Great and amazing people from history

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Bill Walker

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Captain Matthew Flinders 1774 - 1814.

English ship captain, first man to circumnavigate Australia, first man to call Australia, Australia. He was also the first to climb one of the Glass House Mountains where I live with his Aboriginal friend and long time guide Bungaree.

Died at age 40 after 3 voyages to the Southern land, on his way home on his last voyage he was captured by the French in Mauritius and held prisoner for 6 years.

His grave was lost until excavation near Euston station for the HS2 fast rail where it was found with a lead plate inscription.
He was reburied in Donnington with full military honours.

Incredible brave man and brilliant navigator and cartographer.

1753018822944.jpeg

 
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Kinkybyname said:
Nicholas Winton
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Astonishing how his work was unacknowledged until his wife found his old papers in the attic. Knighted here and recognised by a statue and other honours in Prague. An overnight hero!
The edition of ’Thats Life’ that featured his ‘children’ was very moving.
 
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Dashrath Manjhi (14 January 1934– 17 August 2007, also known as the Mountain Man, was an Indian laborer from Gehlaur village, near Gaya in the eastern state of Bihar.

His wife died in 1959 after being injured from falling from a mountain. Her death was probably most likely due to the mountain blocking easy access to a nearby hospital.,

Realising this was a major problem, Dashrath decided to single handedly carve a 110-metre-long (360 ft), 9.1-metre-wide (30 ft), and 7.7-metre-deep (25 ft) path through a ridge of hills using only a hammer and a chisel.

After 22 years of work, Dashrath completed his task and shortened travel between the Atri and Wazirganj blocks of Gaya district from 70 km (43 mi) to 1 km (0.62 mi).

1753021641451.jpeg

Link between Ghivra Mauja in Gehlaur Ghati to Atara Prakhand Wazirganj made by Dashrath Manjhi
 
I'd like to name four individuals that come to mind n feature quite a bit on my book shelves, way too many contributions to/within their fields to mention so, i'll just add a few quotes...

Max Planck
“The main source of all the greatest achievements in natural science, I am convinced, lies in the divine gift of musicality.”

Where Is Science Going? A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.


Ernest Everett Just. aka the Black Apollo of Science

"We feel the beauty of nature because we are part of nature and because we know that however much in our separate domains we abstract from the unity of Nature, this unity remains.
Although we may deal with particulars, we return finally to the whole pattern woven out of these."

Benjamin Banneker aka the Inventor

"Were there no uniforms, there would probably be no armies."

"Evil communication corrupts good manners. I hope to live to hear that good communication corrects bad manners."

"Presumption should never make us neglect that which appears easy to us, nor despair make us lose courage at the sight of difficulties."


Nikola Tesla aka The man who invented the 20th century

"Imagine a world where the untamed power of nature is harnessed not for destruction, but for the betterment of humanity."

"The desire that guides me in all i do is the desire to harness the forces of nature to the service of mankind."

​

 
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Lavinda Past said:
Dashrath Manjhi (14 January 1934– 17 August 2007, also known as the Mountain Man, was an Indian laborer from Gehlaur village, near Gaya in the eastern state of Bihar.

His wife died in 1959 after being injured from falling from a mountain. Her death was probably most likely due to the mountain blocking easy access to a nearby hospital.,

Realising this was a major problem, Dashrath decided to single handedly carve a 110-metre-long (360 ft), 9.1-metre-wide (30 ft), and 7.7-metre-deep (25 ft) path through a ridge of hills using only a hammer and a chisel.

After 22 years of work, Dashrath completed his task and shortened travel between the Atri and Wazirganj blocks of Gaya district from 70 km (43 mi) to 1 km (0.62 mi).

View attachment 163603

Link between Ghivra Mauja in Gehlaur Ghati to Atara Prakhand Wazirganj made by Dashrath Manjhi
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Reminds me of Calums Road in Scotland.

Another example of someone single handily building something over decades.

bobsbeenreading.com

Calum’s Road, by Roger Hutchinson

Why this book: I was recently on a bike ride with my son Brad in Scotland and we rode on the Island of Raasay, and rode all the way out to Calum’s Road. I heard the story from our guide, wh…
bobsbeenreading.com bobsbeenreading.com
 
Maintainin said:
I'd like to name four individuals that come to mind n feature quite a bit on my book shelves, way too many contributions to/within their fields to mention so, i'll just add a few quotes...

Max Planck
“The main source of all the greatest achievements in natural science, I am convinced, lies in the divine gift of musicality.”

Where Is Science Going? A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because its opponents eventually die, and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.


Ernest Everett Just. aka the Black Apollo of Science

"We feel the beauty of nature because we are part of nature and because we know that however much in our separate domains we abstract from the unity of Nature, this unity remains.
Although we may deal with particulars, we return finally to the whole pattern woven out of these."

Benjamin Banneker aka the Inventor

"Were there no uniforms, there would probably be no armies."

"Evil communication corrupts good manners. I hope to live to hear that good communication corrects bad manners."

"Presumption should never make us neglect that which appears easy to us, nor despair make us lose courage at the sight of difficulties."


Nikola Tesla aka The man who invented the 20th century

"Imagine a world where the untamed power of nature is harnessed not for destruction, but for the betterment of humanity."

"The desire that guides me in all i do is the desire to harness the forces of nature to the service of mankind."

​

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It's a shame how Tesla's legacy is so greatly undersold. He was a pioneer in many fields of physics, he predated Einstein, and yet, were it not for a technocratic lunatic attaching his name to a modern car, historical discourse would leave him almost forgotten.

The names of he and Einstein should be synonymous with genius.
 
When I am long gone people will look back on the golden age of travel reportage and only one name will come to mind. Michael Portillo.

Forget his dubious political past, who can forget him being "birched" in a Russian bath house or sharing a can of lager with Belarussian students on a train, he is truly a giant among broadcasters, with a cheery outlook and peacock-esque dress sense all the while gushing over Bradshaw's railway timetable.
 
C90 said:
When I am long gone people will look back on the golden age of travel reportage and only one name will come to mind. Michael Portillo.

Forget his dubious political past, who can forget him being "birched" in a Russian bath house or sharing a can of lager with Belarussian students on a train, he is truly a giant among broadcasters, with a cheery outlook and peacock-esque dress sense all the while gushing over Bradshaw's railway timetable.
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Didn't think his name would appear in a thread titled great and amazing people from history.
 
Thomas Coram who started the Foundling Hospital for abandoned children in the 18th century.
coramstory.org.uk

Who was Thomas Coram? - Coram Story

Thomas Coram was the Founder of the Foundling Hospital. Explore his life and his commitment to foundling children
coramstory.org.uk coramstory.org.uk


Plus William Hogarth the artist who through his paintings drew attention to the ‘ills of society’ . His series, The Harlots progress, The Rakes Progress and Marriage a la Mode were classed as moralistic scenes trying to help as society appeared to be failing.

Both men eventually worked together to try to help their fellow human beings.
 
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