Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Gilbert, Sir Humphrey

(Encyclopedia)Gilbert, Sir Humphrey, 1537?–1583, English soldier, navigator, and explorer; half-brother of Sir Walter Raleigh. Knighted (1570) for his service in the campaigns in Ireland, he later (1572) served i...

Gill, Sir David

(Encyclopedia)Gill, Sir David gĭl [key], 1843–1914, Scottish astronomer, educated at the Univ. of Aberdeen. He made observations of the transits of Venus and Mars and investigated the solar parallax. As astronom...

Grove, Sir George

(Encyclopedia)Grove, Sir George, 1820–1900, English musicographer, whose Dictionary of Music and Musicians (1879–89) has become a standard reference work. Originally an engineer, he assisted in the establishmen...

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 ...

Grant, Sir Francis

(Encyclopedia)Grant, Sir Francis, 1803–78, Scottish portrait painter. He was self-taught in painting, for which he abandoned a career in law. He began as a painter of hunting scenes (The Melton Hunt and The Cotte...

Geddes, Sir Patrick

(Encyclopedia)Geddes, Sir Patrick gĕdˈĭs [key], 1854–1932, Scottish biologist and sociologist, distinguished especially in town planning. He received his biological training in T. H. Huxley's laboratory; from ...

Geikie, Sir Archibald

(Encyclopedia)Geikie, Sir Archibald gēˈkē [key], 1835–1924, British geologist, educated at the Univ. of Edinburgh. He joined the Geological Survey of Scotland, becoming its director in 1867. He was professor o...

Fortescue, Sir John

(Encyclopedia)Fortescue, Sir John fôrˈtĭskyo͞o [key], c.1394–1476, English jurist. A supporter of the Lancastrian king Henry VI, he was chief justice of the Court of King's Bench from 1442 until 1461, when He...

Frobisher, Sir Martin

(Encyclopedia)Frobisher, Sir Martin frōˈbĭshər [key], 1535?–1594, English mariner. He went to sea as a boy, and spent much of his youth in the African trade. He later gained the friendship of Sir Humphrey Gil...

Fry, Sir Edward

(Encyclopedia)Fry, Sir Edward, 1827–1918, English lawyer. In 1877 he was made a judge of the high court of justice, and he served (1883–92) as judge of the court of appeal. Later he arbitrated several important...