Movers and shakers
This exhibition is now finished
Geoffrey Chaucer, 1343 - 1400
Chaucer played a key role in developing and enriching English as a literary language and his most famous work the Canterbury Tales was written towards the end of his life.
Cecily Neville, 1415 - 95
Cecily Neville was a 'kingmaker', who championed the rights to the crown of her family: the House of York. When her husband Richard, Duke of York was killed in 1460 she invested her ambitions in her son who was crowned King Edward IV in 1461.
See our online exhibition for more information on Cecily Neville
Henry VIII, 1491 -1547
The popular image of Henry VIII is of a monstrous, indulgent king who killed or divorced his way through six wives as he searched for a male heir for the Tudor dynasty. See the exhibition and make your own mind up.
View Diane Simpson´s handwriting analysis
Find out more on Henry VIII
Elizabeth I, 1558 - 1603
Elizabeth's achievements include the reform of the currency, the ending of the alliance between France and Scotland culminating in the Treaty of Edinburgh in July 1560 and restoring Calais to her dominions. View some of the original documents.
View Diane Simpson´s handwriting analysis
Find out more on Elizabeth I
Oliver Cromwell, 1599 - 1658
He is one of the most contentious figures in British history as, on the one hand a champion of parliamentary rule, and on the other as the brutal oppressor of Irish Catholics.
Find out more on Oliver Cromwell
Christopher Wren, 1632 - 1723
His exceptional ability at drawing led him into architecture, and after the Great Fire of London in 1666 he was heavily involved in the rebuilding of London. His greatest achievement is St Paul's Cathedral, which was completed in 1711.
Edmund Halley, 1656 - 1742
Edmund Halley discovered that the stars are not fixed in the sky but are actually moving. He also predicted the return of the comet, now named after him, which returns roughly every 76 years and is due back in 2061.
Henry Cole, 1808 - 1882
He was a major driving force behind the 1851 Great Exhibition which displayed industrial products from all over the world. The profits made from this enterprise then went on to fund the South Kensington Museums which included the V & A Museum which appointed Cole as its first Director.
View Diane Simpson´s handwriting analysis
Karl Marx, 1818 - 1883
The Communist manifesto, which expounded the notion of class struggle, is one of the most influential pamphlets of all time. Marx has inspired more revolutions across the globe than any other single figure in history.
View Diane Simpson´s handwriting analysis
Charles Dickens, 1812 - 1870
Charles Dickens was one of the most celebrated writers of the Victorian period. He wrote 25 books, many of which were serialized in magazines.
View Diane Simpson´s handwriting analysis
Mary Seacole, 1805 - 1881
Mary Seacole nursed the sick and wounded and her reputation has recently enjoyed a revival with her being voted greatest Black Briton. She received the Crimean medal, as well as French and Turkish awards for her services during the Crimean War.
Find out more on Mary Seacole
Find out more at www.florence-nightingale.co.uk
Gertrude Bell, 1868 - 1926
Gertrude Bell's life was characterised by intellectual achievements and a sense of adventure. In 1888 she was the first woman to obtain a first class degree in modern history from Oxford University.
Winston Churchill, 1874 - 1965
One of Churchill's legacies as a wartime leader was his ability to inspire the public. Statements such as Britain's 'finest hour' exemplify the power of his words. He served a second term as Prime Minister from 1951-55 and remained an MP until the year before his death.
View Diane Simpson´s handwriting analysis
Find out more on Winston Churchill
Alan Turing, 1912 - 1954
Alan Turing did important work showing that some mathematical problems may be theoretically incapable of solution. To do this he invented the Turing machine - an idealised computer capable of carrying out any set of mathematical instructions.
Francis Crick, 1916 - 2004
Francis Crick is most widely known for his contribution to one of the most important scientific advances of the twentieth century. With his collaborator James Watson he discovered the code for life, the structure of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid).
Elton John, 1947 -
Elton John is one of the world's most successful and versatile musicians. Since his first Top Ten single in 1971 he has continued to release international hits and has composed for stage and film.
Find out more on Elton John
