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Cayley, Sir George

(Encyclopedia)Cayley, Sir George, 1773–1857, British scientist. He is recognized as the founder of aerodynamics on the basis of his pioneering experiments and studies of the principles of flight. He experimented ...

Shirley, Sir Anthony

(Encyclopedia)Shirley or Sherley, Sir Anthony, 1565–1636?, English adventurer. He fought in the Netherlands (1586) under the earl of Leicester and in France (1591) under the earl of Essex, who became his patron. ...

Previn, Sir André

(Encyclopedia)Previn, Sir André prĕvˈĭn [key], 1929–2019, American conductor, composer, and pianist, b. Germany as Andreas Ludwig Priwin. His family fled Nazi Germany in 1938, and he became an American citize...

Andros, Sir Edmund

(Encyclopedia)Andros, Sir Edmund ănˈdrŏs [key], 1637–1714, British colonial governor in America, b. Guernsey. As governor of New York (1674–81) he was bitterly criticized for his high-handed methods, and he ...

Montefiore, Sir Moses Haim

(Encyclopedia)Montefiore, Sir Moses Haim mŏnˌtĭfēôˈrē [key], 1784–1885, British-Jewish philanthropist, b. Italy. He married a Rothschild and became affiliated with the family's banking business. He accumul...

Alma-Tadema, Sir Lawrence

(Encyclopedia)Alma-Tadema, Sir Lawrence ălˈmə-tădˈĭmə [key], 1836–1912, English painter, b. Friesland. He studied in Belgium, where he lived until 1869. In that year he went to England; there he became a c...

Taylor, Sir Robert

(Encyclopedia)Taylor, Sir Robert, 1714–88, English architect. The son of a stonemason, he began his career as a sculptor's apprentice and was later employed to carve the pediment of Mansion House in London. He th...

Lawes, Sir John Bennet

(Encyclopedia)Lawes, Sir John Bennet, 1814–1900, English agriculturist. He founded the famous experimental farm at Rothamsted, where, with the English chemist Sir J. H. Gilbert, he experimented with plants and an...

Shee, Sir Martin Archer

(Encyclopedia)Shee, Sir Martin Archer, 1769–1850, British portrait painter and writer, b. Dublin; pupil of Sir Joshua Reynolds. He attained popularity in court and theatrical circles and executed many royal commi...

Nicholson, Sir William

(Encyclopedia)Nicholson, Sir William, 1872–1949, English woodcut artist, illustrator, and painter. The striking contrasts of black and white of his woodcutting technique were used to great effect on posters, on w...