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Grenville, Sir Richard

(Encyclopedia)Grenville, Sir Richard, 1542?–1591, English naval hero. His cousin, Sir Walter Raleigh, gave him command of the fleet of seven vessels carrying the first colonists to Roanoke Island in 1585. In 1591...

Panizzi, Sir Anthony

(Encyclopedia)Panizzi, Sir Anthony pänētˈsē [key], 1797–1879, British librarian, b. Italy. A political exile, Panizzi settled in England in 1823 and was naturalized in 1832. He was associated with the British...

Henschel, Sir George

(Encyclopedia)Henschel, Sir George hĕnˈshəl [key], 1850–1934, German-English conductor, composer, and baritone. His first appearance (1877) in England was as a singer, and there he and his wife inaugurated (c....

Besant, Sir Walter

(Encyclopedia)Besant, Sir Walter bĭzăntˈ [key], 1836–1901, English novelist and humanitarian, grad. Christ's College, Cambridge, 1859. He taught at the Royal College of Mauritius from 1861 to 1867. After his r...

Bogarde, Sir Dirk

(Encyclopedia)Bogarde, Sir Dirk dûrk bōˈgärd [key], 1921–99, English film actor, b. Hampstead as Derek Niven Van den Bogaerde. In his early career Bogarde played romantic leads in such films as So Long at the...

Roscoe, William

(Encyclopedia)Roscoe, William, 1753–1831, English historian and author. He was called to the bar in 1774, and later, as a member of Parliament, fought against the slave trade (1806). The Life of Lorenzo de' Medic...

Boyce, William

(Encyclopedia)Boyce, William, c.1710–1779, English composer. After studying in London, he became a composer (1736) and later an organist (1758) of the Chapel Royal and Master of the King's Music in 1755. Although...

Cockran, William Bourke

(Encyclopedia)Cockran, William Bourke kŏkˈrən [key], 1854–1923, American political leader, b. Co. Sligo, Ireland. He emigrated to New York City at the age of 17 and in 1876 was admitted to the bar. At first op...

William of Champeaux

(Encyclopedia)William of Champeaux shămpōˈ, shäNpōˈ [key], c.1070–1121, French scholastic philosopher. William studied and taught in Paris. In 1109 he founded the monastic school of St. Victor, which later ...

Mason, William

(Encyclopedia)Mason, William, 1724–97, English poet, editor, and cleric. His works include two plays, Elfrida (1752) and Caractacus (1759), based on classical dramas. He was a friend of Thomas Gray, whose Life an...