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Hooker, Sir William Jackson

(Encyclopedia)Hooker, Sir William Jackson, 1785–1865, English botanist. A leading authority of his time on ferns, he formed a famous herbarium and built up the Glasgow Garden and the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew....

Lexington and Concord, battles of

(Encyclopedia)Lexington and Concord, battles of, opening engagements of the American Revolution, Apr. 19, 1775. After the passage (1774) of the Intolerable Acts by the British Parliament, unrest in the colonies inc...

Baring

(Encyclopedia)Baring bârˈĭng [key], British family of bankers. Sir Francis Baring (1740–1810) founded (1763) the John and Francis Baring Company, which he renamed Baring Brothers and Company in 1806. At first ...

Lakshmi Bai

(Encyclopedia)Lakshmi Bai or Laxmibai, c.1828–58, maharani of Jhansi. Born into a Brahmin family of Benares (now Varanasi) and named Manakarnika, she had an unconventional childhood, receiving an education and ma...

Hamilton, Sir William, British diplomat and archaeologist

(Encyclopedia)Hamilton, Sir William, 1730–1803, British diplomat and archaeologist, ambassador to Naples (1764–1800). He was the husband of Emma, Lady Hamilton, mistress of Admiral Horatio Nelson. His fine coll...

Brutus, legendary founder of the British race

(Encyclopedia)Brutus, legendary founder of the British race: see Brut. ...

British Imperial System of weights and measures

(Encyclopedia)British Imperial System of weights and measures: see English units of measurement. ...

Molyneaux, James Henry, Baron Molyneaux of Killead

(Encyclopedia)Molyneaux, James Henry, Baron Molyneaux of Killead, 1920–2015, Northern Irish political leader. A Protestant and strong Unionist, he served in the Royal Air Force during World War II and subsequentl...

Sher Ali

(Encyclopedia)Sher Ali shēr älēˈ, shâr [key], 1825–79, emir of Afghanistan (1863–79), son of Dost Muhammad. His succession was opposed by other members of his family, notably his brothers. Sher Ali turned ...

Gibbons, Orlando

(Encyclopedia)Gibbons, Orlando, 1583–1625, English organist and composer. He became organist of the Chapel Royal about 1603, court virginalist in 1619, and organist at Westminster Abbey in 1623. His compositions ...