Famous People
Just a few of Lincolnshire's famous Sons and Daughters:
Alfred Lord Tennyson 1809 - 1892 Born at Somersby in the Lincolnshire Wolds. He attended Louth Grammar School and became Poet Laureate in 1850. His father was rector at Somersby. There is a museum to him in Somersby Church. He was inspired to write 'Maud' while visiting nearby Harrington Hall. There is a statue of Tennyson outside Lincoln Cathedral. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.
Sir Joseph Banks 1743 - 1820 Born at Revesby (his country house was demolished) but his town house in the High Street, Horncastle survives. His interest in botany began at 15. He sailed with Captain Cook aged 25 to the South Pacific, exploring and recording the wildlife of New Zealand and Australia. The 'Joseph Banks Conservatory' at 'The Lawn', Lincoln is named after him.
Sir Isaac Newton Woolsthorpe Manor, near Grantham, a simple 17th century farmhouse, now owned by the National Trust, is the birthplace of one of our greatest scientists. His early childhood scribblings can be seen on the walls! In 1665 he returned to Woolsthorpe to escape the plague and developed some of his major works including splitting light into colours and started to answer the great question - 'how does the universe work?' While attempting to solve the problem he sat beneath an apple tree…and the rest is history.
John Wesley Born at Epworth in 1703 where his father, Samuel was the rector. Founder of the Methodist Church. His brother Charles wrote over 9000 hymns and poems.
William Marwood 1818 - 1883 He was a cobbler in Horncastle. There is a plaque on the wall of his house. He was the public executioner for 11 years from 1872. He dispatched over 350 men and women. He is famous for developing the 'long drop'. He was deeply religious and believed in his humane method.
Sir John Franklin 1786 - 1847 Sir John Franklin the explorer, with his cousin Matthew Flinders surveyed the coast of Australia and was ship wrecked on the Great Barrier Reef. He commanded a 3-year expedition to the northern coasts of Canada. At the age of 57 he commanded another expedition to discover the North West Passage but he and all the crew perished in 1847.
