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Selected biography 1
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B. June 17, 1898 – d. July 25, 2009 (aged 111)
Henry John "Harry" Patch was a British supercentenarian, briefly the oldest man in the United Kingdom and was the last surviving soldier to have fought in the trenches of the First World War. Patch was born in Combe Down. During the war, Patch was conscripted into the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, serving as an assistant gunner in a Lewis Gun section. He was a private at the Battle of Passchendaele (also known as the Third Battle of Ypres). After the war, Patch returned to work as a plumber, during which time he spent four years working on the Wills Memorial Building in Bristol and, during the Second World War, a fireman. (Full article...)
Selected biography 2
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Hugh Montague Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard.jpg)
B. February 3, 1873 – d. February 10, 1956 (aged 83)
Hugh Montague Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard GCB OM GCVO DSO was a British officer who was instrumental in establishing the Royal Air Force. He has been described as the Father of the Royal Air Force. He was born in Taunton and in 1912, Trenchard learnt to fly and was subsequently appointed as second in command of the Central Flying School. He held several senior positions in the Royal Flying Corps during World War I, serving as the commander of Royal Flying Corps in France from 1915 to 1917. In 1918, he briefly served as the first Chief of the Air Staff before taking up command of the Independent Air Force in France. Returning as Chief of the Air Staff under Winston Churchill in 1919, Trenchard spent the following decade securing the future of the Royal Air Force. He was Metropolitan Police Commissioner in the 1930s and a defender of the RAF in his later years. Trenchard is recognized today as one of the first advocates of strategic bombing. (Full article...)
Selected biography 3
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B. January 13, 1964
Bill Bailey is an English comedian, actor, and musician known for appearing on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, QI, Have I Got News for You, and Black Books as well as his stand up comedy. He is a self proclaimed "confused hippy" known for his thin goatee and skullet hairstyle. Bailey was listed by The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy, in 2003 and in 2007 he was voted number seven on Channel 4's hundred greatest stand-ups. (Full article...)
Selected biography 4
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Jill Dando
B. November 9, 1961 – d. April 26, 1999 (aged 37)
Jill Dando was an English journalist and television presenter who worked for the BBC for more than fifteen years. When she was murdered in April 1999, the Metropolitan police mounted a high-profile hunt for her killer. The Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science at University College London is named after her in recognition of her contribution to the fight against crime.. (Full article...)
Selected biography 5
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B. October 27, 1939
John Marwood Cleese, an English actor, comedian, writer and film producer was born in Weston-super-Mare. He achieved success at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and as a scriptwriter on The Frost Report. In the late 1960s he became a member of Monty Python, the comedy troupe responsible for the sketch show Monty Python's Flying Circus and the four Monty Python films: And Now for Something Completely Different, Holy Grail, Life of Brian and The Meaning of Life.
In the mid 1970s, Cleese and his first wife Connie Booth, co-wrote and starred in the British sitcom Fawlty Towers. Later, he co-starred with Kevin Kline, Jamie Lee Curtis and former Python colleague Michael Palin in A Fish Called Wanda and Fierce Creatures. He also starred in Clockwise, and has appeared in many other films, including two James Bond films, two Harry Potter films, and three Shrek films. (Full article...)
Selected biography 6
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B. 954 – d. 19 April 1012
Ælfheah (Old English: Ælfhēah, "elf-high") officially remembered by the name Alphege within the Church, and also called Elphege, Alfege, or Godwine, was an Anglo-Saxon Bishop of Winchester, later Archbishop of Canterbury. He became an anchorite before being elected abbot of Bath Abbey. His perceived piety and sanctity led to his promotion to the episcopate, and eventually, to his becoming archbishop. Ælfheah furthered the cult of Saint Dunstan and also encouraged learning. He was captured by Viking raiders in 1011 and killed by them the following year after refusing to allow himself to be ransomed. Ælfheah was canonized as a saint in 1078. Thomas Becket, a later Archbishop of Canterbury, prayed to him just before his own murder in Canterbury Cathedral. (Full article...)
Selected biography 7
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Robert Burnell
B. c. 1239 – d. 25 October 1292
Robert Burnell (sometimes Robert Burnel) was an English bishop who served as Lord Chancellor of England from 1274–1292. A native of Shropshire, he served as a minor royal official before switching to the service of Prince Edward, the future King Edward I of England. When Edward went on the Eighth Crusade in 1270, Burnell stayed in England to secure the prince's interests. He served as regent after the death of King Henry III of England while Edward was still on Crusade. He was twice elected Archbishop of Canterbury, but his personal life prevented his confirmation by the papacy. In 1275 he was elected Bishop of Bath and Wells, after Edward had appointed him Lord Chancellor in 1274. (Full article...)
Selected biography 8
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B. 909 – d. 19 May 988
Dunstan who was born in Baltonsborough, was an Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey, a Bishop of Worcester, a Bishop of London, and an Archbishop of Canterbury, later canonised as a saint. His work restored monastic life in England and reformed the English Church. His 11th-century biographer, Osbern, himself an artist and scribe, states that Dunstan was skilled in "making a picture and forming letters", as were other clergy of his age who reached senior rank. Dunstan served as an important minister of state to several English kings. He was the most popular saint in England for nearly two centuries, having gained fame for the many stories of his greatness, not least among which were those concerning his famed cunning in defeating the Devil. (Full article...)
Selected biography 9
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Savaric FitzGeldewin
B. unknown – d. 8 August 1205
Savaric (sometimes Savaric FitzGeldewin or Savaric FitzGoldwin or Savaric de Bohun) was an Englishman who became Bishop of Bath and Glastonbury in England. Related to his predecessor as well as to the German Emperor Henry VI, he was elected bishop on the urging of his predecessor, who urged his election on the cathedral chapter of Bath. While bishop, Savaric spent many years attempting to annex Glastonbury Abbey as part of his bishopric. Savaric also worked to secure the release of King Richard I of England from captivity, when the king was held by Emperor Henry VI. (Full article...)
Selected biography 10
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Jocelin of Wells
B. unknown – d. 19 November 1242
Jocelin of Wells, also known as Jocelinus Thoteman or Jocelin Troteman, was a medieval Bishop of Bath and Wells. He was the brother of Hugh de Wells, who became Bishop of Lincoln. Jocelin became a canon of Wells Cathedral before 1200, and was elected bishop in 1206. During King John of England's dispute with Pope Innocent III, Jocelin at first remained with the king, but after the excommunication of John in late 1209, Jocelin went into exile. He returned to England in 1213, and was mentioned in Magna Carta in 1215. Jocelin was one of the bishops that crowned John's son Henry III, and throughout the rest of Jocelin's life was involved in royal administration. He was also active in his diocese, ordering construction on the cathedral at Wells, and issuing rules for his diocesan clergy. During his time as bishop, he settled a dispute between his diocese and Glastonbury Abbey that had started during the bishopric of his predecessor. The memorial brass on his tomb in Wells Cathedral is probably one of the earliest in England. (Full article...)
Selected biography 11
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John of Tours
B. unknown – d. 1122
John of Tours (or John de Villula) was a medieval Bishop of Wells in England who moved the diocese seat to Bath. He was a native of Tours and was King William I of England's doctor before becoming a bishop. After his consecration as bishop, he was either given or purchased Bath Abbey, a rich monastery, and then moved the headquarters of the diocese from Wells, to the abbey. He rebuilt the church at Bath, building a large cathedral that no longer survives. He gave a large library to his cathedral and received the right to hold a fair in Bath. Not noted for his scholarship, he died suddenly in 1122. (Full article...)
Selected biography 12
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Hugh of Wells
B. unknown – d. 7 February 1235
Hugh of Wells (Hugh de Wells, or Hugh of Welles), was a medieval Bishop of Lincoln. He began his career in the diocese of Bath, where he served two successive bishops, before joining royal service under King John of England. He served in the royal administration until 1209, when he was elected to the see, or bishopric, of Lincoln. When John was excommunicated by Pope Innocent III in November 1209, Hugh went into exile in France, where he remained until 1213.
When he returned to England, he continued to serve both John and John's son King Henry III, but spent most of his time in his diocese. He introduced new administrative methods into the diocese, as well as working to improve the educational and financial well-being of his clergy and to secure the canonization of his predecessor Hugh of Avalon as a saint in 1220. Although the medieval writer Matthew Paris accused Hugh of being opposed to monastic houses and monks, there is little evidence of the bishop being biased, and after his death on 7 February 1235 parts of his estate were left to religious houses, including nunneries. (Full article...)
Selected biography 13
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B. 25 May 1864 – d. 4 March 1921
Herbert Tremenheere "Herbie" Hewett was an English cricketer who played for Somerset and was the county captain from 1889 to 1893. He also appeared for Oxford University and the Marylebone Cricket Club.
Hewett was educated at Harrow School, won a Blue at Oxford in 1886 and played for Somerset from 1884. As an inconsistent middle-order batsman he made little impact on the game during this period. However, in 1889 he was made captain of Somerset and as captain and opening batsman in 1889 and 1890 he was instrumental in the county gaining first-class status and admission to the County Championship in 1891. He remained as Somerset captain for a further three seasons, usually opening the batting with Lionel Palairet.
Hewett was a belligerent left-handed opening batsman who hit the ball with power, but was also inclined to be argumentative off the pitch. He had an excellent eye with an unorthodox style and was capable of demoralising the best bowling and running-up a good score in a very brief time. He tended to dominate the scoring while at the wicket and typically scored at about a run a minute. Although he only scored 7 first-class centuries in 4 of those he scored a hundred before lunch. (Full article...)
Selected biography 14
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Jake Seamer
B. June 23, 1913 – d. April 16, 2006 (aged 92)
John Wemyss "Jake" Seamer was an amateur cricketer who played for Oxford University and Somerset either side of the Second World War. A bespectacled cricketer, Seamer was a right-handed batsman who played with a defensive streak to his game which was rarely seen among amateur batsmen of his time. He was described as a leg break googly bowler, but in truth he rarely bowled at all, and claimed just four first-class wickets.
Seamer played the best of his cricket while at Oxford University. All four of his first-class centuries were made for the university side, and his average for Oxford was 35.30, significantly higher than his career average of 20.35. He made his highest score against Free Foresters in his second year, during which he accrued 858 runs, more than double he managed in any other season. On completion of his studies at Oxford, Seamer joined the Sudan Political Service, which limited his first-class cricket appearances to periods of leave. He was named as one of three amateurs to captain Somerset in 1948, leading the team during June and July. That season was his last for Somerset, and he made only one further first-class appearance. He became a district commissioner in the Sudan, and after leaving the service, he taught at Marlborough College and was twice mayor of Marlborough. (Full article...)
Selected biography 15
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Edward Sainsbury
B. July 5, 1851 – d. October 28, 1930 (aged 79)
Edward Sainsbury was an English cricketer who represented, and captained, Somerset County Cricket Club in the late 19th century. During a 10-year first-class cricket career, he also represented Gloucestershire and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
Most commonly employed as a right-handed opening batsman, Sainsbury was one of Somerset's most talented batsman during their formative years. His slow underarm bowling was effective in second-class cricket, but in an era when overarm bowling was becoming the standard, he was used sparingly in the first-class game. During his time at Somerset, the county gained first-class status. After being led for three seasons by Sainsbury's Lansdown team-mate Stephen Newton, Sainsbury was given the Somerset captaincy for the 1885 season. A combination of poor results and not being able to raise a full eleven during that season led to the county's removal from the first-class game, although Sainsbury remained as captain until 1888. By the time Somerset had improved sufficiently to return to first-class cricket in 1891, Sainsbury had moved to neighbouring county Gloucestershire, where he saw out his county cricket career. (Full article...)
Selected biography 16
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Stephen Newton
B. April 21, 1853 – d. August 16, 1916 (aged 63)
Stephen Cox Newton was an English cricketer who represented, and captained, Somerset County Cricket Club in the late 19th century. During a 14 year first-class cricket career, he also represented Cambridge University, Middlesex and the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC).
He made his debut in first-class cricket for Cambridge University, where he was awarded his Blue. He then spent nine seasons playing for Somerset, and captained the side for the last five of those seasons. Working as a schoolmaster in London, his playing opportunities for the south-western county were limited, and from 1885 he only played first-class cricket at Lord's cricket ground, representing Middlesex in three matches that season, and appearing for the MCC on nine occasions over six years. He returned to play for Somerset in 1887 and 1890 when they had lost their first-class status. He worked as headmaster of Loudon House School in London for some years from 1888, and died following an operation in 1916 in Ipswich. (Full article...)
Selected biography 17
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B. December 25, 1975
Marcus Edward Trescothick MBE (/trɛsˈkɒθɪk/; born in Keynsham, Somerset) is an English cricketer. He plays first-class cricket for Somerset County Cricket Club, and represented England in 76 Test matches and 123 One Day Internationals. A left-handed opening batsman, he made his first-class debut for Somerset in 1993 and quickly established himself as a regular member of the team. Trescothick made his One Day International (ODI) debut seven years later, against Zimbabwe in July 2000. His Test debut, against the West Indies, followed in August. Although former England captain Nasser Hussain likened Trescothick's build and batting temperament to that of Graham Gooch, his stroke play is more reminiscent of David Gower. As an aggressive opener, he holds the record for the fastest half-century in English Twenty20 cricket. Trescothick is also an accomplished slip fielder and occasional right-handed medium pace bowler who has kept wicket for England in five ODIs, and deputised as England captain for two Test matches and ten ODIs.
Trescothick was an automatic choice for England between 2000 and 2006, before a stress-related illness threatened his career and forced him to pull out of the national squad. He began the process of rebuilding his career with Somerset in 2007, and scored two double-centuries that season. However, he continued to remain uneasy about returning to international cricket, and announced his retirement from international cricket in March 2008, opting to continue playing at county level for Somerset. Since then, media speculation has continued as to a possible international return – however, Trescothick has repeatedly voiced his intent to remain in retirement, and has suffered recurrences of his condition in both 2008 and 2009 when Somerset toured abroad. (Full article...)
Selected biography 18
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Edward William Bastard
B. February 28, 1862 – d. April 2, 1901 (aged 39)
Edward William Bastard (28 February 1862 – 2 April 1901) was an English cricketer who played for Oxford University and Somerset. Bastard was a slow left-arm orthodox bowler, described in his Wisden obituary as Somerset's best bowler during his time with the club. Bastard was also part of the Oxford team often said to be the university's best ever.
His first-class career was confined to his university years, when he appeared for both Oxford and Somerset. Close to the top of the bowling averages for both teams in each season, his 62 first-class wickets in 1885 placed him among the 20 most prolific wicket-takers in the country. Somerset's temporary loss of first-class status in 1885 brought a premature end to Bastard's first-class career when he was 23. Although he continued to play for the side in second-class cricket until 1889, by the time Somerset resumed first-class cricket in 1891, Bastard had lost his place following the emergence of Sammy Woods and the acquisitions of Ted Tyler and George Nichols. He died at the age of 39 while engaged in scholastic work in Taunton. (Full article...)