. He was Governor of New Jersey from 1837 to 1842. In 1839 occurred the Broad Seal War, arising from his issuing commissions under the great seal of the State to five Democratic Congressmen whose election was contested by the Whigs and whose votes would determine the Speakership of the US Congress. He was a Republican US Congressman from 1859 to 1861 and Speaker. Research William Pennington
Sir William Pepperrell was an American jurist, politician and soldier. He was born in 1696 and died in 1759. He was a member of the Massachusetts Legislature in 1726, and in 1737 became a member of the council. He was Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas from 1730 to 1759. In 1745 he was active in procuring men and supplies for an expedition against the French in Canada. He commanded the force that captured Louisbourg and was made a baronet. He was active in raising and equipping troops during the French War of 1755, and commanded the forces on the frontier of Maine and New Hampshire Research William Pepperrell
William Matthew Flinders Petrie was an English Egyptologist. He was born in 1853. Educated privately, during the five years 1875-1980 he carried out investigations in British archaeology, the results being published in the works Inductive Metrology (1877), and Stonehenge: Plans, Description, and Theories (1880). Proceeding to Egypt, he made a careful survey in 1881-1882 of the Pyramids of Gizeh, and in 1884-1886 continued his work under the auspices of the Egypt Exploration Fund Committee. He excavated the site of Tanis, and discovered and excavated Naukratis, Am, and Daphnse. From that date until the start of the 20th century he continued his explorations of ancient sites with excellent results, and put forth in a considerable number of works. Among his publications may be mentioned: A Season in Egypt (1888); Historical Scarabs (1889);
Ten Years' Digging in Egypt (1893); A History of Ancient Egypt (1894-1905); Egyptian Decorative Art (1895); Religion and Conscience in Ancient Egypt (1898); Syria and Egypt (1898); and Methods and Aims in Archaeology (1904). In 1892 he was awarded the Edwards professorship of Egyptology in University College, London, and he received the honorary degrees of DCL, LLD, LittD, and PhD. Research William Petrie
Sir William Petty was an English statistician and political economist. He was born in 1623 at Romsey, Hampshire and died in 1687. He was educated in his native town and in Normandy; served for a time in the navy; studied medicine at Utrecht, Leyden, and Paris; came to Oxford, and was in 1649 elected a fellow of Brasenose. He became professor of anatomy in 1651 and in the following year joined the army in Ireland as a physician. Here he was appointed surveyor of the forfeited Irish estates in 1654, and produced the Down Survey of Irish Lands. He became secretary to Henry Cromwell, the lord-lieutenant and in 1658 entered parliament. He wrote a Treatise of Taxes and Contributions. Research William Petty
William Walter Phelps was an American politician. He was born in 1839 and died in 1894. He represented New Jersey in the US Congress as a Republican from 1873 to 1875. He was Minister to Austria from 1881 to 1882. He was a US Congressman from 1883 to 1889, when he became Minister to Germany and served until 1893. He was known as a staunchsupporter of a protective tariff. Research William Phelps
William Phillips was a British soldier. He was born in 1731 and died in 1781. He was appointed a major-general in the British army in America in 1776. He commanded at St John until 1777, when he became second in command to Burgoyne at Montreal. By his skill and energy as an artilleryman he forced the evacuation of Ticonderoga by General St Clair. He was prominent in the two Saratoga battles, and succeeded Burgoyne in the command of the surrendered troops. He was promoted lieutenant-general in 1780. In 1781 he joined General Benedict Arnold with 2000 men and assumed command. He died of typhoid fever soon afterwards. Research William Phillips
Sir William Phips was a British sailor. He was born in 1651 and died in 1695. He was engaged in trade and in 1687 recovered 300,000 pounds from a wrecked Spanish vessel. In 1690 he commanded the expedition which captured Port Royal and made an unsuccessful attempt to reduce Quebec with a naval force of thirty-four vessels and about 2000 men. While in England in 1692 he was appointed Governor of Massachusetts. He was prominent in the 'suppression of witchcraft'. He died while visiting England to answer charges against him. Research William Phips
William Pitt (Earl of Chatham) was an English politician. He was born in 1708 and died in 1778. The son of Robert Pitt of Boconnoc, in Cornwall, he was educated at Eton and Oxford. He entered parliament as Whig member for the borough of Old Sarum (which was the property of his family), and soon attracted notice as a powerful opponent of Walpole. In spite of the king's dislike William Pitt was powerful enough to win a place in the administration of 1746, first as vice-treasurer of Ireland, and afterwards as paymaster-general.
In 1756 he became secretary of state and real head of the government. Dismissed in 1757 on account of his opposition to the king's Hanoverian policy, no stable administration could be formed without him, and he returned to power the same year in conjunction with the Duke of Newcastle. It was under this administration and entirely under the inspiration of William Pitt that Britain rose to a place amongst the nations she had not before occupied. Wolfe and Clive, both stimulated and supported in their great designs by William Pitt, won Canada and India from the French, and the support the Great Commoner gave Frederick of Prussia contributed not a little to the destruction of French predominance in Europe.
The accession of George III brought LordBute into power, and William Pitt, disagreeing with Bute, resigned in 1761. In 1766 he strongly advocated conciliatory measures towards the American colonies, and undertook the same year to form an administration, going to the House of Lords as Earl of Chatham. But the ministry was not a success, and in 1768 he resigned. After this his principal work was his appeals for a conciliatory policy towards the colonies. But his advice was disregarded, and the colonies declared themselves independent in 1776. After his death, William Pitt received a public funeral and a magnificentmonument in WestminsterAbbey. The character of William Pitt was marked by integrity, disinterestedness, and patriotism. With great oratorical gifts and the insight of a great statesman he had liberal and elevated sentiments; but he was haughty and showed too marked a consciousness of his own superiority. Research William Pitt
William Pitt (known as the younger) was an English politician. He was born in 1759 and died in 1906. The second son of the Earl of Chatham he possessed a remarkably precocious intellect, but his physical powers were weak. He was educated privately until he was fourteen years old, when he entered Cambridge. He was called to the bar in 1780, and entered parliament the following year as member for Appleby.
His success in the house was of unparalleled rapidity. He supported Burke's financial reform bill, and spoke in favour of parliamentary reform; became chancellor of the exchequer at twenty-three, under the Earl of Shelburne, and in the following year attained the position of prime minister. Although strongly supported by the sovereign, he stood opposed to a large majority of the House of Commons, and a dissolution took place in March 1786. At the general election which followed the voice of the nation appeared decidedly in his favour, and some of the strongest aristocratical interests in the country were defeated, William Pitt himself being returned by the University of Cambridge. His first measure was the passing of his India Bill, establishing the board of control, which was followed by much of that fiscal and financial regulation that gave so much eclat to the early period of his administration.
The establishment of the delusive scheme of a sinking fund followed in 1786, and his Regency Bill in 1788. The French revolution now broke out, and in 1793 war arose between Great Britain and France, a conflict which brought a heavyresponsibility on William Pitt, and immense sacrifices and burdens on his country. In 1800 the Irish union was accomplished. In 1801 the opposition of the king to all further concession to the Irish Catholics caused William Pitt to resign his post.
The Peace of Amiens succeeded; and the Addington administration, which concluded it, William Pitt supported for a time, and then joined the opposition. The new minister, who had renewed the war, unable to maintain his ground, resigned; and in 1804 William Pitt resumed his post at the treasury. Returning to power as a war minister, he exerted all the energy of his character to render the contest successful, and found means to engage the two great military powers of Russia and Austria in a new coalition, which was dissolved by the Battle of Austerlitz. This event he did not survive long; his constitution, weakened by hereditary gout, rapidly yielded to the joint attack of disease and anxiety.
Biographers naturally differ as to his merits as a statesman; some assign him a most exalted place, while others represent him as entirely destitute of great ideas, as a man of expedients instead of principles, as a lover of place and royal favour. It is, however, universally granted that he was a distinguished orator, even amongst the very eminent speakers of that period, and that he was a man of strict personal honour. A public funeral was decreed to his honour by parliament, and a grant of 40,000 pounds to pay his debts. Research William Pitt 2
William Hickling Prescott was an American historian. He was born 1796 at Salem, Massachusetts and died in 1859. His father was a lawyer, the son of Colonel William Prescott, who commanded the American forces at the battle of Bunker Hill. In 1811 he entered Harvard College, and graduated in 1814.
While at college he met with an accident to his left eye, completely depriving him of its use for ever afterwards, and rendering the other eventually so weak that during the latter half of his life he could scarcely use it. After two years spent in travelling through England, France, and Italy, chiefly for health, he returned to his native country, where he married, and set himself assiduously to literary labour. The earliest fruits of this were contributions to the North American Review; and for many years his only productions were essays and magazine articles.
Acquaintance with Spanish literature, which he began to cultivate in 1824, led him to attempt his first great work on Spanish history, the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella, published 1837. It was received with enthusiasm both in America and Europe; was rapidly translated into French, Spanish, and German; and its author was elected a member of the Royal Academy at Madrid.
William Prescott's next work was the History of the Conquest of Mexico, with a Preliminary View of the Ancient Mexican Civilization, and the Life of the Conqueror Hernando Cortez, which appeared in 1843, and was received with an equal degree of favour. In 1847 he published the History of the Conquest of Peru, with a Preliminary View of the Civilization of the Incas. In 1855 the first two volumes of the long-expected History of the Reign of Philip II, King of Spain, appeared, and proved to the public equally acceptable with William Prescott's former works. In 1858 was published a third volume; but the sudden death of the author from apoplexy put a stop to his labours. Prescott affords a remarkable instance of the success of indomitable industry and perseverance, carried out in spite of the affliction of partial and latterly almost total blindness. Research William Prescott
William Price was a Welsh doctor and the pioneer of cremation. He was born in 1800 and died in 1893. An avid opponent of inoculation, vivisection, orthodox religion and the law he was also renowned as a skilled physician and doctor. Following his arrest for cremating the body of his young son in 1884 he was able to show that he had not transgressed the law, and so established the legality of cremation in Britain, which was formalised with the 1902 Cremation Act. Research William Price
William Prynne was an English politician and controversial writer. He was born in 1600 at Swanswick, Somerset and died in 1669. He was educated at Oxford, where he took his degree in 1620. He then moved to Lincoln's Inn, where he became a barrister, and in 1627 began with Puritan severity to attack prevailing fashions. For a volume denouncing stage-playing, entitled Histrio-Mastix, which was supposed to be levelled at the queen, he was condemned by the Star-chamber to pay a fine of 5000 pounds, to stand in the pillory and have both ears cut off, and to remain a prisoner for life. While in prison he wrote another book, News from Ipswich against Laud, and being condemned again to another fine of 5000 pounds, and to lose the remainder of his ears, had the stumps cut off, and was branded on both cheeks. The Long Parliament in 1640 granted his release. Soon after he entered parliament and took a prominent part in the trial of Laud. After the fall of Charles I Prynne opposed Oliver Cromwell, who had him again imprisoned. At the Restoration he was appointed keeper of the records at the Tower, and died in 1669. Research William Prynne
William Pulteney (first Earl of Bath) was an English politician. He was born in 1684 and died in 1764. Educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, he entered politics in 1705 as member for Hendon, retaining his seat until 1734, then sitting as member for Middlesex until he was made earl of Bath in 1742. He led the opposition against Walpole, and was offered the post of Prime Minister in 1742, but refused it. Research William Pulteney
William Pynchon was an English colonist and heretic. He was born in 1590 and died in 1662. He went to New England from England in 1630. He founded a settlement at Springfield, Massachusetts, in 1636. He was given the government of the settlement in 1640, and managed affairs very Successfully. While in England in 1650 he published 'The Meritorious Price of Our Redemption', which caused great excitement as being heretical. Research William Pynchon
William Clarke Quantrill was an American Confederateguerrillacommander. He was born in 1837 at Canal Dover (now Dover), Ohio and died in 1865. Before the American Civil War he was a gambler and, occasionally, a schoolteacher in the West and Midwest. Warrants for his arrest were issued several times on charges of murder, theft, and horse thievery. When the Civil War began in 1861, Quantrill, aided by the notorious outlaw Jesse James, headed a band of Confederate guerrillas in Missouri and Kansas, raiding farms and communities sympathetic to the Union. In 1862 he was commissioned a captain in the Confederate army; that same year he was declared an outlaw by Union authorities. On August the 21st 1863, he led his guerrillas on their most infamous exploit when they burned and pillaged the town of Lawrence, Kansas, killing more than 150 unarmed men, women, and children. In October, they killed about 100 Union soldiers at Baxter Springs, Kansas. Two years later the guerrillas were looting in Kentucky when a small force of Union soldiers
surprised them and fatally wounded Quantrill. Research William Quantrill
William Ralston Shedden-Ralston was an English scholar of Russian and writer. He was was born in 1828 at London and died in 1889. He was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated in 1850. In 1853 he entered the book department of the British Museum, remaining there until 1875. During this time he studied the Russian language and literature, and in 1868 he published Kriloff and his Fables, in 1869 a translation of Tourguenien's Lixa. He visited Russia on several occasions. His works include Early Russian History, Songs of the Russian People, and Russian Folk Tales. Research William Ralston
Sir William Ramsay was a Scottish scientist. He was born in 1852 in Glasgow and died in 1916. He discovered the inert gases which include helium, argon and neon. Research William Ramsay
William John MacQuorn Rankine was a Scottish civil engineer. He was born in 1820 at Edinburgh and died in 1872. He received his instruction in natural philosophy from Professor Forbes, his practical training as an engineer from Sir J. Macneill, and he became himself professor of engineering at Glasgow University in 1855. His numerous contributions to the technical journals were reprinted at London in 1881, and he was the author of text-books on Civil Engineering, The Steam Engine, Applied Mechanics, Shipbuilding, etc. He was especially successful in investigating mathematically the principles of mechanical and civil engineering. He was also well known as a song-writer. Research William Rankine
William A Richardson was an american jurist and politician. He was born in 1821 at Massachusetts and died in 1896. He was Secretary of the US Treasury in Grant's Cabinet from 1873 to 1874. He was a Justice of the US Court of Claims from 1874 to 1885, when he became Chief Justice. Research William Richardson
William H Rinehart was an american sculptor. He was born in 1825 at Baltimore and died in 1874. He was one of the most prominent of American sculptors, and produced, among his works of art, 'Indian Girl', 'The Woman of Samaria', 'Love Reconciled with Death', 'Clytie', and a statue of Chief-Justice Roger Taney. Research William Rinehart
William C Rives was an American statesman. He was born in 1793 and died in 1868. He represented Virginia in the US Congress as a Democrat from 1823 to 1829. While Minister to France from 1829 to 1832 he negotiated the Indemnity Treaty of 1831. He was a US Senator from 1833 to 1834 and from 1836 to 1845, Minister to France from 1849 to 1853, and a Confederate Congressman from 1861 to 1864. Research William Rives
Sir William Robertson was the only British soldier to join as a private and make field-marshal. He was born in 1860 and died in 1933. Research William Robertson
William Robertson was a Scottish historian. He was born in 1721 Borthwick, in Midlothian and died in 1793. After the completion of his course in the theological class of EdinburghWilliam Robertson obtained a license to preach in 1741, and in 1743 was presented to the living of Griadsmuir, in East Lothian. He soon obtained an ascendency in the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland by his eloquence and great talents for public business, which, exerted in favour of Conservative principles, gave him for a long time the lead in the ecclesiastical politics of Scotland. His History of Scotland during the reigns of Queen Mary and King James VI appeared in 1759. This work led to the author's appointment as chaplain of Stirling Castle in 1759, one of the king's chaplains in 1761, and principal of the University of Edinburgh in 1762. Two years after he was made historiographer-royal of Scotland. His History of the Reign of Charles V appeared in 1769, his History of America in 1777, and in 1791 An Historical Disquisition concerning the Knowledge which the Ancients had of India. As a historian he is admired for skilful and luminous arrangement, distinctness of narrative, and highly graphical description. His style is pure, dignified, and perspicuous. Research William Robertson 2
William Erigena Robinson was an Irish-born American journalist and politician. He was born in 1814 and died in 1892. He went to America from Ireland in 1836. He was prominent as a correspondent of the New YorkTribune under the pseduonym of Richelieu. He represented New York in the US Congress as a Democrat from 1866 to 1868 and from 1880 to 1884. He secured the passage of a bill in 1868 asserting the rights of expatriation and naturalization. Research William Robertson 3
William Robertson Smith was a Scottish biblical scholar. He was born in 1846 at Keig, Aberdeenshire and died in 1894. He was educated at the University of Aberdeen, subsequently spending some time at the New College, Edinburgh, and at the Universities of Bonn and Gottingen. From 1868 to 1870 he held the post of assistant-professor of physics at Edinburgh. Appointed in 1870 professor of Hebrew in the Free Church College, Aberdeen, he was removed from the post by the General Assembly in 1881 on account of his critical views on the Old Testament.
From 1881 he was connected with the editorship of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, and after the death of Professor Baynes was editor-in-chief. He was a member of the Old Testament Revision Committee, in 1879-80 travelled in Arabia, in 1883 became Lord Almoner's professor of Arabic at Cambridge, in 1886 librarian of the University, in 1889 professor of Arabic. He was the author, among other works, of The Old Testament in the Jewish Church (1880), The Prophets of Israel and their Place in History to the Close of the 8th Century BC (1882), Kinship and Marriage in Early Arabia (1885), and Religion of the Semites (1889). Research William Robertson Smith
William Roscoe was an English abolitionist, historian and miscellaneous writer. He was born in 1753 at Liverpool and died in 1831. After a scant education he was in 1769 apprenticed to an attorney in Liverpool; and in 1774 he entered into partnership with Aspinall. During his apprenticeship he had not only studied Latin, but had also attained great proficiency in Italian and French, and even amidst the responsibilities of business he continued his studies in literature and art. He felt strongly on the question of the abolition of slavery, and published a poem (The Wrongs of Africa) and several controversial pamphlets on the subject. In 1796 his great work, Life of Lorenzo de'Medici, was published, and at once gained him a high reputation, which was perhaps neither lessened nor enhanced by his Life and Pontificate of Leo X published in 1805. In 1796 William Roscoe retired from the business of an attorney, and he eventually became a partner in a Liverpool banking-house in 1800. For about a year, in 1806-1807, he represented Liverpool in parliament. In 1816 the bank fell into difficulties, which resulted in bankruptcy in 1820. William Roscoe spent his last years in literary and scientific pursuits. Research William Roscoe
William Michael Rossetti was the brother of Dante Gabriele Rossetti. He was an English author. He was born in 1829 and died in 1919. Research William Rossetti
William Roy was a Scottish antiquarian and geodesist. He was born in 1726 near Lanark in Scotland and died in 1790. He entered the army and attained the rank of major-general. In 1746 he made the survey of Scotland afterwards known as the 'Duke of Cumberland's Map;' and in 1784 he measured a base-line on HounslowHeath, for the ordnance survey of England. He afterwards directed the observations for connecting the English triangulation with the French. His chief literary work is The Military Antiquities of the Romans in Scotland (published in 1793). Research William Roy
Lord William Russell was an English statesman and political martyr. He was born in 1639 and died in 1683. He was the third son of the fifth Earl of Bedford, and entered parliament immediately after the Restoration, and in 1669 married Rachel, second daughter of the Earl of Southampton and widow of Lord Vaughan. He now began to take a prominent part in politics as a leader of the Whigs, animated by a bitter distrust of the Roman Catholics and a strong love of political liberty.
For a brief period in 1679 he was a member of the new privy-council appointed by Charles II to ingratiate himself with the Whigs. Resigning, however, in 1680, he rendered himself conspicuous in the efforts to exclude the king's brother, the Roman Catholic Duke of York, from the succession to the throne, but retired from public life when the Exclusion Bill was rejected. When the Ryehouse Plot was discovered in 1683 William Russell was arrested on a charge of high-treason, and though nothing was proved against him the law was shamefully stretched to secure his conviction. He was sentenced to death, and no efforts of his friends availed to save him. William Russell met his fate with dignity and firmness. He was beheaded in Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, in July 1683. An act was passed in 1689 (1 William and Mary) reversing his attainder. Research William Russell
William Rutherford was a Scottish physiologist. He was born in 1839 at Anerum and died in 1899. He became assistant to the professor of physiology at Edinburgh university; in 1869 he was appointed to the chair of physiology at King's college London, and in 1874 returned to Edinburgh where he remained. Research William Rutherford
William S Archer was an American politician. He was born in 1789 and died in 1855. He was a member of Congress from 1820 to 1835 and a US Senator from 1841 to 1847. Research William S Archer
William Thomas Sampson was an American admiral. He was born in 1840 at Palmyra, New York and died in 1902. He was superintendent of the Naval Academy from 1886 to 1890 and chief of the Bureau of Ordnance from 1892 to 1897. When the war with Spain broke out, he was placed in command of the American North Atlantic fleet, whose operations resulted in the destruction of the Spanish fleet at Santiago. Research William Sampson
William Sancroft was an archbishop of Canterbury. He was born in 1617 at Fressingfield, Suffolk and died in 1693. Until 1651 he was a fellow of Emmanuel College Cambridge. From 1651 to 1660 he was engaged in literary work. After the Restoration he was created dean of York in 1662 and in 1664 dean of St Paul's, superintending the building of St Paul's Cathedral after the Great Fire of London. He was made archbishop of Canterbury in 1678. In 1688 he signed the petition against the Declaration of Indulgence and was committed to the Tower and tried for seditious libel, but was acquitted. In 1689 he was suspended from his office for refusing to take the oath of allegiance to William and Mary. Research William Sancroft
William Schwenk Gilbert was an English dramatist. He was born in 1836 at London and died in 1911. In 1857 he became a clerk in the Education Office; in 1862 he was called to the bar, but he subsequently devoted his time almost exclusively to literature. In 1875 he entered into partnership with Arthur Sullivan the composer, and in conjunction with him (as the famous partnership of Gilbert and Sullivan) produced a series of comic operas, Trial by Jury (1876), HMS Pinafore (1878), The Pirates of Penzance (1880), Patience (1882), Iolanthe (1883), Princess Ida (1884), The Mikado (1885), The Yeomen of the Guard (1888), The Gondoliers (1889), Utopia, Limited (1893), The Grand Duke (1896). Research William Schwenk Gilbert
William Scoresby was an English Arctic explorer. He was born in 1789 near Whitby and died in 1857. He made his first voyages with his father, a daring and successful commander in connection with the northern whale-fishery, to whom he latterly acted as chief mate. During the winter months when the vessel was in port, he attended classes in Edinburgh University. On the resignation of his father in 1811 he was appointed to succeed him aa captain of the Resolution. Through information communicated by him to Sir Joseph Banks, the government was induced in 1817 to fit out an expedition under Sir John Ross to discover the north-west passage.
In 1820 Captain Scoresby published a work entitled An Account of the Arctic Regions, with a History and Description of the Northern Whale-fishery, which established his reputation as one of the most original observers and scientific navigators of the day. It was followed in 1823 by a Journal of a Voyage to the Northern Whale-fishery, including Researches and Discoveries on the Eastern Coast of West Greenland, About the same time he left the whale-fishing and entered himself as a student for the church at Queen's College, Cambridge.
In 1824 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society. The next year he was ordained as a curate, and in 1827 he became chaplain of the Mariners' Church at Liverpool, then just established, and from this he moved first to Exeter, and then to Bradford, in Yorkshire, of which parish he was vicar for some years. In 1834 he took the degree of BD and in 1839 that of DD. Latterly he resigned his living, and retired to Torquay. Throughout his life he had a keen interest in scientific investigation, especially in that of magnetism and its relation to navigation. Various treatises were published by him, afterwards collected under the title of Magnetical Investigations, of which the first part appeared in 1831, the second in 1843, and the third in 1852. He also published a treatise entitled Zoistic Magnetism (Mesmerism), a life of his father, The Franklin Expedition, and other works. Research William Scoresby
William Bell Scott was a Scottish painter, etcher, engraver, archaeologist, and poet. He was born in 1811 at Edinburgh and died in 1890. The brother of David Scott, he received his art training in Edinburgh, moved to London in 1836 and in 1844 at the request of the Board of Trade he established a school of art at Newcastle-on-Tyne, and was until 1885 art examiner under the Education Board. His published poems include: Hades (1838), The Year of the World (1846), Poems by a Painter (1854), Ballads, etc (1875), and Harvest Home (1882). Other works are: Antiquarian Gleanings; Lectures on Art; Albert Durer, His Life and Works; The Little Masters; Life and Works of David Scott; etc. Research William Scott
William Henry Seward was an American politician. He was born in 1801 at Orange County, New York and died in 1872. Educated at Union College in 1820, and having studied law he entered on its practice at Auburn. The anti-Masonic excitement broke out soon afterwards, and William Seward was carried into the State Senate on a wave of this feeling in 1830.
In 1834 he was defeated as the Whigcandidate for Governor. About this time began the political partnership of Thurlow Weed, Horace Greeley and William Seward, which was far-reaching in its influence on State and National affairs. William Seward was Governor in 1839 to 1843. In 1849 he entered the US Senate. He was in that body one of the leaders of the anti-slavery men, and when the Republican party was formed he was among its foremost orators.
Among his numerous speeches were that in 1850, which spoke of the 'higher law', and the 'irrepressible conflict' oration of 1858. In 1860, at the Chicago Convention, William Seward was at the start the leading candidate for the Presidential nomination. The many elements opposed to him proved too strong, and Abraham Lincoln was nominated. The new President called his chief rival to the Department of State. Secretary Seward's tenure of his office, 1861 to 1869, covers the highly important periods of the American Civil War and of reconstruction. Many were the delicate questions, especially with England, as in the Trent affair and throughout the struggle, also with France in the Mexican episode.
William Seward's ability in the conduct of the foreign relations has been generally praised. On the night of Abraham Lincoln's assassination he was stabbed and dangerously injured. In 1867 he negotiated the purchase of Alaska from Russia for $7.2 million, a move which was at the time dubbed 'Sewards Folly'. And he made various West Indian treaties which failed of confirmation. He traveled extensively after retiring from office, and the narratives of his travels, as well as his speeches, have been published. Research William Seward
William Seymour (2nd Duke of Somerset) was an English loyalist leader. He was born in 1588 and died in 1660. Grandson of Edward Seymour, earl of Hertford, he married Ararbella Stuart in 1610 and lived in exile in Paris from 1610 until 1616. he inherited the earldom of Hertford in 1621 and was raised to a marquessate in 1640 when he became a governor to the prince of Wales. A royalist general, he captured Hertford in 1642, Cirencester and Bristol in 1643, and was in charge at Oxford from 1645 until 1646. Although attending Charles I during his captivity and trial, William Seymour was left at liberty during the Commonwealth and in 1660 welcomed Charles II at Dover. He received back his forfeited estates, and was created duke of Somerset in renewal of the duchy which had been suppressed in 1552. Research William Seymour
William Shakespeare was an English dramatist, actor and poet. He was born about 1564 probably at Stratford-Upon-Avon and died in 1616.
His father, John Shakespeare, the son of a farmer of Snitterfield, settled in Stratford about 1551, as a dealer in agricultural produce and soon took an active part in municipal affairs, holding the office of bailiff, or mayor, between 1568 and 1569. His wife, Mary Arden, was the daughter of a substantial farmer of Wilmcote.
William Shakespeare was the third, but eldest surviving, child of the marriage. Of five younger children, three sons, Gilbert, Richard, and Edmund, and a daughter, Joan, reached maturity. William Shakespeare was educated at the grammar school of the town, and was soundly trained there in Latin literature. He left school at the age of 14. He is traditionally reported to have been apprenticed to a butcher. At the end of 1582, when he was 19 years old he married Ann Hathaway who was eight years older than him and at the time pregnant with their child. She was the daughter of Richard Hathaway, a farmer of Shottery. A daughter, Susanna, was born within six months of the marriage, and twins - a son, Hamlet; and a daughter, Judith early in 1585. The son died when he was 12 years old; the two daughters survived their father.
In 1586 William Shakespeare left his native town in the company of a troop of travelling actors. Some histories say it was his desire to support his wife and family without living off his father, seventeenth-century tradition, however, assigns the immediate cause to a threat of prosecution for poaching in the neighbouring Charlecote Park, belonging to Sir Thomas Lucy, whom William Shakespeare ridiculed later as Justice Shallow. After a short experience as a country schoolmaster, William Shakespeare reached London early in 1587. There he found humble employment in Shoreditch, at The Theatre, the only playhouse then existing. He was quickly admitted a member of a company of actors, to which he remained faithful during the rest of his career.
The successive patrons who gave their names in turn to Shakespeare's company were Queen Elizabeth I's favourite, the earl of Leicester; the 4th earl of Derby; the 1st and 2nd Lords Hunsdon (both of whom held the office of lord chamberlain); and finally, after the death of Queen Elizabeth I, James I. King James, on May the 19th, 1603, issued letters-patent to William Shakespeare and his colleagues, licensing them 'freely to use and exercise the arte and facultie of playing'. Thenceforth William Shakespeare's company was commonly styled 'The King's Servants', and took foremost rank.
Throughout the winter and spring of each year, notably at Christmas time, the acting companies were summoned to perform at the royal palaces. As early in William Shakespeare's career as Christmas 1594, he joined two eminent colleagues, William Kemp, the chief comedian of the day, and Richard Burbage, the chief tragedian, in rendering at Greenwich Palace 'two several comedies or interludes' on St Stephen's Day, December the 26th, and Innocents' Day, December the 28th, respectively. There is no evidence that William Shakespeare went abroad, but there is reason to believe that he accompanied his colleagues on their tours at home.
William Shakespeare played parts in Ben Jonson's earliest comedy, Every Man in His Humour, 1598, and in the same writer's tragedy Sejanus; 1603. In his own plays tradition reckons among his impersonations the Ghost in Hamlet, and Adam in As You Like It.
In London, William Shakespeare first lodged in the parish of St Helen's, Bishopsgate, but in 1596 he migrated to Southwark - the pleasure garden of London, an area renowned for its bars and brothels - which was soon the chief centre of theatrical activity. There he seems to have resided during the greater part of his subsequent London life, but in 1604 he 'laye in the house' of Christopher Montjoy, a Huguenot refugee, who carried on the business of a 'tire-maker' (i.e. maker of ladies' head-dresses) in Silver Street, Cheapside.
Well before the opening of the 17th century, William Shakespeare had gained an influential position in theatrical affairs. In 1598 he and three other fellow actors joined Richard Burbage and his brother Cuthbert in a speculation of great historic interest. The Burbages had, on the death, in 1597, of their father, the original founder, become owners of The Theatre in Shoreditch. In 1598 they, with the financial cooperation of William Shakespeare and the other actors, leased a plot of ground near the Bankside at Southwark, and transferred the fabric of The Theatre to the newly acquired site. The re-erected playhouse was named The Globe and was the largest theatre in the land at the time, and with The Globe, which became the leading theatre of the period, William Shakespeare was long identified. He acquired a tenth share in the property, which yielded handsome returns.
Richard Burbage also inherited on his father's death the Blackfriars playhouse, but that theatre was leased by Burbage to others till 1608, when he presented William Shakespeare with a seventhshare. From January 1610, onwards, the Blackfriars theatre was occupied by William Shakespeare's company during the winter season, the rest of the year being spent by them at The Globe.
While faithful through life to the profession of actor, William Shakespeare, like other players of his day, turned playwright early in his stage career, and rapidly gave proofs of a dramatic genius of unique quality. His powers of characterisation. his mastery of dramatic speech in both verse and prose, his philosophical temper, steadily grew more potent with his years, but from the outset he interpreted with poetic and dramatic insight the romantic no less than the comic and tragic phases of life.
William Shakespeare's dramatic work was produced in the course of some twenty years, 1591-1611. Thirty-seven plays were assigned to his pen in his lifetime, but in the case of the three parts of Henry VI, Titus Andronicus, Taming of the Shrew, Timon of Athens, Pericles, and Henry VIII, he collaborated with others. Unprincipled publishers attributed to him in his lifetime six pieces with which he had no concern, and critics of acumen, solely on internal evidence, have since detected his hand in parts of Arden of Feversham, Sir Thomas More, and Edward III; while The Two Noble Kinsmen was originally published in 1634 as by William Shakespeare and John Fletcher.
William Shakespeare's earliest dramatic efforts, produced in 1591-1592, were three experimental comedies of varying types, Love's Labour's Lost, a social satire; Two Gentlemen of Verona, a romance qualified by drollery; and the farcical Comedy of Errors. He soon proved the breadth of his comic range in The Merchant of Venice, 1594, where comedy hovers on the brink of tragedy; in A Midsummer Night's Dream, 1594, where ethereal fancy mingles with romance and broad humour; in All's Well That Ends Well, 1596-97, a pathetic romance rather unpleasingly developed; in The Taming of the Shrew, 1595-1596, a farcical romance; and in The Merry Wives of Windsor, 1598, a domestic comedy.
Meanwhile William Shakespeare applied himself no less successfully to tragedy, and to the dramatisation of the past history of his country, albeit highly distorted to suit his aims. His first essay in history was a revision of the three parts of Henry VI the early drafts of which were from the pens of Robert Greene and George Peele, with some help from Christopher Marlowe, who may be called Shakespeare's tutor in tragedy. Marlowe's influence is plainly seen in Shakespeare's earliest unassisted history plays, the blatantpropaganda piece Richard III and Richard II 1593. King John, 1594, though based directly on an older anonymous play, is rich in searching character studies, but Shakespeare's full-developed capacity as an historical-dramatist is seen in the two parts of Henry IV, 1596-1598, which are rendered memorable by the unhistoric introduction of Falstaff, the supreme embodiment of Shakespeare's gift of humour. Shakespeare's endeavours in 'history' were brought to a close in Henry V, 1598, a glorification of English heroism, which has a happy ending. In his latest years, William Shakespeare aided his fellow-playwright, John Fletcher, in the loosely-jointed and pageant-like history-play of Henry VIII, 1611-1612.
Shakespeare, in his earliest tragedy, Romeo and Juliet, 1592, the greatest of all tragic dramas of love, showed a master's youthful hand. Little of the Shakespearean touch is discernible in Titus Andronicus, 1593, a crude tragedy of blood, and it was not until his genius was fully matured that he proved his pre-eminence in tragedy throughout its range.
Between 1600 and 1609 he produced in quick succession those tragedies which rank above all others, of whatever age or country. After drawing a tragic plot from Roman history in Julius Caesar, 1600, he penned in 1602 Hamlet, which was followed by Othello in 1604, by Macbeth in 1606 - which takes scandalous and libels liberties on the Scottish hero, and by King Lear in 1607. Then, having rendered some little aid to the halting author of Timon of Athens, 1608, he completed his great tragic series in two pieces based like Julius Caesar on Roman history, viz Antony and Cleopatra, 1608, and Coriolanus, 1609.
It was as a writer of narrative poems - paraphrases of classical legends - that William Shakespeare first caught the ear of the reading public. An outbreak of plague (again) in London had caused the theatres to be temporarily closed, and William Shakespeare took to writing poetry. His Venus and Adonis. which he calls 'the first heir of my invention', came from the press in 1593. Lucrece followed in 1594 and was received with equal favour. Both were dedicated in prose epistles to a young courtier of literary tastes, Henry Wriothesley, 3rd earl of Southampton. In 1599 William Jaggard issued a small poetic anthology which he misleadingly entitled 'The Passionate Pilgrim, by W. Shakespeare'.
Only five of the twenty poems can be placed to Shakespeare's credit; two of them are sonnets, not previously published, and three are poetic extracts from the already published Love's Labour's Lost.
The most important of Shakespeare's non-dramatic compositions are his Sonnets, which were not published till 1609, though both internal and external evidence shows that the majority of them, like the two which figure in The Passionate Pilgrim, were written at a far earlier date for circulation in manuscript form. The Sonnets, which number 154, vary in poetic value. Many are the finest fruits of Shakespeare's poetic power; others sink almost into inanity beneath the burden of conventional conceits, and echo the artificiality of the modish Elizabethansonnet, which took its cue from Italy, or France. Thomas Thorpe, the original publisher, who habitually acquired dispersed manuscripts as he could and published them without authority, dedicated Shakespeare's Sonnets (above his initials T. T.) in a conventional formula to a friend in the trade, 'Mr. W. H., the onelie begetter .[i.e. procurer] of these insuing sonnets'.
With Thorpe's arrangement of the poems, the poet had small concern. Of the sonnets numbered by Thorpe i-cxxvi, some eighty are addressed in terms of deep affection to a young man. Twenty of these describe the youth as a patron of the poet's verse, and episodically complain that his, favours have been for a time alienated by a rival poet. The young patron was, clearly, the earl of Southampton, to whom William Shakespeare had already dedicated his narrative poems. The rival poet would seem to have been some obscure protege of Southampton, in all probability Barnabe Barnes. Many of the later Sonnets (cxxvii-cliv) are addressed to a fickle, dark-complexioned mistress, who is represented as having intrigued with the poet's friend.
Like all great lyrics, the Sonnets convey the illusion of personal confession, but before the extent of their autobiographical veracity can be accurately gauged allowance has to be made for Shakespeare's unapproached dramatic power of interpreting objectively every phase of emotion, and for his assimilation of many predecessors' themes and turns of thought and expression. It is a futile fancy to seek the original of the 'dark lady' in Mary Fitton or Fytton, a fair-haired mistress of the 3rd earl of Pembroke.
The steady development of Shakespeare's popularity as both poet and dramatist is well attested. As early as September 1592, a rival playwright, Robert Greene, rancorously described him as 'an absolute Johannes factotum- . . . . and in his owne conceit, the onely Shake-scene in a countrie'. More significant is the eulogy pronounced in 1598 by Francis Meres, a divine and schoolmaster, who declared, in his Palladis Tamia (Wit's Treasury), that 'the Muses would speak Shakespeare's fine-filed phrase if they could speak English', and that 'among the English he is most excellent in both kinds for the stage' (i.e. in tragedy and comedy). In witness of that statement Meres cited the titles of six comedies and six tragedies, together with his two narrative poems, and his 'sugred Sonnets among his private friends', as yet unpublished. In Shakespeare's later days laudatory references to his work abound in contemporary literature. The tenor of such eulogy is finely elaborated in Ben Jonson's far-famed lines before the First Folio.
It is unlikely that William Shakespeare, after his departure from Stratford as a young man, revisited the place until 1596. During his absence his father's fortunes steadily declined. In 1596 an application to the Heralds' College was made in his father's name, but on his own behalf, for a coat-of-arms. A shield and crest were provisionally granted in the following terms: 'Gold on a bend sable, a spear of the first, the point steeled proper, and for his crest or cognisance a falcon, his wings displayed argent, standing on a wreath of his colours, supporting a spear gold steeled as aforesaid'. Non Sans Droict was the allotted motto. The grant was not finally confirmed until 1599. The arms are displayed with full heraldic elaboration on the poet's monument in StratfordChurch.
Shakespeare, as soon as his financial position in London was secure, acquired a lot of property in his native Stratford-upon-Avon. On May 4, 1597, he purchased New Place, the second largest house in the town, although the poet did not regularly occupy it before 1611. Shakespeare's growing affluence was well recognized by his fellow townsmen, and they appealed to him in 1598 to use his influence in London in order to exempt the town from taxation. On October the 25th, 1598, a local friend of the dramatist, Richard Quiney, who was in London on municipal business, wrote a pressing letter, asking for a loan of 30 pounds. This letter, which is preserved at Shakespeare's Birthplace, is the only extant letter which was addressed to the poet.
The death of William Shakespeare's father on September the 8th 1601 left William Shakespeare owner of his birthplace in Henley Street. On May the 1st, 1602, William Shakespeare purchased, for 320 pounds, a large plot of 107 acres of arable land near the town, to which he subsequently added 20 acres of pasture land. A larger investment was made on July the 24th, 1605, when William Shakespeare bought, for 440 pounds, a lease of 'a moiety of the tithes' (i.e. the tithe-estate) of Stratford.
Not until 1611, soon after the production of The Tempest, did he make Stratford his main home. Even then he paid frequent visits to London, where his financial interests in The Globe and Blackfriars theatres were undiminished. Early in 1613 he joined his friend and fellow-shareholder, the actor Burbage, in devising an heraldic emblem, technically known as an impresa (a symbolic vignette with motto), for the shield of Francis Manners, 6th earl of Rutland, which the earl bore at a great tournament held at Whitehall on March the 24th, 1613. On March the 10th, 1613, he bought, for 140 pounds, a house with a yard attached, near the Blackfriars theatre. He left 60 pounds of the purchase money on mortgage, signing a deed to that effect next day. Two years later, on April the 26th, 1615, Shakespeare, with his other owners of adjoining Blackfriars property, brought a successful action in the court of chancery against a former owner for. the recovery of the title-deeds.
Shakespeare's social circle at Stratford at the close of his life included all the better-to-do trades folk, as well as many of the country gentry. John Combe, a resident at Stratford, who owned much landed property in the neighbourhood, left him 5 pounds on his death in 1614. William Shakespeare took small part in local affairs, but an effort was made to draw him into local controversy in his last days, through the high-handed endeavour of John Combe's nephews, William and Thomas Combe (of whom the latter was his uncle's heir), to enclose in their personal interest the common lands of the town. Shakespeare, according to local records, preserved a strict neutrality. Ultimately, in 1618, after Shakespeare's death, the Combes suffered defeat.
In January, 1616, Francis Collins, a solicitor in good practice at Warwick, drafted Shakespeare's will, which was finally executed, after revision, in March. One of the five witnesses was Julius Shaw, bailiff or chief magistrate of the town. Early next month, according to the gossiping diary of John Ward, who was vicar of the town in Charles II's time, William Shakespeare entertained at New Place two literary friends, Michael Drayton and Ben Jonson. The vicar suggests, unconvincingly, that at this 'merry meeting' William Shakespeare 'drank too hard', for he 'died of a feavour there contracted'. William Shakespeare died at New Place on Tuesday, April the 23rd, 1616, having just celebrated his 52nd birthday. Two days later he was buried in the chancel of StratfordChurch, in front of the altar. In order to guard against the common practice of profaning graves by moving the bones soon after burial to the charnel` house of the churchyard, William Shakespeare directed the following lines to be inscribed on his tombstone: Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbeare To dig the dust enclosed heare; Bleste be the man that spares these stones, And curst be he that moves my bones..
Well before 1623, a sculptured monument, enclosing within a central arch a half-length figure of the poet, was affixed to the north wall of the chancel, overlooking the grave. The monument was designed and executed by a well-known tomb-maker in Southwark. A panel below the dramatist's effigy bears the inscription: Judicio Pylium, genio Socratem, arte Maronem; Terra legit, populus maeret. Olympus habet. Stay passenger, why goest thou by so fast? Read, if thou canst, whom envious death hath plast. Within this monument; William Shakespeare with whome Quick nature dide; whose name doth deck ye tombe Far more than cost; sith all yt he hath writt, Leaves living art but paige to serve his witt. Obiitano. doi 1616. AEtatis 53. Die 23 AD.
The crude elegy acknowledges William Shakespeare to be the greatest man of letters of his age, whom other living writers were only fit to serve as 'page' or menial.
Shakespeare's will, the original of which is in Somerset House, was proved in London by the executors, his elder daughter Susanna, and her husband, John Hall, on June the 23rd, 1616. The main part of the poet's estate was left to Mrs. Hall with remainder to her issue in strict entail. Small legacies wen left to the younger daughter, Mrs, Judith Quiney, and to the poet's sister, Mrs. JoanHart, and her three sons. To his wife he left only 'his second best bed, with the furniture' (i.e. the bedding). Recognitions of friends outside the family circle were numerous. His sword went to Thomas Combe, nephew of his friend John Combe, and seven sums of 26s 8d each, wherewith to buy memorial rings, were respectively allotted to four Stratford associates, and to three of his playhouse colleagues, Richard Burbage, the great actor who had created most of his tragic roles, John Heminges, and Henry Condell; the two latter, though well known as actors, were mainly occupied in theatrical management.
In Shakespeare's lifetime there were printed separately in quarto his two narrative poems, Venus and Adonis (1st edition 1593), Lucrece (1st edition 1594), his Sonnets (1609), and fifteen plays, to which Othello was added posthumously in 1622. In 1623 thirty-six plays were issued collectively in the volume known as the First Folio. (Pericles, which had appeared in quarto, was excluded). This volume was undertaken by Shakespeare's friends and fellow actors, Heminges and Condell, who dedicated it to the brothers William Herbert, 3rd earl of Pembroke, lord chamberlain, and Philip, earl of Montgomery. Three brief panegyrics in verse were contributed by little-known authors. But the most striking feature of the preliminary pages is a long eulogy by Ben Jonson, 'To the memory of my beloved, the Author, Mr. William Shakespeare: and what he hath left us'. There Jonson apostrophises William Shakespeare as 'Sweet Swan of Avon', whose dramatic genius excelled that of any dramatist of the ancient or modern world.
The Second Folio, published in 1632, includes among the prefatory verse Milton's famous epitaph: 'What needs my Shakespeare for. his honoured bones',etc. The Third Folio appeared in 1663 ; a re-issue in 1664 prints in an appendixPericles, and six spurious plays which were erroneously attributed to William Shakespeare by enterprising publishers in his lifetime. The Fourth Folio, dated 1685, reprints the 1664 issue of the Third Folio. The first attempt to edit Shakespeare's plays was made by Nicholas Rowe, in 1709, and his successors between that date and the present day have been legion.
Shakespeare was survived by his two daughters (Susanna, wife of John Hall, a medical practitioner of local repute, and Judith, wife of Thomas Quiney), and by Mrs. Hall's only childElizabeth. His granddaughter, Elizabeth Hall, was his last direct descendant, and although she married twice, had no issue. William Shakespeare's line only survives collaterally in the descendants of his nephew, Thomas Hart, the only married child of his sister, Mrs. JoanHart. Research William Shakespeare
William Sharp was an English line engraver. He was born in 1749 at London and died in 1824. He first practised as a writing engraver, but ultimately followed the higher branches of his art with great success. His merit was first recognized in connection with the engraving of Stothard's designs for the Novelist's Magazine, and his chief works of large size are from paintings by Copley, West, Reynolds, Raeburn, Stothard, Romney, Salvator Rosa, and Annibal Carracci. Research William Sharp
William Shaw Earl of Cathcart was a British general. He was born in 1755 and died in 1843. The son of Baron Cathcart of Cathcart, Renfrew, he served in the American War of Independence and against the French Republic in Flanders and Germany, and in 1807 commanded the land forces in the expedition against Copenhagen, being then created viscount. In 1812 he went to Russia as minister-plenipotentiary, and in 1814 was created an earl. Subsequently he was for several years ambassador to the Russian court. Research William Shaw
William Shenstone was an English poet. He was born in 1714 at Leasowes, in the parish of Halesowen, Worcestershire and died in 1763. He studied at Pembroke College, Oxford, and passed his life in retirement on his small paternal estate of Leasowes, beautifying it, and writing odes, elegies, ballads, and pastorals, which had considerable popularity. He now holds his place in literature chiefly by his Pastoral Ballads and his Schoolmistress, in the Spenserian stanza, published in 1742. Research William Shenstone
William Sherlock was Dean of St Paul's. He was born in 1641 at Southwark and died in 1707. He studied at Eton and at Peterhouse, Cambridge; became rector of St George, Botolph Lane, London, in 1669; prebendary of St. Paul's, 1681; master of the Temple, 1684; and dean of St. Paul's, 1691. At first he refused the oaths to William and Mary, but subsequently took them. He was the author of numerous theological and controversial works, including a Practical Discourse Concerning Death published in 1690; a Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity published in 1691, being a reply to Dr. South; and a Treatise on the Immortality of the Soul published in 1704. Research William Sherlock
William Tecumseh Sherman was an American general. He was born in 1820 at Lancaster. Ohio and died in 1891. One of the most famous American generals of all time, he graduated at West Point in 1840. He was engaged in the Seminole War, and in the Mexican War took part in the expedition to California. In 1853 he resigned, and was in business in California, New York and Kansas. During 1860 and 1861 he was superintendent of a military college in Louisiana. When the American Civil War began he was appointed colonel. At the first Battle of Bull Run he commanded a brigade. In October he was transferred to the department of the Cumberland, but was removed the next month. William Sherman was one of the few who early in the war foresaw the severity of the contest. In 1862 he was assigned to the Army of the Tennessee, and with his division contributed materially to the victory of Shiloh. Made major-general of volunteers and corps commander, he had a signal share in the success of the Vicksburgcampaign. He was now promoted to be brigadier-general in the regular army, and commanded the left wing at the battle of Chattanooga. Immediately afterwards he was sent to relieve Burnside at Knoxville.
When Ulysses Simpson Grant in 1864 assumed command of all the Federal armies he entrusted William Sherman with the task of crushing the Rebellion in the West. Accordingly in the spring General Sherman with a powerful force moved southward, opposed by General J E Johnston in the mountains of Northern Georgia. These great strategists contended at Dalton, Resaca, Kenesaw Mountain, etc. In the vicinity of Atlanta three severe battles were fought with Hood, and that city was taken. In November William Sherman started on his famous march to the sea, reaching Savannah at Christmas time. He was now a major-general in the regular army. Leaving Savannah in February, he entered Columbia, fought the battles of Averysboro and Bentonville, and after Robert E Lee's surrender, concluded a treaty with Johnston; as this was rejected by the Government, another treaty on September the 26th, 1865, was framed, and Johnston's army surrendered. General Sherman was promoted to be lieutenant-general in 1866, and succeeded Ulysses Simpson Grant as general and Commander-in-chief in 1869. He retired from the army in 1883. Research William Sherman
William Shirley was an English colonial governor. He was born in 1693 and died in 1771. He went to Massachusetts from England in 1734. He was Royal Governor of Massachusetts from 1741 to 1749. He planned the successful expedition against Cape Breton in 1745. He was again Governor of Massachusetts from 1753 to 1756, and was commander of the forces in British North America at the outbreak of the French War in 1755. Research William Shirley
William Gilmore Simms was an American poet. He was born in 1806 at South Carolina and died in 1870. He was for some time clerk in a drug house at Charleston, afterwards studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1827, but abandoned that profession for literature and journalism. He wrote a number of poems, the best of which is 'Atlantis, a Tale of the Sea'. He is best known for his romances, illustrative of Southern life, and founded on Revolutionary and border incidents in South Carolina. Research William Simms
William Forbes Skene was a Scottish archaeologist, historian and writer. He was born in 1809 at Inverie, Inverness-shire and died in 1892. He was educated at the High School, Edinburgh, and studied in Grermany and at St Andrews and Edinburgh Universities. He became a writer to the signet, and while practising as such devoted his leisure to archaeological and historical research. His chief works include The Highlanders of Scotland, their Origin, History, and Antiquities (1837); The Four Ancient Books of Wales (1868); and his invaluable Celtic Scotland, a History of Ancient Alban (1876-1880). He also edited The Dean of Lismore's Book, with Introduction and Notes (1861); Ancient Gaelic Poetry; Chronicles of the Picts and Scots, and other Early Memorials of Scottish History (1867); and Fordun's Chronicles of the Scottish Nation (1871). He was LLD. of Edinburgh and DCL of Oxford, and in 1881 was appointed historiographer royal for Scotland. Research William Skene
William Smellie was a Scottish naturalist editor and writer. He was born in 1740 at Edinburgh and died in 1795. Apprenticed to the firm of printers for Edinburgh University, William Smellie was allowed by the university to attend lectures, and quickly made a name for himself as a scholar. He was later approached by Andrew Bell and Colin Macfarquhar and asked to edit the encyclopaedia they wished to produce. William Smellie then became one of the trio to produce the Encyclopaedia Britannica, and although he acknowledged copying and inserting existing articles by some 150 authors, William Smellie also wrote his own articles including a controversial criticism on Doctor Johnson and his dictionary. During his day, William Smellie was renowned for his scholarship, sense of humour and wit, love of Robert Burns' poetry and equally strong love of public houses. Research William Smellie
William Smith was an American jurist and politician. He was born in 1762 and died in 1840. He represented South Carolina in the US Congress as a Democrat from 1797 to 1799. He was a circuitjudge from 1799 to 1816. He served in the South CarolinaSenate from 1806 to 1808. He was a US Senator from 1817 to 1823 and from 1826 to 1831. He was a strict State-rights advocate, but opposed nullification. Research William Smith
Sir William Sidney Smith was a British sailor. He was born in 1764 and died in 1840. he entered the navy at the age of thirteen, and served on the North American station. From 1785 until 1790 he travelled in France, Morocco and Sweden and in 1790 served as a volunteer in the Swedish expedition against Russia. In 1793 he was recalled to the navy, took part in Hood's action off Toulon, and commanded a frigate in the North Sea from 1794 until 1796, when he was captured by the French. After two years he escaped, was given a Mediterranean command, and in 1799 undertook the defence of St Jean d'Acre against Napoleon., holding the place successfully for eleven weeks. He prosecuted the war off the coasts of Italy from 1806 until 1807, upholding the rule of the Bourbon tyrants. He retired in 1814. Research William Smith 2
WilliamSmith, known as the 'father of English geology', was an English geologist. He was born in 1769 at Churchhill, in Oxfordshire and died in 1839. Acting successively as land surveyor, miningsurveyor, and canal engineer, he was led to indulge in many speculations of a geological nature. He became convinced that each stratum contained its own peculiar fossils, and might be discriminated by them, and in 1815 he was able to submit a complete coloured map of the strata of England and Wales to the Society of Arts, and received the premium of 50 pounds which had for several years been offered for such a map. His fame as an original discoverer was now secure; but becoming involved in pecuniary difficulties he was obliged to part with his geological collection to government for 700 pounds. Subsequently a pension was granted to him by government. Research William Smith 3
William Smith was an American politician. He was born in 1796 and died in 1887. He represented Virginia in the US Congress as a Democrat from 1841 to 1843. He was Governor of Virginia from 1845 to 1848, and again a Congressman from 1853 to 1861. Research William Smith 4
Sir William Smith was a British classical scholar and encyclopaedist. He was born in 1813 and died in 1893. After studying at University College, London, and Gray's Inn he became a master at University College School and edited works of Plato and Tacitus. He produced a number of important classical works including a dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology and A Dictionary of the Bible. He was knighted in 1892. Research William Smith 5
William Johnson Sollas was an English geologist. He was born in 149 at Birmingham and died in 1936. Educated at the City of London School, the Royal School of Mines, and St John's College, Cambridge, he became university extension lecturer in 1873, holding the post until 1878. He was professor of geology and zoology at Bristol from 1880 until 1883; professor of geology and mineralogy at Dublin University from 1883 until 1897 and professor of geology and palaeontology at Oxford University in 1897. From 1908 until 1909 he was president of the geological society. Research William Sollas
William Somerville was an English poet. He was born in 1675 at Colwich, Staffordshire and died in 1742. Educated at Oxford, his chief work, a didactic poem in blankverse, entitled The Chace, was published in 1735. His other works, Hobbinol and Field Sports, are inferior to the first and are now little read. Research William Somerville
William Spalding was a Scottish lawyer, writer and academic. He was born in 1809 at Aberdeen and died in 1859. He studied law, and was called to the bar in Edinburgh, but became professor of rhetoric at Edinburgh in 1834, holding the post until 1845, and subsequently professor of logic at St Andrews. He was author of Italy and the Italian Islands, a brief but valuable History of English Literature, Introduction to Logical Science, and numerous articles in the Encyclopedia Britannica, the Edinburgh Review, Blackwood's Magazine, etc. Research William Spalding
William Spence was an English naturalist. He was born in 1783 and died in 1860. The observation of the habits of animals, more especially insects, formed a favourite pursuit with him from a young age. Having made the acquaintance of the distinguished entomologist Kirby, the result was the joint production of the well-known Popular Introduction to Entomology. The first volume of this work appeared in 1815, and it was subsequently completed in four volumes in 1826. William Spence was at one time in business at Hull; later he lived in London. Research William Spence
William Spottiswoode was an English mathematician and physicist. He was born in 1825 at London and died in 1883. He was educated at Balliol College, Oxford. In 1845 he took a first class in mathematics, and in the following year became manager of his father's printing establishment. He was the author of A Tarantasse Journey through Eastern Russia( 1857); Meditationes Analyticae, a treatise on The Polarization of Light; several papers to the Geographical Society, one of which was on Typical Mountain Ranges; and a paper to the Astronomical Society on A Method of Determining Longitude. He was president of the Mathematical Society in 1871, of the British Association in 1878, and of the Royal Society in 1879. Research William Spottiswoode
William Sprague was an American clergyman and prolific writer. He was born in 1795 and died in 1876. He graduated at Yale, studied at Princeton theological seminary, and for forty years was pastor of the second Presbyterian church at Albany, New York. He published many sermons, addresses, lectures, essays, letters, etcc; but his principal work is Annals of the American Pulpit. Research William Sprague
William Clarkson Stanfield was an Irish painter. He was born in 1794 at Sunderland and died in 1867. He started life as a sailor, and was then employed on scene painting in Edinburgh, and at the Royalty, Coburg and Drury Lane theatres in London. The marine subjects he subsequently produced are realistic but monotonously lacking in colour. He was elected ARA in 1832, and RA in 1835. Research William Stanfield
William Starke Rosecrans was an American soldier. He was born in 1819 and died in 1898. An American general, he was educated at West Point, graduating in 1842. Previous to the American Civil War he was a professor at the academy, an engineer and a financier. Being appointed colonel of Ohiovolunteers in 1861, he served in West Virginia, and won the Battle of Rich Mountain in July, 1861. He next succeeded McClellan in the Department of the Ohio, and gained the victory of Carnifex Ferry in September. Appointed commander of the Army of the Mississippi, he conquered at Iuka in September, 1862, at Corinth in October, and succeeded Buell as commander of the Army of the Cumberland. He fought the great battle of Murfreesboro', showed skillful strategy in the next months, and was defeated at Chickamauga. After this Rosecrans was superseded, sent to the West, and put on waiting orders. He resigned in 1867. He was Minister to Mexico, from 1868 to 1869, Democratic Congressman from California, from 1881 to 1885, and Register of the US Treasury from 1885 to 1893. Research William Starke Rosecrans
William Thomas Stead was an English journalist. He was born in 1849 at Embleton, Durham and died in 1912. The son of a Congregational minister he was educated at Silcoates School, Wakefield. Leaving a merchant's office to edit 'The Northern Echo' at Darlington in 1871 he left there in 1880 to be an assistant editor of the 'The Pall Mall Gazette' and in 1883 became editor. He left 'The Pall Mall Gazette' in 1889 and in 1890 founded 'The Review of Reviews', and in 1895 started a penny Masterpieces Library. He was a passenger on board the Titanic and drowned when it sunk in 1912. Research William Stead
William Stokes was an Irish physician. He was born in 1804 at Dublin and died in 1878. He wrote a number of works including 'An Introduction to the Use of the Stethoscope', published in 1825. Research William Stokes
William Stone was an American settler. He was born about 1603 and died about 1695. He was appointed Governor of Maryland in 1649, and founded the settlement of Providence, now Annapolis. He was removed from office in 1653.
William Joel Stone was an American politician. He was born in 1848 at Kentucky and died in 1918. Called to the bar in 1869, he sat in Congress from 1885 until 1891 before becoming governor of Missouri from 1893 until 1897, and becoming a senator in 1903. Research William Stone
William Stott was an English artist. He was born in 1858 at Oldham and died in 1900. He studied under Gerome in Paris, and for some time afterwards lived in France, chiefly near Fontainebleau, before settling in London where his art attracted great attention, particularly his figure-subjects, though he also painted landscapes, particularly mountain landscapes. Research William Stott
William Strang was a Scottish painter and etcher. He was born in 1859 at Dumbarton and died in 1921. Educated at University College, London, he studied under Legros at the Slade School in London. He attained distinction as an etcher on a range of subjects, emulating Rembrandt's broad masses of light and shade, and also showing influence from Holbein. He was made ARA in 1906 and RA in 1921. Research William Strang
William Strong was an American politician and jurist. He was born in 1808 and died in 1895. He represented Pennsylvania in the US Congress as a Democrat from 1847 to 1851. He was a Justice of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania from 1857 to 1868, and a Justice of the US Supreme Court from 1870 to 1880, when he retired. He was a member of the electoral commission in 1877. Research William Strong
William Stubbs was an English prelate and historian. He was born in 1825 at Knaresborough and died in 1901. Educated at Ripon Grammar-school, he proceeded to Oxford University where he became a fellow of Trinity College, Oxford in 1848 and in 1866 regius professor of modern history. In 1848 he was ordained, and became vicar of Navestock, Essex, in 1850. In 1862 he was made librarian at Lambeth by ArchbishopLongley. In 1866 he became professor of modern history at Oxford and was a curator of the Bodleian in 1868, canon of St Paul's in 1879, bishop of Chester in 1884 and bishop of Oxford in 1889. He wrote a number of reputable historical works including 'Constitutional History of England'. Research William Stubbs
William Stukeley was an English antiquary and divine. He was born in 1687 at Holbeach, Lincolnshire and died in 1765. He studied medicine at Cambridge and at St Thomas' hospital, London. In 1718 he help to found the Society of Antiquaries, and in 1729 took holy orders and became the rector of St George the Martyr in Bloomsbury in 1747. He wrote a number of books describing antiquities observed on his travels around Great Britain. Research William Stukeley
William Swinton was an American journalist and writer. He was born in 1833 and died in 1892. He became connected with the New York Times in 1858 and became a war correspondent in 1862. He traveled in the South in 1867 and collected material for a book entitled History of the Civil War. He wrote the Times' review of McClellan, Campaigns of the Army of the Potomac, and other books including a series of educational school books. Research William Swinton
William Symington was a Scottish engineer. He was born in 1763 at Leadhills and died in 1831, Educated at Glasgow University and Edinburgh University, in 1787 he patented an improved form of steam engine, which he applied in conjunction with Patrick Miller to paddle-wheel steamers. In 1802 the Charlotte Dundas tug-boat was fitted with a further improved form of William Symington's steam engine, which proved very successful. His inventions provided the foundation for later steamships, but despite this William Symington died in poverty. Research William Symington
William Henry Fox Talbot (Fox Talbot) was an English inventor. He was born in 1800 and died in 1877. Educated at Harrow and Trinity College, Cambridge he became renowned as a mathematician and spent most of his time studying scientific matters and archaeology. In 1833 he made the discovery - that of the action of light upon paper impregnated with silver iodide or silver nitrate - on which photography rests and published his findings in 1839, calling the process calotype, also known as talbotype. Research William Talbot
William Taylor was an English writer. He was born in 1766 at Norwich and died in 1836. He was educated for a mercantile career, but after a lengthened stay in Germany he resolved to devote himself to literature. His published works are: a translation of Burger's Lenore (1796) and Lessing's Nathan the Wise (1805), English Synonyms Discriminated (1813), and a Historical Survey of German Poetry (1828). Research William Taylor
William Bernard Tegetmeier (WB Tegetmeier) was an English naturalist. He was born in 1816 at Colnbrook and died in 1912. Educated in medicine, he became a journalist and was appointed natural history editor of 'The Field' magazine. He developed the use of homing pigeons for use in war, and worked with Charles Darwin in his inquiries into variations in animals. Research William Tegetmeier
William Tell was the legendary national hero of Switzerland. He is mentioned in a ballad and in a chronicle both written about 1470. The story goes that Gessler, the tyrannical bailiff of the duke of Austria, ordered those that passed to salute the duke's hat set up in Altdorf. In 1307, refusing to do so, William Tell a peasant of Uri, was arrested and given the choice of execution or of shooting an apple place upon his young son's head. William Tell chose the apple, and successfully shot it from his son's head without harming the boy.
Taken as a prisoner in a boat by Gessler and his men, William Tell leapt out of the boat and escaped to the shore during a storm, from where he ambushed the tyrant Gessler and shot him in the hollow lane at Kussnacht. William Tell then led an uprising which resulted in Swiss independence.
Rossini produced an opera about William Tell, entitled Guillaume Tell in 1829. In 1895 a memorial statue to William Tell, showing the hero and his son, by Kissling was erected at Altdorf. Research William Tell
Sir William Temple was an English statesman and essayist. He was born in 1628 at London and died in 1699. Educated at Emmanuel College, Cambridge he afterwards passed six years in France, Holland, Flanders, and Germany. On his return in 1654, not choosing to accept office under Oliver Cromwell, he occupied himself in the study of history and philosophy. After the Restoration in 1660 he represented Carlow in the Irish parliament in 1660, and became a diplomat in 1665. In 1668 he affected the alliance between England and Holland and Sweden and in 1677 brought about the marriage of William of Orange and Mary. Research William Temple
William Tennant was a Scottish poet. He was born in 1784 at Anstruther, Fifeshire and died in 1845. He studied for some time at the University of St Andrews, was for several years a clerk, devoted himself then to teaching, and, being a good oriental linguist, was in 1835 appointed to the chair of oriental languages in St Mary's College, St Andrews. His chief production is Anster (that is, Anstruther) Fair, a humorous poem of Scottish life in the same stanza as Byron's Don Juan, which it preceded, being published in 1812. Besides Anster Fair, William Tennant was the author of several other poems and some dramas. None of them, however, attained any success. Grammars of the Syriac and Chaldee tongues were also published by him. Research William Tennant
William Makepeace Thackeray was an English novelist, humorist and essayist. He was born at Calcutta in 1811 and died in 1863. Sent to England in 1817 he was educated at Charterhouse and at Trinity College, Cambridge, which he left without taking a degree. In 1831 he entered the Middle Temple, but abandoned law for journalism. In 1833 he bought 'The National Standard' which he edited for the few months it survived and in 1836 he went to Paris as correspondent for the short-lived 'Constitutional'. In 1836 he married Isabella Shawe. Thackeray was for a long time on the staff of 'Fraser's Magazine' to which he contributed stories, essays and verses, caricatures, art criticism and reviews. Among his principal contributions were 'The Yellowplush Papers', published in 1837 and 1838, which attracted attention and were pirated in the USA. Later Thackeray received widespread attention as a contributor to 'Punch' and 'The Snobs of England'. Among his best known novels is 'Vanity Fair'. Research William Thackeray
William The Conqueror (also known as William of Normandy, William I of England and William the Bastard) was the first Norman King of England. He was born in 1027 in Falaise and died in 1087. He was the son of Robert the Devil, Duke of Normandy and of Arlette, the daughter of a tanner of Falaise. He succeeded his father as duke in 1035 but was not thoroughly established in power until 1047. He was offered succession of the English crown by his cousin, Edward the Confessor in 1051, and in 1064 Harold of Wessex also recognised the Norman duke's pretensions to the English crown. However, when Edward the Confessor died Harold II refused to be bound by a promise which he said was extorted from him, and seized the throne. In consequence William the Conqueror invaded England and defeated Harold II at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. His victory at Hastings and his subsequent coronation in WestminsterAbbey on Christmas Day in 1066 did not give him complete control of England. Remaining resistance was, however, severely crushed and castles built to control the country (including a fortress at Windsor, and the White Tower at the Tower of London).
In Yorkshire, resistance to Wlliam the Conqueror's invasion was particularly strong, and was met with devastation of the land and genocide of the population. For example, the Domesday Book records how the lands of the manor of Tosti in Falsgrave and Northfield, near Scarborough there was farmland belonging to the manor on which there lived 108 freemen prior to the invasion, but after the genocide by the Normans the manor had been taken over (one presumes Tosti was killed or fled) and there remained just 7 freemen and of the farmland almost 84 percent had been laid to waste by the Normans.
Similarly, the estate in Pickering which prior to the Norman invasion was worth 88 pounds in revenue, after the Normans had devastated it, it was assessed for the Domesday book as being worth just 20 shillings and 4 pence (2 pounds and 4 pence), and the population of the manor's eighteen villages (recorded in the Domesday Book as: Brompton, Odulfesmare, Ebberston, Allerston, Wilton, Farmanby, Roxby, Kingthorpe, Chiluesmares, Aschilesmares, Maxudesmares, Snainton, Chigogemers, Ellerburn, Thornton Dale, Levisham, Middleton, and Barton-le-Street) had been all but wiped out, with just ten villagers remaining.
The lands of defeated Saxon nobles were given to William the Conqueror's followers in return for military service by a certain number of knights, so that the tenants' foremost obligation was allegiance to the King. This firmly established the feudal system. In 1086, William the Conqueror commissioned the Domesday Book, to record land holdings for the assessment of taxes and other dues. William the Conqueror spent long periods in Normandy to maintain his authority there, dealing with rebellions and French invasions. William died in 1087 in Normandy, leaving his duchy to his eldest son, Robert, and England to his next surviving son, William Rufus. Research William The Conqueror
William the Silent was Count of Nassau and Prince of Orange. He was born in 1533 and died in 1584. He was the eldest son of William, count of Nassau, and was educated in the Roman Catholic faith. He had large estates in the Netherlands, and held high offices under Charles V and his son Philip II; but the reckless persecution of the Protestants roused him against the Spaniards, and when the Duke of Alva with a Spanish force was sent to subdue the Netherlands in 1567 he retired to Germany. He now declared himself a Protestant, and personally led an army into Brabant against Alva, but failed to bring about an engagement. In 1572 the estates appointed the prince stadtholder of Holland, Zealand, Friesland, and Utrecht, with power to prosecute the war against Spain.
In 1574 the prince's brothers Louis and Henry were defeated and killed in a battle at Mookerheide, but this disaster was to some extent compensated by the raising of the siege of Leyden. In 1576 the brutality of the Spanish soldiers was such that William was able to negotiate the pacification of Ghent, a treaty in which the provinces bound themselves to expel the Spaniards from the Netherlands. In the troublous times which followed the prince acted with great discretion, and it was by his political prudence that the five northern provinces joined in the Union of Utrecht of 1579, and thus laid the foundations of the republic of the United Netherlands. To check this growing power Philip set a price of 25,000 gold crowns upon the head of the prince, with the result that an attempt was mafe on his life in 1582 at Antwerp, and he was ultimately assassinated at Delft in 1584 by Balthasar Gerard. Research William the Silent
William Thompson (known as Bendigo) was an English boxer. He was born in 1811 at Nottingham and died in 1880. After retiring from boxing he became a teetotaller and a revivalist preacher. Research William Thompson
William John Thoms was a British antiquary. He was born in 1803 and died in 1885. For twenty years he was in the secretary's office at ChelseaHospital; clerk from 1845 until 1863 and deputy librarian from 1863 until 1882 of the House of Lords. From 1838 until 1873 he was secretary of the Camden Society. Research William Thoms
William Thomson was an English prelate. He was born in 1819 at Whitehaven and died in 1890. Educated at Shrewsbury and at Queen's College, Oxford, he was ordained in 1842 and after holding several curacies, returned to Oxford in 1847 as tutor of his old college, becoming a provost in 1855. In 1861 he was consecrated bishop of Gloucester and in 1862 was appointed archbishop of York. Research William Thomson
William Davis Ticknor was an American publisher. He was born in 1810 and died in 1864. In 1832 he secured a partnership in the firm of Allen and Ticknor, at Boston, and developed the business with other partners, changing the name of the firm to Ticknor and Fields in 1854. They published 'The North American review' and 'The Atlantic Monthly', and their shop, the Old Corner Book Store, was for a long while the resort of the literary men of the period. Research William Ticknor
William Torrens M'cullagh was a British politician. He was Born in 1813 at Ireland and died in 1894. He became a barrister. A keen social reformer and one of Cobden's friends, he entered the House of Commons as MP for Dundalk in 1847, and he stayed there with an interval until 1885, being MP for Finsbury from 1865 until 1885. Torrens was responsible in a sense for the creation of the London School Board, and for a measure of 1868 that assisted the clearing of slum areas. He wrote 'Industrial History of Free Nations' published in 1846 and 'History of Cabinets' published in 1894. Research William Torrens
William Tryon was an irish-born American colonial governor. He was born in 1725 and died in 1788. He was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of North Carolina in 1764. He was Governor from 1765 to 1771. He suppressed the revolt of the 'Regulators' with great cruelty. He became Governor of New York in 1771, and continued in office until 1778. He was detested by the patriots for his inhumanity and the destruction of Danbury, Fairfield and Norwalk, Connecticut. Research William Tryon
William Tuke was an English philanthropist and the founder of the York retreat. He was born in 1732 at York and died in 1822. The son of Quakers, he became a tea and coffee emerchant and in 1791, becoming aware of the appalling conditions in lunatic asylums, induced the Society of Friends to take the matter up. In 1796 the York retreat opened and the principle of humane treatment of the insane, which he advocated, was gradually adopted elsewhere. Research William Tuke
William Marcy Tweed was an American politician. He was born in 1823 at New York and died in 1878. He was a member of Congress from 1853 until 1855 and a senator from 1867 until 1871. He was chief commissioner of public works before being charged and tried on charges of forgery and larceny realting to the Tweed Ring and in 1873 was condemned to twelve years imprisonment. He was released, rearrested on a civil charge and was imprisoned. He escaped from prison and fled to Spain, but was sent back to the USA where he was imprisoned in Ludlow Street gaol where he died. Research William Tweed
William Tyndale (William Tindale) was a British translator and tractwriter. He was born in 1492 at Gloucestershire and died in 1536. Educated at Oxford and Cambridge universities, he was ordained as a priest in 1521 and became chaplain to Sir Hohn Walsh at Little Sodbury. In 1523 he moved to London where he preached at the chutch of St Dunstan's-in-the-West and in the house of Humphrey Monmouth, a rich draper. While in London he started to translate the New Testament into common language, before being forced to leave England and going to Holland and Germany. His translations caused conflict with Moore, and Henry VIII had him strangled and burned at the stake at Vilvorde, near Brussels. Research William Tyndale
William Henry Waddington was a French diplomat. He was born in 1826 and died in 1894. He was ambassador to Great Britain from 1883 to 1893 and was responsible in a great part for the friendly relations between France and Britain. Research William Waddington
William Walker was an American adventurer. He was born in 1834 and died in 1860. He organized an unsuccessful expedition in 1853 for the conquest of the State of Sonora, Mexico. In 1855 he was induced to aid the 'Liberal' party in the Nicaragua troubles. He gained a victory at La Virgen, and took possession of Granada. He became Secretary of War and commander-in-chief. He gained undisputed control of Nicaragua and caused himself to be elected President in 1856. His government was recognized by the United States. He was defeated in an insurrection in 1857. He made two subsequent attempts to overthrow governments in Central America, in one of which he was captured and shot. Research William Walker
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish patriot. He was born in 1270 and died in 1305. He is said to have been the younger son of Sir Malcolm Wallace of Elderslie and Auchinbothie, by Margaret, daughter of Sir Reynold Crawford, sheriff of Ayr. For the most detailed particulars we possess about this famous Scottish character we are almost entirely dependent on Blind Harry; but the narratives cannot bear the scrutiny of the critical historian. Contemporary Scottish records do not exist, while the English chroniclers of the period were but imperfectly informed and prejudiced.
Wallace is described as a man of herculean proportions and strength, and it is certain that he possessed in a high degree the qualifications of a commander. He is represented as having been for some years engaged in a partisan war against the English before what is represented by Blind Harry as the turning-point in his career took place, the slaughter of Haselrig in revenge for the murder of his wife, and in pursuance of his vow of eternal vengeance against the invaders of his country. Henceforth he continued in open resistance to the English, and having collected a considerable force was besieging the castle of Dundee when he heard that Surrey and Cressingham were advancing upon Stirling with a large army. He met them in the vicinity of that town, and, thanks to his ingenious military tactics, gained a complete victory in 1297. After this Wallace appears with the title of Guardian of the Kingdom, which was temporarily cleared of the English, and is found conducting a series of organized raids into England.
In 1298 Edward I entered Scotland with an army estimated at nearly 90,000 men. Wallace retired before him, wasting the country, but was at length overtaken at Falkirk, compelled to fight, and after a gallant resistance his army was routed. He succeeded in escaping, and little is known of his movements henceforth. He was excluded from the peace granted by Edward to the Scottish council of regency in 1304, and every effort was made to secure his apprehension. It was effected through Alexander de Monteith, governor of DumbartonCastle. Wallace was taken to London, and after a mock trial found guilty of treason and rebellion, and executed on the 23rd of August, 1305. A memorial to Wallace has been placed on the summit of Abbey Craig, near Stirling, in the form of a Scotch baronial tower, surmounted by an architectural crown, and having a height of 220 feet. It serves the purpose of a Scottish Walhalla, and busts of eminent Scotchmen are from time to time added. Research William Wallace
William Vincent Wallace was a British composer. He was born in 1814 at Waterford and died in 1865. His father, the bandmaster of the 29th Regiment of Foot, taught him to play on the usual military instruments, and procured him teachers of the violin, pianoforte, and guitar. He spent some years in Australia, and made an extensive concert tour in the Australian colonies, in India, and in America. In 1845 he went to London, and devoted himself to composition. His first opera, Maritana, was produced at Drury Lane, 1845, and secured him at once a reputation. Lurline and the Amber Witch are his other chief operatic compositions. For the pianoforte he wrote numerous airs of great sweetness, which were very popular. Research William Wallace 2
William Walsh was an English writer and statesman. He was born in 1663 at Abberley and died in 1708. He was MP for Worcestershire from 1698 to 1702 and for Richmond in 1705. He steadily advocated the Protestant succession. He was the author of elegies and love poems. In 'Delia', one of five pastorals, he eulogises Mrs tempest, the subject of Pope's fourth pastoral. He was a dramatic collaborator with Congreve and Vanbrugh, and in prose he wrote 'Dialogue concerning Women, being a Defence of the Sex', in 1691. The Works of William Walsh appeared in 1736 and his biography in ' Lives' by Johnson and Cibber in 1753. Research William Walsh
William Warburton was an English prelate. He was born in 1698 at Newark-upon-Trent and died in 1779. He was brought up to the law, but not finding this profession to his taste he left it, and in 1723 took deacon's orders in the church. In 1727 he began to distinguish himself as a writer by his inquiry into the Causes of Prodigies and Miracles. This led to his being presented to the rectory of Brand Broughton, in Lincolnshire, where he remained many years, composing here most of those works which contributed to the establishment of his fame. In 1736 appeared his first important work, the Alliance between Church and State, etc, which brought him into favourable notice at court. But his great work is the Divine Legation of Moses. It was assailed in many quarters, and Warburton carried on the controversy with ability and intemperate vigour. A defence of Pope's Essay on Man secured him the friendship of the poet, and he became a considerable beneficiary under the latter's will. By the death of Ralph Allen, whose niece he had married in 1745, Warburton succeeded to the splendid seat of Prior Park, in Gloucestershire. In 1746 he was appointed preacher to the society of Lincoln's Inn, and from that time his advance in church preferment was rapid, until he became bishop of Gloucester in 1759. Research William Warburton
William Warner was an English author. He was born about 1558 and died in 1609. He studied at Oxford, became an attorney and a man of letters in London. In 1585 he published seven tales under the collective title of Pan, his Syrinx or Pipe; but his principal work - the one which has kept his name alive - is Albion's England, a poem in fourteen-sylable lines, first published in four books in 1586, latterly extended to sixteen, dealing with the history of Britain from the days of Noah to James I, and containing an extraordinary hotchpotch of mythology, legend, and more or less genuine history and biography, etc. Research William Warner
William Augustine Washington was an American soldier. He was born in 1752 and died in 1810. He distinguished himself at Long Island, Trenton and Princeton. In 1778 he was lieutenant in Colonel Baylor's dragoons. In 1779 he joined the army of General Abraham Lincoln in the South. He defeated ColonelTarleton at Rantowles. He captured the post at Rudgely's in 1780. He commanded a light corps at Cowpens, Guilford Court House, Hobkirk's Hill and Eutaw Springs. Research William Washington
Sir John William Watson was an English poet. He was born in 1858 at Burley-in-Wharfedale, Yorkshire, and died in 1935. He wrote mainly political poems, but made his reputation with the poem 'Wordsworth's Grave' in 1890. Research William Watson
William Weathersford was an American Indian chief. He was born about 1770 and died in 1824. He led the Creek Indians against the US forces during the War of 1812. In 1814 he voluntarily surrendered to General Jackson. Research William Weathersford
WilliamAlmonWheeler was an American legislator and vice-president of the United States from 1877 to 1881. He was born in 1819 at Malone, New York and died in 1887. He was called to the bar in 1845. He occupied a seat in Congress for New York, from 1869 to 1877. He is remembered for 'the Wheeler Compromise' of 1875, whereby the government of Louisiana was settled. He was nominated to serve with President Hayes by the Republican party in 1877. Research William Wheeler
William Whewell was an English philosopher. He was born in 1794 at Lancaster and died in 1866. He was educated at the free grammar-school in Lanxaster, afterwards at Haversham Grammar-school, whence he went to Trinity College, Cambridge. Here he graduated BA in 1816, as second wrangler and second Smith's prizeman. In due course he became fellow and tutor of his college. In 1828 he was elected professor of mineralogy. In 1832 he resigned this chair for that of moral philosophy, which he held until 1855, when he became vice-chancellor of the university.
In 1841 he was nominated to the mastership of Trinity, and in this position he worked earnestly and successfully to obtain for the natural and moral sciences a better recognized position among the studies of tlie university. He became fellow of the Royal Society in 1820, and was one of the first members of the British Association, of which he was president in 1841.
Among William Whewell's multifarious writings may be mentioned the Bridgewater treatise, Astronomy and General Physics, considered with reference to Natural Theology (1833); History of the Inductive Sciences (1837); Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences (1840); History of Scientific Ideas; Elements of Morality, including Polity (1845); On Liberal Education in General; Lectures on the History of Moral Philosophy in England (1852); Platonic Dialogues (1859-1861); Lectures on Political Economy (1863). Research William Whewell
William Whiston was an English divine and mathematician. He was born in 1667 and died in 1752. He studied at Clare Hall, Cambridge, where, having taken his degree in 1690, he was chosen a fellow of his college, and became an academical tutor. Entering into holy orders he was appointed in 1694 chaplain to the Bishop of Norwich. In 1696 he published a Theory of the Earth on the principles of the Newtonian philosophy; in 1698 became rector of Lowestoft; and in 1701 was appointed deputy-professor of mathematics at Cambridge by Sir Isaac Newton, who shortly afterwards resigned the professorship in his favour. He was expelled from the university in 1710 for Arian opinions, and the following year was deprived of his professorship. He then moved to the metropolis, and published his Primitive Christianity, which caused him to be prosecuted as a heretic, though the proceedings were ultimately terminated by an act of grace in 1715. Towards the close of his life he became a Baptist. Among his latest works were his Memoirs of My own Life (1749-1750). Besides numerous original productions he published a well-known translation of the works of Josephus. Research William Whiston
William Dwight Whitney was an American philologist. He was born in 1827 at Northampton, Massachusetts and died in 1894. He studied at Williams' College, Williamstown, and at Yale College, giving special attention to Sanskrit. He also studied Sanskrit in Germany from 1850 to 1853, returning in the latter year to America. The first-fruits of his studies in Sanskrit was an edition of the Atharva-Veda in conjunction with Roth (1856). He had previously in 1854 been made professor of Sanskrit and of comparative philology at Yale College. Among his independent works may be mentioned, Language and the Study of Language (1867), Oriental and Linguistic Studies (1872-1874), Life and Growth of Language (1875), SanskritGrammar (a highly important work), German Grammar, etc. He was chief editor of the Century Dictionary of the English Language published in America. Research William Whitney
William Wilberforce was an English philanthropist and statesman. He was born in 1759 at Hull and died in 1833. After completing his education at St John's College, Cambridge, he was, in 1780, elected member of parliament for his native town; and in 1784 he was returned by the county of York. In 1786 he made the acquaintance of Thomas Clarkson who gained his sympathies on behalf of the agitation against the slave-trade. In 1791 he moved for leave to bring in a bill to prevent further importation of African negroes into the British colonies. Year after year he pressed this measure, but was always defeated until 1807, when it was passed during the short administration of Fox. He then devoted his energies to bring about the total abolition of slavery, and three days before his death he was informed that the House of Commons had passed a bill which extinguished slavery in the British colonies. Research William Wilberforce
William Wilkins was an American politician. He was born in 1779 and died in 1865. He represented Pennsylvania in the US Senate as a Democrat from 1831 to 1834 and in the US Congress from 1842 to 1844. He was Secretary of War in Tyler's Cabinet from 1844 to 1845. Research William Wilkins
William Winder was an American soldier. He was born in 1775 and died in 1824. He led a successful expedition into Canada below Fort Erie in 1812. His brigade repelled the British attack at Stony Creek in 1813. He was in command at Bladensburg in 1814 where he was disastrously defeated. Research William Winder
William Windham was an English statesman. He was born in 1750 at London and died in 1810. After being educated at Eton, Glasgow, and Oxford, he was returned to parliament in 1784 as member for Norwich. Opposed at first to Pitt's administration he joined in Burke's condemnation of the French Revolution, and advocated the war against France; became secretary of war in 1794, and remained in this position until the retirement of Pitt in 1801. He took office again in the Grenville administration in 1806, and brought forward a bill to limit the term of service in the army, and also to increase the pay and pensions of officers and men. He retired from office in 1807, and strenuously opposed the Copenhagen and Walcheren expeditions. He was a friend of Dr. Johnson and of Gobbett, and combined the varied qualities of scholar, orator, statesman, athlete, and sportsman. Research William Windham
William Windom was an American politician. He was born in 1827 and died in 1891. He represented Minnesota in the US Congress as a Republican from 1859 to 1869. He served in the US Senate from 1870 to 1881. He was Secretary of the Treasury in Garfield's Cabinet in 1881, again a US Senator from 1881 to 1883, and Secretary of the Treasury in Harrison's Cabinet from 1889 to 1891. Research William Windom
William Wirt was an American lawyer. He was born in 1772 at Virginia and died in 1834. He was a cabinet officer, and one of the ablest and most eloquent lawyers in the United States. He sat at one time in the State House of Delegates, but aside from that office he was not active in political life. One of his most celebrated speeches was that delivered in 1807 in the prosecution of Aaron Burr. From 1817 until 1829 William Wirt was Attorney-General of the United States. In 1832 he was the Anti-Masonic candidate for President, and received seven electoral votes. Research William Wirt
William Woodbridge was an American politician. He was born in 1780 and died in 1861. He was Judge of the Michigan Supreme Court from 1828 to 1832, and Governor of Michigan from 1840 to 1841. He was a Democratic US Congressman from 1841 to 1847. Research William Woodbridge
William Woods was an American jurist, politician and soldier. He was born in 1824 and died in 1887. He was a member of the Ohio Legislature from 1857 to 1860, serving as Speaker of the House in 1358. He was commissioned a lieutenant-colonel of Ohiovolunteers, and fought at Shiloh, Arkansas Post, Resaca, Dallas, Atlanta, Lovejoy Station and Bentonville. He led a division in Sherman's march to the sea. He was a US CircuitJudge from 1869 to 1880, when he became a Justice of the US Supreme Court. Research William Woods
William Wordsworth was an English poet. He was born in 1770 at Cockermouth and died in 1850.
The son of an attorney he was sent to St John's College, Cambridge and left the university after taking his degree, but without having otherwise distinguished himself, and lived aimlessly in London and elsewhere. He crossed to .France in November 1791, and exhibited vehement sympathy with the revolution, remaining in France for nearly a year.
After his return, disregarding all entreaties to enter upon a professional career, he published his Evening Walk and Descriptive Sketches in 1793. Two years afterwards he received a legacy of 900 pounds sterling from Paisley Calvert, a friend whom he had nursed in his last illness. With this sum and the consecrated helpfulness of his sister Dorothy he contrived to keep house for eight years, while he gave himself to poetic effort as his high 'office upon earth'. For the first two years they lived at Racedown in Dorset, where the poet among other experiments began his tragedy of The Borderers. In this retreat they were visited in 1797 by Coleridge, who had already recognized an original poetic genius in the author of Descriptive Sketches, Coleridge was at this time living at Nether Stowey, in Somerset, and during this visit he induced the Wordsworths to go into residence at Alfoxden, in his immediate neighbourhood. Here the two poets held daily intercourse, and after twelve months they published Lyrical Ballads in 1798 in literary copartnership. Although this volume was received with almost complete public indifference, yet Wordsworth felt that he had found his mission, and after a winter spent in Germany he and his sister settled at Grasmere in 1799, where he proposed to write a great philosophical poem on man, nature, and society.
Thenceforth his life was marked by few incidents. Those worth noting are his marriage in 1802 with his cousin Mary Hutchinson; his moving from Grasmere to Allan Bank in 1808; his appointment in 1813 to an inspectorship of stamps, and his move to Rydal Mount; several journeys into Scotland and to the Continent; his acceptance of a DCL degree conferred upon him in 1839 by the University of Oxford; and his accession in 1843 to the laureateship on the death of Southey.
Wordsworth's great philosophic poem, which, in his own phrase, was to be the Gothiccathedral of his labour, received only a fragmentary accomplishment in The Prelude, The Excursion, and The Recluse. Yet enough was achieved in his smaller poems to justify his own conception of himself as a 'dedicated spirit', and to set him apart among the greatest of England's poets. Research William Wordsworth
William Worth was an American soldier. He was born in 1794 and died in 1849. He joined the army in 1812. He served as an aide to General Winfield Scott in the campaigns of 1813 and 1814. He distinguished himself at the battles of Chippewa and Niagara. He was in command of the Department of Florida from 1841 to 1846 and was active in subduing the Seminole Indians. He was second in command to General Taylor at the outbreak of the Mexican War. He conducted an assault at Monterey and led his brigade in the battles from Vera Cruz to the City of Mexico. Research William Worth
William Wycherley was an English dramatist. He was born about 1640 at Clive, near Shrewsbury; died in 1715. His early years were spent in France, afterwards he was educated at Oxford, and entered himself at the Temple; while in 1670 he became known as a fashionable man about town and the author of Love in a Wood. This comedy was followed by the Gentleman Dancing Master, the Country Wife, and the Plain Dealer. In 1680 he married the Countess of Drogheda, a young, rich widow, who at her death left him a lawsuit, the expenses connected with which took him to the Fleet Prison. Here he remained for seven years, until released and pensioned by James II. Wycherley is the typical dramatist of the Restoration group, in which all the brilliancy and dissoluteness of that school are very prominent. Research William Wycherley
William Yarrell was an English eminent naturalist/ He was born in 1784 ar London and died in 1856. The the son of a newspaper agent in London, he assisted in and succeeded to his father's business. He contributed frequently to the Transactions of the Linnsean Society, of which he became a fellow, and to natural history periodicals. His two works, the History of British Fishes (1836) and the History of British Birds (1843), were standard authorities. Research William Yarrell
Willie Colon is an American musician. He was born in 1950 in the Bronx. He is renowned for his trombone playing and arrangements. He is also a keen civil rights and political activist, being a member of the United Nations Immigrant Foundation amongst other organisations. Research Willie Colon
Willie P Mangum was an American politician. He was born in 1793 at North Carolina and died in 1861. He was a Representative from North Carolina from 1823 to 1826, and Senator from 1831 to 1836 and from 1840 to 1853, serving as a Whig. In 1836 he received the electoral votes of South Carolina for the Presidency. Research Willie Mangum
Willy Lehmann was a Soviet spy (codenamed Breitmann and Dike) within the Gestapo during the Second World War. He was recruited during the 1930's and during the war provided information on the methods used by German counterintelligence to track dissidents and Polish agents in Berlin. In 1942 he was revealed by a captured NKVD agent and secretly arrested and executed. Research Willy Lehmann
Wilson Cary Nicholas was an American politician. He was a Democratic- Republican governor of Virginia from 1814 until 1816. Research Wilson Cary Nicholas
Wilson C Nicholas was an American soldier. He was born in 1757 and died in 1820. He became an officer in the colonial army and commanded George Washington's life-guard until 1783. He was a member of the Virginia Convention that ratified the Federal Constitution. He represented Virginia in the US Senate as a Democrat from 1800 to 1804 and in the House from 1807 to 1809. He was Governor of Virginia from 1814 to 1817. Research Wilson Nicholas
In 1865 he received command of the Army of the Shenandoah, and in 1866 was made a major-general in the regular army. He was the Presidential candidate of the Democratic party in 1880, but was defeated by James A Garfield. General Grant said of him, 'Hancock stands the most conspicuous figure of all the general officers who did not exercise a separate command. He commanded a corps longer than any other one, and his name was never mentioned as having committed in battle a blunder for which he was responsible'. Research Winfield Hancock
Winfield Scott was an American general. He was born in 1786 near Petersburg, Virginia and died in 1866. Educated at William and Mary College, he entered the army at the age of twenty-two. In the opening year of the War of 1812 he was taken prisoner at the battle of Queenstown Heights. Being released, he served in the campaign of 1813, was made a brigadier-general, and distinguished himself at the battles of Chippewa and Bridgewater in 1814. He was promoted to be major-general, and saw little more service for a generation.
In the Nullification excitement he commanded at Charleston, and he served against the Seminoles and Creeks, succeeding Macomb as commander-in-chief of the US army in 1841. In the second year of the Mexican War General Winfield Scott took command of the main army. He besieged and took Vera Cruz, stormed Cerro Gordo, and reached Puebla. Having rested his army, he pushed on to the plain of the capital, won the victories of Contreras, Churubusco, Molino del Rey and Chapultepec, and entered the city of Mexico, on September the 14th, 1847.
In 1852 he was the Whigcandidate for President, and was overwhelmingly defeated by Pierce. Later he was engaged on a commission for rectifying the boundary line with Great Britain. The outbreak of the war found him still in command of the army, but he retired in October, 1861. Winfield Scott's imposing stature, strict discipline, and attachment to military etiquette won for him the nickname of 'Old Fuss and Feathers'. Research Winfield Scott
WINFIELD SCOTT
Winfield Scott was an American soldier. He was born in 1786 near Petersburg, Virginia and died in 1866. He was the son of a Scottish Jacobite and was brought up to the law, and admitted to the bar, but never practised. Entering the army he served with distinction in the war of 1812-1814, and afterwards visited Europe, and studied military science at Paris. In 1832 and the following years General Scott was employed in operations against the Indian tribes, and in 1841 he was appointed commander-in-chief of the army. His fame rests upon his brilliant conduct of the Mexican War of 1846-1847, in which he gained several victories over Santa Anna, made himself master of Mexico, and concluded an advantageous peace. He was twice an unsuccessful candidate for the presidency. On the outbreak of the American Civil War he remained true to the Federal government, but was too infirm to take any actual command. He retired from active service in 1861, and in 1864 he published his autobiography. Research Winfield Scott
The Winnebagoes are a tribe of Dakota Indians. They migrated east early, but were forced back to Green Bay. Early in the seventeenth century an alliance of tribes attacked and greatly reduced them. Later they were nearly exterminated by the Illinois. They joined with the French, and in the American War of Independence favoured the English. They were also active in the Indian War of 1793 to 1794, being induced by Wayne. In 1812 they were friendly to the English. In 1816 they made a treaty of peace. Treaties in 1826 and 1827 fixed their boundaries. In 1829 they ceded large tracts of land. They made subsequent treaties and were removed from place to place until in 1866 they were given lands at Winnebago, Nebraska. Research Winnebagoes
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill was a British statesman. He was born in 1874 at Blenheim Palace and died in 1965. He was Britain's Prime Minister during the Second World War. He was educated at Harrow and Sandhurst before entering the British army in 1895 where he served in Cuba, India and the Sudan. He was a war correspondent during the Boer War and entered politics in 1900 as a Conservative MP for Oldham, before defecting to the Liberal Party in 1905. After a series of ministerial posts he became First Lord of the Admiralty in 1911 where he remained for the earlier part of the Great War. During the post-war period his principal position was that of Chancellor of the Exchequer, a post he held from 1924 to 1929. He was excluded from the national governments of 1931 to 1939 on account of his opposition to the policy of appeasing Germany and Italy, but was appointed First Lord of the Admiralty on the outbreak of the Second World War. After the resignation of Neville Chamberlain in May 1940, he became Prime Minister
of an all-party coalition. As the supreme director of the war effort, and the main architect of the alliance with Russia and America, he led the nation to victory over Germany and Japan, but was defeated at the polls in 1945 and did not again become Prime Minister until 1951, resigning the position in 1955. Research Winston Churchill
Winthrop Mackworth Praed was an English poet. He was born in 1802 and died in 1839. He was educated at Eton where in 1820 he became one of the principal contributors to a magazine published there called The Etonian. from Eton he went to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he obtained for two years in succession the chancellor's prize for an English poem. In 1829 he was called to the bar, and in 1830 and 1831 was returned for St Germans to parliament, where he took a prominent part in opposing the passing of the reform bill. He sat subsequently as member for Yarmouth, and afterwards Aylesbury. Research Winthrop Praed
Winthrop Rockefeller was an American politician. He was born in 1912 at New York city and died in 1973. He was a Republican governor of Arkansas from 1967 until 1971, securing the State's first minimum-wage law, introduced prison reforms and made significant progress towards desegregation of the state schools. Research Winthrop Rockefeller
Wladyslaw Anders was a Polish General and patriot. He was born in 1892 and died in 1970. He led an army against the German invasion of Poland in the 1939, only to be captured by the Russians during the partition of Poland later that year. He was released when Germany invaded Russia, and reformed his army which became known officially as Polish II Corps, unofficially as 'Anders' Army', and fought with the Allies as part of the British Eighth Army in Italy from 1944, taking Monte Casino in May 1944. after the war he, and most of his II Corps stayed in England. Research Wladyslaw Anders
Johann Chrysostomus Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was an Austrian composer. He was born in 1756 at Salzburg and died in 1791. At the age of four years his father Leopold Mozart, a violinist of repute, began to teach
him some minuets and other small pieces on the harpsichord. From this period he made rapid progress, and a concerto for the harpsichord, which he wrote in his fifth year, was so difficult that only the most practised performer could play it.
In his sixthyear Mozart was taken by his father, along with his sister, to Munich and Vienna, where the little artists were received at court with great favour. In 1763 the family made a journey to Paris, where Mozart published his first sonatas for the harpsichord; and in the following year they proceeded to England, where the child-musician performed before the court the most difficult compositions of Bach and Handel.
Returning to Salzburg after visiting Holland, the family again went to Vienna in 1767, where the boy received a commission from the emperor to write the music of a comic opera, but owing to the opposition of the court musicians the work was never performed. In 1769 Mozart, who had been made master of the concerts at the courtorchestra at Salzburg, commenced a journey to Italy in company with his father. In Rome he wrote down, on hearing it, the famous Miserere, annually sung in the Sistine Chapel during the holy week.
At Milan in 1770 he composed, in his fourteenthyear, his first opera, Mithridates, which was performed more than twenty times in succession. Henceforth he resided chiefly in Salzburg, but also visited Paris, Munich, and finally Vienna. In Vienna, although he was appointed composer to the court, he found it necessary to maintain himself by giving lessons in music and writing waltzes. Not withstanding this poverty it was here that most of his best work, such as his famous operas, Le Nozze diFigaro (The Marriage of Figaro), Don Giovanni, La Clemenza di Tito (Clemency of Titus), Die Zauberflote (The MagicFlute), and his last work the Requiem, were written. It was here also that the best pianist and greatest composer of his time- perhaps of the world-died in obscurity and was buried in a pauper's grave.
The extent of work done by Mozart during his short life is almost incredible, and in every department of composition, whether vocal or instrumental, he excelled. In the history of music he stands most prominently forward as an operatic composer, his Don Giovanni, MagicFlute, and Marriage of Figaro being works previously unequalled and never since surpassed. In his character he was kind-hearted, guileless, cheerful, void of envy, almost boyish to the last. Research Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfman Jack was an American disc-jockey. After starting his career in Mexico, he went on to appear on more than 2000 radio stations worldwide. Research Wolfman Jack
Wolfram Von Eschenbach was a German mediaeval poet or minnesinger who lived in the first half of the 13th century. The most esteemed of his numerous works are: The Parzival (printed 1477); the Titurel, or the Guardian of the Graal (printed 1477); and the Willehalm, a poem on the deeds of William of Orange, a contemporary of Charlemagne. Research Wolfram Von Eschenbach
The Wolof are the majority ethnic group living in Senegal. There is also a Wolof minority in Gambia. There are about two million speakers of Wolof, a language belonging to the Niger-Congo family. The Wolof are predominantly arable farmers, and some also raise cattle. Research Wolof
Woodrow Wilson was the 28th president of the USA from 1913 to 1921. He was born in 1856 at Staunton and died in 1924. He was elected President in 1913 and for a second term in 1916 as a peace candidate, attempting to negotiate an end to the Great War but in 1917 declaring war on Germany and taking America in on the side of the Allies. In 1919 he won the Nobel Prize for peace. Research Woodrow Wilson
Woody Herman (real name Woodrow Charles Herman) was an American jazz musician. He was born in 1913 at Milwaukee, Wisconsin and died in 1987. He was popular during the 1930s and 1940s for his 'swing' style, though he started his career as a child prodigy, dancing in vaudeville at the age of six, before taking up the saxophone and clarinet. Research Woody Herman
Wouter Van Twiller was a Dutch colonist. He was born in 1580 and died after 1646. He was appointed Governor of New Netherlands by the Dutch West India Company in 1633, and served until 1637. He ably maintained the commercial interests of the colony, but was an incompetent Governor, and was constantly involved in quarrels with the English in the Massachusetts and Connecticut colonies. Research Wouter Van Twiller
In Cambridge University, wrangler is the name given to those who have attained the first class in the public examination for honours in mathematics, commonly called the mathematical tripos. The distinction of wranglers into first or senior, second, etc, was abolished in 1907. Research Wrangler
The Wyandots are a tribe of North American Indians. They are a branch of the Hurons who, in the 17th century, moved from Canada to the right bank of the Detroit River in Michigan and from there ranged into Ohio. In 1832 they ceded their hunting-grounds to the US government in exchange for some tracts about the MissouriKansas confluence. Research Wyandots
Abbreviations
People
Research William N. Runyon
