| Under strict Roman authority, with severe taxes and conscription imposed by the Emperor Nero, Boudicca and her husband ruled the Iceni Tribe of East Anglia. However, this uneasy situation was shattered when her husband died. The Romans raped her daughters, began enslaving her people, and annexed her lands. The queen rebelled, and according to legend all the tribes of South East Britain flocked to her side, willing to follow any leader brave enough to take on the might of the Roman Empire. She attacked and burnt to the ground the Roman towns of St Albans, Colchester and London. The Romans reinforced their legions and after months of fighting the two great armies met for a decisive battle. The Britons were beaten but the Romans paid a heavy price for their victory, seventy thousand Romans and Britons loyal to them were killed. Boudicea took her own life after the battle drinking from a poisoned chalice, her warriors were hunted down mercilessly, but their actions resulted in fairer Roman rules and laws. A memorial statue of the queen riding in her war chariot can be found on the River Thames in the shadow of Big Ben. |
| In 1831, aged just 22, Darwin learnt of a scientific expedition travelling the world by ship. They needed a naturalist, he applied, and they accepted. Whilst on this five year voyage he began to develop his theory of, the survival of the fittest, or natural selection, whereby after many generations of natural selection animals and plants would evolve to suit their environment. In 1859 he published his definitive work, "On The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection", the book was very controversial at the time, including suggestion that man had possibly evolved from apes, this strongly went against the contemporary views that the 19th century world was the same as the one created by God in seven days six thousand years before. His ideas were attacked by the church and the establishment as heresy, but over the following decades emotions cooled and he became accepted for the genius he was. |
| Hailed as Britain's most famous living artist, Hockney's work is revered worldwide. Born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, Hockney attended the local art school, and from here secured a place at the Royal College of Art, where he studied for 4 years with the likes of Allen Jones and RB Kitaj. The seeming naiveté displayed in his work, especially through his drawing, have caused many critics to liken him to Picasso, an artist he holds in the highest esteem. David Hockney is best known for the part he played in the Pop Art Movement of the 1960s, when artists used everyday objects as subjects, producing "art for the masses". Greatly influenced by the brash, oversized popular culture of the United States. Hockney moved to California in 1963,where he still lives today, but vows that one day he will return to paint his beloved Yorkshire. A collection of works by Hockney can be seen at Salt's Mill in Bradford. |
| It may be hard to believe, but the early years of Newton's life did not show him to be an intellect of any great note. He was bottom of his grammar school in Grantham, and only managed to redeem this status by winning a fight in the playground, which propelled him to the top of the heap. His mother was keen for Newton to learn a real trade. Not understanding the obsession he was forming with mathematics and mechanics, she and removed him from school at 17 to learn about the family farm. Newton was hopeless, spending the time he should have been watching the sheep, building model water wheels and other gadgets and soon, on the advice of his uncle and schoolmaster, Newton returned to his studies. In 1661 Newton set out to Cambridge and entered Trinity college. Here he was exposed to many philosophical ideas, especially those of the French philosopher Descartes. From this began the profound questioning of the environment which surrounded him. In 1666 after in-depth studies on curves and kinetics, Newton produced three detailed papers on calculus, known then as "fluxional", this led to Newton being heralded the leading mathematician in Europe, and at the tender age of 24 was leaving the older masters for dead. It is his findings in the Law of Universal Gravitation for which he is perhaps best known. Although the beginnings of this were famously "occasioned by the fall of an apple" from a tree in his birth place of Woolsthorpe, the idea was painstakingly developed over time. From here Newton turned his attention to colours and prisms, and his invention of the reflecting telescope in 1668 finally put him firmly in the minds of the scientific community. Today the most powerful telescopes continue to use reflecting dishes according to Newton's principle. After a series of high profile appointments, in 1703 Newton was elected President of the Royal Society and held this position until his death on 19th March 1727. |
| Born John Winston Lennon during a heavy air-raid in Liverpool, the early years of this musical and political icon were steeped in emotional hardship. With the early departure of his father, and his mother's death when he was just 17, he was raised in a strict but devoted household by his Aunt Mimi and Uncle George. With a passion for the arts he followed his heart to Liverpool Art School, where he formed the band The Quarrymen. His meeting with Paul McCartney in 1957 marked the beginning of the most iconic band in history, The Beatles. John and Paul formed the creative force behind The Beatles, penning their first hit Love Me Do in 1962, and taking them to the dizzy heights of fame, fortune and Beatlemania. John married Cynthia Powell in 1962 with whom he had his first son, Julian, but on meeting artist Yoko Ono just 4 years later the marriage was over, and John re-married Yoko and had his second son, Sean, with her. The union of John and Yoko has been blamed for end of The Beatles, but it also gave us some of John Lennon's greatest political ballads including, Give Peace a Chance and Imagine. Avid campaigners for world peace, John and Yoko once auctioned their hair to raise money for the cause. John spent his last years living in the US before his untimely and tragic death at the hands of fanatic Mark Chapman, who shot him in New York in 1980. |
| Victoria succeeded her uncle to the British throne in 1837, at the age of 18. At this time the monarchy was very unpopular, with fears that revolution would break out, as it had done across Europe. This makes it all the more remarkable that Victoria ruled for the rest of the century, becoming the nation's longest reigning and most celebrated Monarch. During her reign the British Empire doubled in size, and Britain became the most powerful nation on earth. This was also a time of great political reform; the country became more democratic and workers' rights improved. The Queen survived seven assassination attempts, and her stoic response to these dramas, along with quotes such as when learning of the outbreak of the Crimean war "If the Queen were a man, she would like to go and give those horrid Russians such a beating" made the public grow to love her. Victoria was devoted to her husband Prince Albert and their nine children. When Albert died of typhoid in 1861, the Queen went into mourning for the rest of her life, her public appearances became less frequent; she spent much of her time with her family and thirty seven great grandchildren. Victoria's legacy can be seen in statues, buildings and memorials around the world. In Britain her endearing popularity is demonstrated by the huge amount of pubs named after her. |
| One of the greatest figures of Western Architecture, Christopher Wren was born the son of the Dean of Windsor, and attended Oxford University at the age of 17. Upon graduating he became a Professor of Astrology and a highly regarded mathematician; had he died at the age of 30, the annals would have registered him as a one of Britain's greatest scientists. However, he didn't and on a trip to France Wren encountered his first domed building, and here his obsession began. In 1666 he became involved in the quarrel about the state of the medieval St Paul's Cathedral, which was in dire need of modernisation. Wren swiftly took the project over from his contemporary Indigo Jones, and replaced the tower with a magnificent dome. Inspired by his love of French cathedrals, he created a building, the likes of which Britain had never seen. The Fire of London proved Wren's biggest break; he had the rebuilding plans drawn up within days of the disaster, and was fundamental in passing the legislation to rid London of its wooden buildings to create a fire proof city. Although much of Wren's work was left unfinished, he rebuilt 18 Parish Churches, and some of his greatest secular works were all completed after he reached the grand age of 50, these include Hampton Court Palace and Chelsea Hospital. Wren's buildings are synonymous with his style, blending Renaissance Classicism with Baroque opulence, resulting in Majestic facades that are awe-inspiring, without being overwhelming. |
| One of the most important statesmen of the twentieth century, Churchill was destined to lead his country. He was born amongst the splendour of Blenheim Palace, an ancestor of the Duke of Marlborough and son of the brilliant but controversial politician Lord Randolph. Churchill hated his schooldays and struggled with many subjects, but excelled at English. His father decided early on that Winston was too slow for university, and he was encouraged to join the army, which he happily did. Churchill saw plenty of action, and in Sudan in 1908 took part in the last major cavalry charge the British army was involved in. Despite his aristocratic background, Churchill’s parents were always heavily in debt. He desperately needed to subsidise his expensive lifestyle, so he started writing, first for newspapers then books. He continued writing throughout his life and became a celebrated author. His most famous work “The History of the Second World War”won him the Nobel Prize for literature in 1953. But politics was always Churchill’s first love, and he became an MP for the first time in 1901 at the very young age of 26. He quickly rose through the ranks and gained a reputation as an outstanding orator, unfortunately his outspoken views and brashness made him many enemies, who would come back to haunt him. When the 1st World War broke out in 1914 Churchill was First Lord of the Admiralty, after some disastrous tactical mistakes he was forced to resign and according to his many critics was “finished at forty”. He remained in politics but only as a minor figure, what followed was known as the “wilderness years”. He continued to make fine speeches over the next few decades, and his was the most eloquent voice warning against appeasement of Nazi Germany. When the Prime Minister and chief appeaser Chamberlain resigned in 1940, Churchill’s foresight was recognised and he was installed in his place. At this time Britain truly stood alone under constant air attack and the threat of invasion, Churchill refused all of Hitler’s offers of peace, stood defiant, and was rewarded with the decisive Battle of Britain victory. Churchill remained in London alongside his people, throughout the heaviest bombing. His courage and great speeches inspired the nation and freedom fighters across Europe. Britain has known no finer patriot, and on the day of his funeral the country came to a standstill for the greatest of all British war leaders. |
| Hailed as the greatest playwright of all time, very little is actually known about the man himself apart from the legacy left in his works. We know he was born in Stratford-Upon-Avon, Warwickshire in 1564 and after an un-eventful time attending the local school, he joined the local theatre as a resident player, under the pseudonym Shakeshaft. In 1582 he married Anne Hathaway, but it is thought that he left her behind when he went to London to pursue his acting career. It is in 1588 that it is believed Shakespeare first started writing his plays, but continued his passion for acting with the Lord Chamberlain’s Company, later renamed the King's Company. He also acquired an interest in the Globe theatre, which is now known as Shakespeare's spiritual home. William Shakespeare's plays fall into the four categories: history; comedy; tragedy; and tragicomedy. They not only serve as masterful works in their own right, but provide a colourful and accurate portrayal of Tudor life. The first complete collection of Shakespeare's works was published posthumously in 1623, and was known as the First Folio. Possibly the greatest complement to his genius is the sheer number of translations and performances, which now survive in cultures far removed from his medieval England. |
Liverpool was awarded the European Capital of Culture 2008. The vibrant city is renowned for its arts & culture and is home to numerous museums & galleries including a branch of the Tate Gallery. Read more ...
