10 Great Britons

There are many British people that have left their mark in history, hugely respected individuals from a variety of backgrounds who have made a great impact in the world.
In 2002 the BBC commissioned a poll to discover who were the greatest Briton of all time and almost 180,000 people voted to have their say. Those who made it to the top ten are:

Oliver Cromwell

(1559-1658) - A formidable general in the English Civil War, and was one of those who signed the order for the execution King Charles I, he found himself elected Lord Protector of the Commonwealth: king in all but name.

Charles Darwin

(1809-1882) – Author of ‘the Origin of Species’ book in which he offered an alternative view on the creation of life, the theory of evolution and natural selection. His ideas were controversial but stood true to the tests of science and went on to inspire a whole new generation and literally changed how we look at the world.

Queen Elizabeth I

(1533-1603) – Her rule saw the country through a golden age in exploration, cultural and religious tolerance to name but a few and the defeat of the Spanish Armada immortalised her in the history books.

John Lennon

(1940-1980) – Lennon enjoyed world wide fame as a member of the Beatles. A talented singer as well as song writer he was also an avid peace activist, inspiring millions around the world through his message of harmony.

Horatio Nelson

(1758-1805) – A Vice Admiral in the British Navy he died a public hero who’s pioneered a new more effective strategy in naval warfare. He lost his life in the battle of Trafalgar in the Napoleonic Wars despite guiding his fleet to victory. His memory lives on in numerous monuments, the most notable of which is London's Nelson's Column, which stands in the centre of Trafalgar Square.

Isaac Newton

(1643-1727) – Newton was a renowned physicist, mathematician, astronomer, natural philosopher, alchemist and theologian. It is said that the theory of gravity came to him after an apple fell on his head while sitting under a tree. His works and theories were unrivalled and motivated all those in the fields he worked in.

William Shakespeare

(1564- 1616) – A poet and playwright he penned some of the most well known plays to date, such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and A Midsummer Night's Dream to name but a few. An immensely talented fellow his influence culturally as well as academically is truly immeasurable. His writing evokes a range of emotions that audiences have been enjoyed through out the world.

The top three Great Britons are as followes:

3. Diana, Princess of Wales

(1961-1997) – Princess Diana life was tragically cut short after a road crash in Paris and was given a state burial. Hundreds of thousands of people lined the streets of London as the coffin went past to pay their respects and it was estimated that around 750 million people watched the procession world wide. Princess Diana had a colourful past, marrying and subsequently divorcing the Prince Charles having two children with him. However it was her humanitarian side that had touched many people’s lives and this is what she is remembered for:

Her charity work involved an international campaign to ban landmines and efforts to bring about more awareness towards sufferers of aids are most notable but she was involved in countless other projects world wide as well as in Britain.

2. Isambard Kingdom Brunel

(1806-1859) – Brunel is the most famous engineer having designed and built railways, steam ships, bridges and tunnels to name but a few. The Thames tunnel and Windsor Railway Bridge are just a few of his works that helped to revolutionise public transport and push engineering standards to higher levels. His achievements ignited the imagination of the technically minded Britons and he soon became one of the most renowned men in the country.

Many of Brunel's bridges and other creations are still in use proving his critics wrong having stood the test of time.

1. Winston Churchill

(1874-1965) - An artist, writer, historian, officer in the British Army and a politician it was his role as war time Prime Minister that he is largely remembered for.

He had travelled across the globe in his role in the army seeing combat most notably in the Boars War as well in India. He was a published author; the most popular book that he had written was entitled “A History of the English Speaking Peoples”.

He was however a staunch critic of independence especially harsh on Indian claims as he was strong believer in the Empire. Before the outbreak of the Second World War he was somewhat an isolated figure due to his angry stance on German rearmament and his criticisms for the government’s policy of appeasement.
When his predictions in fact came true, it was he who was appointed Prime Minister after the death of PM Neville Chamberlain in 1940.

He was a strong and charismatic leader who inspired not only his army but gave the people hope and kept morale high with his articulate speeches and noble actions. His bold and ambitious tactics and strategy set the bar and ensured a strong fight against the powerful Nazi aggressors. Although heavily outnumbered in terms of men and arms Churchill never gave up hope and continued to inspire others, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few", 1942. Having guided his country to victory ensured that he given her something that very few people could have, guaranteeing the countries freedom and that of her citizens. This achievement has obviously not been forgotten and the title of Greatest Briton is testament to this.