Favourite person from history

[Eddie]

I assume there must be a few people on the forum who are interested in history. Do any of you have a favourite figure from history? One stands head and shoulders above the rest for me - Alfred the Great. 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

George Stephenson. 

My biggest passion in life is travel and I've done so, so much of it on trains all over Europe. It wouldn't have been possible without the Father of the Railways.  

Edited October 3 by The Hallucinating Goose

[Tommygilf]

I like the idea of a Historical Party Guest list!

Naturally we are drawn to those closest to us (geographically and culturally), and closest to us in terms of values, such as what they achieved or stood for mattering to us. 

I might give it some thought today and go for 1 from each century from 0AD and maybe even a few from before. Perhaps then a knockout format from there? Or arrange them into tables at a wedding.

[Eddie]

6 minutes ago, Tommygilf said:

I like the idea of a Historical Party Guest list!

Naturally we are drawn to those closest to us (geographically and culturally), and closest to us in terms of values, such as what they achieved or stood for mattering to us. 

I might give it some thought today and go for 1 from each century from 0AD and maybe even a few from before. Perhaps then a knockout format from there? Or arrange them into tables at a wedding.

I’d love to see the person from each century list, though at the risk of sounding officious you still need to pick one overall. 

[CanaBull]

Similar to Mr Goose above, I’ve always been an aviation and flight nut so have a soft spot for George Cayley. 

[Maximus Decimus]

Marcus Tullius Cicero. Read his treaties and letters and couldn't believe how normal they were.

[OriginalMrC]

Marcus Aurelius. Last of the great Roman emperors and whose stoic teachings are used in part to help treat mental health problems today.  

[Gerrumonside ref]

All historical figures are ultimately flawed I feel (as we all are).

I might pick Thomas Paine who wrote the Rights of Man in 1791 and helped enshrine some philosophical concepts into many of the human rights we enjoy today.

Born in Thetford in Norfolk he’s a controversial figure in British history, but a key figure in helping to establish key norms that still stand.

Classic rebel rouser.

Edited October 3 by Gerrumonside ref

[HawkMan]

Bit out of left field,  but I'd have liked to have had a  discussion with Bertrand Russell, got most of his books.

[Futtocks]

4 hours ago, CanaBull said:

Similar to Mr Goose above, I’ve always been an aviation and flight nut so have a soft spot for George Cayley. 

Otto Lilienthal is another aviation pioneer I admired and, more recenty, Burt Rutan.

[CanaBull]

9 minutes ago, Futtocks said:

Otto Lilienthal is another aviation pioneer I admired and, more recenty, Burt Rutan.

Often wondered what those pioneers of the past would have done with the materials of the present if they were available, or if you could transport them to now and show them the knowledge we now have, where would they go with it.

The Voyager flight was a time where I was captivated like a toddler but being a teen  

[JDINTHEHIZZOUSE]

I would say the saga between Sir Thomas A Becket and Henry the Second  are particularly interesting for me, as is Henrys quite troublesome marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine. I quite admire Sir Thomas's stance against his former friend. despite knowing that his defiance would ultimately lead to his death, I'm not sure if Thomas is my favourite but certainly one to be admired. 

[Red Willow]

I like coming across the under acknowledged. Went to the IWM a few years ago and bought granddaughter a book on Beatrice Shilling and reading about her orifice!

[Dunbar]

From the list of accomplishments and how he helped move us forward in our understanding of the natural world, Isaac Newton.

But, by all accounts, he was a bit of a knob!

[Stirlin]

Lieutenant Andrew Miller , notorious press gang officer in the 19th century.

[gingerjon]

16 hours ago, Dunbar said:

From the list of accomplishments and how he helped move us forward in our understanding of the natural world, Isaac Newton.

But, by all accounts, he was a bit of a knob!

William Chaloner was not a fan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Chaloner

[17 stone giant]

Robin Hood

[Josef K]

21 hours ago, Stirlin said:

Lieutenant Andrew Miller , notorious press gang officer in the 19th century.

Are there any nonfiction books on him!!. 

[HawkMan]

35 minutes ago, 17 stone giant said:

Robin Hood

I think the OP is looking for real not fictional figures.

I'll add Ebenezer Morley as a hero that the world has much to thank him for.

Edited October 4 by HawkMan

[Stirlin]

51 minutes ago, Josef K said:

Are there any nonfiction books on him!!. 

I will ask on a Royal Navy site and get back to you.

[graveyard johnny]

On 03/10/2025 at 15:34, HawkMan said:

Bit out of left field,  but I'd have liked to have had a  discussion with Bertrand Russell, got most of his books.

same with me and Paul Raymond - collected many of his publications over the years

[Ullman]

On 03/10/2025 at 19:24, Dunbar said:

From the list of accomplishments and how he helped move us forward in our understanding of the natural world, Isaac Newton.

But, by all accounts, he was a bit of a knob!

It's a Grantham thing.

[Ullman]

4 hours ago, HawkMan said:

I think the OP is looking for real not fictional figures.

I'll add Ebenezer Morley as a hero that the world has much to thank him for.

There is a pub in Hull city centre named after him.

But I'd bear in mind the old saying about meeting your heroes.

[M j M]

Charles Lightoller. A good Chorley lad and arguably one of the most interesting people to have ever lived. 

He was portrayed in the movies Titanic and Dunkirk (questionably in the former, shown as the hero in the latter) but his life was more than just those two events:

After escaping a life in the mills by going to sea aged 13 he experienced his first shipwreck at the age of 15. Later on he went prospecting in the Canadian Gold Rush, became a cowboy and then spent some time as a hobo, getting back to Canada's East Coast by riding the rails.

And then he joined the White Star Line and was the most senior surviving officer when the Titanic sank. 

In World War One he was on HMS Oceanic when it sank and then was captain of a destroyer. His ship rammed and sank a U-Boat, with some questions afterwards about what happened to some of the German survivors.

Retiring from the sea he later owned a pub, farmed chickens and wrote his autobiography. And he bought a yacht. And it was that yacht which he commanded to the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940. 

Edited October 4 by M j M

[Cumbrian Fanatic]

10 hours ago, M j M said:

Charles Lightoller. A good Chorley lad and arguably one of the most interesting people to have ever lived. 

He was portrayed in the movies Titanic and Dunkirk (questionably in the former, shown as the hero in the latter) but his life was more than just those two events:

After escaping a life in the mills by going to sea aged 13 he experienced his first shipwreck at the age of 15. Later on he went prospecting in the Canadian Gold Rush, became a cowboy and then spent some time as a hobo, getting back to Canada's East Coast by riding the rails.

And then he joined the White Star Line and was the most senior surviving officer when the Titanic sank. 

In World War One he was on HMS Oceanic when it sank and then was captain of a destroyer. His ship rammed and sank a U-Boat, with some questions afterwards about what happened to some of the German survivors.

Retiring from the sea he later owned a pub, farmed chickens and wrote his autobiography. And he bought a yacht. And it was that yacht which he commanded to the beaches of Dunkirk in 1940. 

All those ships sinking, was he the inspiration for Uncle Albert?