People in history
Discover some of the social history behind the places we care for and uncover fascinating facts about the people who have lived in them.
Places where people helped change the world
Many of the places in our care were once the homes of visionary thinkers, who helped transform and shape the modern world through science, engineering and popular culture. Find out more about their lives and where they made history.
- The birthplace of photography: Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire
- William Henry Fox Talbot was a British scientist who created the first photographic negative at Lacock Abbey in 1835. He'd become frustrated by his inability to paint and draw and wanted to find a way to 'fix images'. He wrote: ‘How charming it would be if it were possible to cause these natural images to imprint themselves durable and remain fixed upon the paper! And why should it not be possible?’Discover the history of Lacock Abbey
- Invention of the long range radio and revolutionising travel: the Lizard, Cornwall
- Guglielmo Marconi made the first shore-to-ship radio broadcasts at the Lizard Wireless Telegraph Station in 1901. His tiny wooden station building overlooking Bass Point, about a mile from Lizard Point, has been restored to look exactly as it did in 1901.Learn more about the Marconi radio stations
- Guiding Britain through the Second World War: Chartwell, Kent
- Sir Winston Churchill, who lived at Chartwell, Kent, led Britain to victory in the Second World War and is one of the most iconic political figures of the 20th century. The house is still decorated in a 1930s style and has rooms full of treasures, curios and other artefacts relating to his life.Explore the history of Winston Churchill in 50 objects
- First woman MP to take her seat: Cliveden, Buckinghamshire
- Nancy Astor was the first woman MP in Britain to take her seat when she was elected to serve the people of Plymouth in 1919. Her influence went on to spread far and wide. During her life Cliveden became one of the centres of European political and literary life. Her guests included Lloyd George, Sir Winston Churchill, George Bernard Shaw, Ghandi and Charlie Chaplin – and all enjoyed lavish hospitality.Meet more people that made Cliveden
- Where gravity was discovered: Woolsthorpe Manor, Lincolnshire
- Sir Isaac Newton was one of the most influential scientists of all time. The physicist and mathematician is well known for his work on calculus, the laws of motion and, of course, gravity. At his family home, Woolsthorpe Manor, grows the 400-year-old apple tree said to have inspired the scientist’s curiosity when he saw the apples falling down. This made him wonder, why do they do that?Discover the history of Woolsthorpe Manor
- The places where music changed for ever: The Beatles' Childhood Homes, Liverpool
- Mendips and 20 Forthlin Road are the childhood homes of John Lennon and Sir Paul McCartney. What happened within their walls created one of the most iconic bands in music history. Upstairs in their bedrooms, two boys would find an escape from grief and hardship in music. Their shared passion led them to meet, and out of chaos came creativity and a lifelong musical partnership.Learn about The Beatles' Childhood Homes
- The revolutionisation of marine navigation: Nostell, Yorkshire
- John Harrison lived close to Nostell as a child, where his father was the carpenter at the property. Growing up to become a carpenter and clockmaker, John went on to invent the marine chronometer, a remarkable device that allowed sailors to calculate longitude while at sea. The marine chronometer revolutionised navigation and greatly increased the safety of long-distance sea travel.Discover more about John Harrison's longcase clock
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Place
Lacock
Country house with monastic roots, once home to William Henry Fox Talbot, inventor of the photographic negative
Place
Lizard Point
Dramatic cliffs shaped by the Atlantic. The Lizard features white beaches, turquoise seas and unique nature.
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Remarkable women in history
Learn about remarkable women in history and the places that inspired them, from the first black woman to publish her story of slavery to the circus performer who became a countess.