OpenLLM-France/wikimedia huggingface dataset:
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Wright, John (1805-1843?)

​WRIGHT, JOHN (1805–1843?), Scots poet, born on 1 Sept. 1805, at the farmhouse of Auchencloigh in the parish of Sorn, Ayrshire, was the fourth child of James Wright of Galston in the same county, a coal-driver, by his wife, Grizzle Taylor (d. December 1842) of Mauchline. While he was still a child his parents removed to Galston, where he received a few months' schooling and learned to read, but not to write. He gave evidence of powers of memory by reciting the whole of the 119th Psalm in the Sabbath school to the discomfort of his audience. From the age of seven he assisted his father in driving coals, and at thirteen he was apprenticed to George Brown, a Galston weaver, a man of cultivated mind, who assisted his education and placed books at his disposal. While still a youth Wright composed fifteen hundred lines of a tragedy entitled ‘Mahomet, or the Hegira,’ which he was forced to retain in his memory until he learned to write at the age of seventeen. In 1824 he proceeded to Glasgow, carrying with him ‘The Retrospect’ and some smaller poems. On his arrival he saw John Struthers [q. v.] and Dugald Moore [q. v.], who approved his work and assisted him to go to Edinburgh. There he found patrons in ‘Christopher North’ and Henry Glassford Bell [q. v.], who helped him to obtain a publisher. ‘The Retrospect’ appeared in 1825, and was lauded by the ‘Quarterly Review’ and the ‘Monthly Review,’ as well as by Scottish journals. Some shorter poems which were published with it had the higher honour of being praised by Sir Walter Scott. Wright settled at Cambuslang, near Glasgow, where he married Margaret Chalmers, granddaughter of the parish schoolmaster, and worked as a weaver. Finding his means scanty he printed a second edition of the ‘Retrospect’ two or three years later, and made a tour through Scotland selling copies. He found that his fame was extensive, and the discovery was his ruin. The hospitality he received encouraged habits of intemperance which, a few months after his return to Cambuslang, completely mastered him. He was separated from his wife, and lived in poverty and wretchedness. In 1843 he made a determined effort to regulate his life. His friends assisted him by publishing at Ayr ‘The Whole Poetical Works of John Wright.’ Unfortunately, his reformation was either transient or too late, for he died ​in a Glasgow hospital a few months later. He had a genuine poetic gift and an intense appreciation of natural beauty. His more ambitious pieces were marred by an artificial imitation of Lord Byron, but his shorter poems, reflecting the emotions of his own life, were happier.
E. I. C.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Wright, John Masey

​WRIGHT, JOHN MASEY (1777–1866), watercolour-painter, was born on 14 Oct. 1777 at Pentonville, London, where his father was an organ-builder. He was apprenticed to the same business, but, as it proved distasteful to him, he was allowed to follow his natural inclination for art. As a boy he was given the opportunity of watching Thomas Stothard [q. v.] when at work in his studio, but otherwise he was self-taught. About 1810 Wright became associated with Henry Aston Barker [q. v.], for whose panorama in the Strand he did much excellent work, including the battles of Coruña, Vittoria, and Waterloo. He was also employed for a time as a scene-painter at the opera-house. But his reputation rests upon his small compositions illustrating Shakespeare and other poets, which were extremely numerous and executed with admirable taste and feeling in the manner of Stothard. He exhibited at the Royal Academy from 1812 to 1818, and in 1824 was elected an associate of the Watercolour Society; he became a full member in 1825, and thenceforward to the end of his long life was a regular exhibitor. His drawings were largely engraved for the ‘Literary Souvenir,’ ‘Amulet,’ ‘Forget-me-not,’ and similar publications; also for fine editions of the works of Sir Walter Scott and Burns, ​and for the ‘Gallery of Modern British Artists.’ Plates from his Battle of Vitoria’ and ‘The Ghost, a Christmas Frolic,’ appeared in 1814, and ‘Devotion,’ a subject from Boccaccio, was engraved by Charles Heath in 1833. Though extremely industrious, Wright was poorly remunerated for his work, and during his later years received a small pension from the Watercolour Society. He died on 13 May 1866. By his wife, Miss Meadows, he had a son and a daughter.
F. M. O'D.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sigebert (d.616?)

​SIGEBERT or SEBERT (d. 616?), king of the East-Saxons. [See Sebert.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sigebert (d.637?)

​SIGEBERT (d. 637?), king of the East-Angles, was brother of Earpwald, king of the East-Angles, and probably a stepson of Redwald [q. v.], Earpwald's father. He was driven into exile by Redwald's enmity, took refuge in Gaul, and remained there during Earpwald's reign. While he was there he was baptised, and became devout and learned. After the death of Earpwald, who was slain by a heathen named Ricbert about 627, East-Anglia relapsed into heathenism, and was apparently in a state of anarchy for three years, at the end of which Sigebert became king, in or about 631, and at once set about the conversion of his people. In this work he was greatly aided by Bishop Felix [see Felix, Saint], who perhaps came over with him from Gaul, and whose see he placed at Dunwich in Suffolk. He also received the Irish missionary Fursa [q. v.], and gave him land to build a monastery at Cnobheresburg, now Burghcastle, in Suffolk. During his exile he had become well acquainted with the monastic schools of Gaul, and with the help of Felix established a school for boys in his kingdom after their model, bringing masters and teachers for it from Canterbury. His religious feelings led him to resign his kingdom to his kinsman Egrice, who had previously ​governed part of it, to receive the tonsure, and to enter a monastery that he had founded, said to have been Bedrichsworth, the later Bury St. Edmunds. After some time the Mercians, under their king Penda [q. v.], invaded East-Anglia, and the people, finding themselves unable to repel the invasion, besought Sigebert to lead them; for he had beforetime been a strenuous warrior. Sorely against his will they took him from his monastery and made him march with them at the head of a fine army; but, mindful of his profession, he would not carry any arms save a rod. He and Egrice were slain, and his army was totally defeated, about 637. Bishop Stubbs notes that Pits says that some letters of Sigebert to Desiderius, bishop of Cahors (d. 655), were preserved at St. Gallen, and the statement is repeated elsewhere. There can, however, be no doubt that it is founded on a confusion between the East-Anglian king and Sigibert, king of Austrasia (reigned 638–56), two letters from whom to Desiderius are printed by Canisius in his ‘Antiquæ Lectiones,’ i. 646, 649. On the ground that Sigebert founded a school in East-Anglia, it was hotly debated between the champions of the antiquity of Oxford and of Cambridge in the sixteenth century whether he was the founder of the university of Cambridge.
W. H.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sigeric

​SIGERIC or SIRIC (d. 994), archbishop of Canterbury, was brought up as a monk at Glastonbury, was elected abbot of St. Augustine's, Canterbury, in 980, and received the benediction from Archbishop Dunstan [see Dunstan, Saint]. He was made bishop of Ramsbury in 985 through the influence of Dunstan, who consecrated him. Being elected to Canterbury, either at the end of 989 or the beginning of 990, he went to Rome for his pall. An account of his doings there records the churches that he visited and his dining with John XV, and notes the seventy-eight stages of his homeward journey from Rome to the place of his embarkation for England at or near Calais (MS. Cotton. Tib. B. v. 22 b, printed by Hook). In conjunction with the ealdormen Ethelwerd [q. v.] and Ælfric (fl. 950?–1016?) [q. v.], he advised Ethelred or Æthelred II the Unready [q. v.] to purchase peace of the Northmen in 991. He is said to have turned out the secular clerks from Christ Church, Canterbury, and to have put monks in their place. The same is said of Ælfric (d. 1005) [q. v.], his successor. It points to a revival of monastic discipline at Christ Church, and probably to the expulsion about this time of some clerks who had had a share in the services and revenues of the monastery, though they were not monks. He died in old age on 28 Oct. 994, and was buried in the crypt of Christ Church. He seems to have been learned; for Abbot Ælfric, called Grammaticus (fl. 1006) [q. v.], in dedicating his book of homilies to him, requested him to correct any errors in it; and he had a valuable collection of books, which he left to his church. While archbishop he gave seven palls to Glastonbury Abbey, with which the whole of the ‘ancient church’ was hung on his anniversary.
W. H.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sigebert (d.756?)

​SIGEBERT (d. 756?), king of the West-Saxons, son of Sigeric, an under-king of the West-Saxons, succeeded his kinsman Cuthred [q. v.] in 754 or 755. He was a bad ruler, for he was proud, cruel, and corrupt. At the beginning of the second year of his reign his nobles and people rose against him, and he was deposed by a formal act of the West-Saxon witan, who chose Cynewulf [q. v.] to reign in his stead. For a while he was allowed to retain Hampshire, where he was supported by the ealdorman Cumbran. As, however, he did not amend his ways, Cumbran remonstrated with him in the name of his people, and was in consequence unjustly put to death by him. This act lost him Hampshire. He fled, and was pursued by Cynewulf. He took shelter in the forest of Andred, and was there at Privets-flood (Privet is in Hampshire, near Petersfield), perhaps in 756, slain with a spear by a swineherd of Cumbran in revenge for his master's death. Many years later Sigebert's brother Cyneheard slew Cynewulf.
W. H.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sigebert (fl.653)

​SIGEBERT or SEBERT, called the Good (fl. 653), king of the East-Saxons, was son of Sigebald, who was descended from Seaxa, the brother of Sebert or Saberet (d. 616?) [q. v.], king of the East-Saxons. He succeeded his kinsman Sigebert or Sebert, called the Little (fl. 626) [q. v.], probably through the support of Oswy [q. v.], king of the Northumbrians. At Oswy's persuasion he became a Christian, and was baptised, together with his followers, by Bishop Finan [q. v.] at a place called At-Wall, near the Roman wall, in or about 653. In accordance with his request that teachers might be sent to his kingdom to convert his people, who had remained heathen since their apostasy after the death of Sebert, in or about 616, Oswy summoned Cedd or Cedda [q. v.] from the land of the Middle-Angles, and sent him with another priest to preach to the East-Saxons. They were successful in their mission, and Cedd, having been consecrated bishop of the East-Saxons, made Ythanceaster—said to have been near Malden and Tilaburg (Tilbury), both in Essex—centres for his work, which, Bishop Stubbs remarks, makes it probable that London lay outside Sigebert's kingdom, and was under Mercian rule, as it certainly was a little later (Bede, Hist. Eccl. iii. c. 7). The story of the rebuke that Sigebert received from Cedd, and the bishop's prophecy, has been told elsewhere [see under Cedd or Cedda, Saint]; but it may be added that the two brothers, his kinsmen, who slew Sigebert, declared that they had done so because they were indignant with him for sparing his enemies and bearing injuries placidly—probably referring to the king's humiliation before Cedd. Bede dwells on the fact that his death was caused by his obedience to Christian principles, and highly commends his piety. The date of his death, which is not known, has been assumed to be 660 (Hist. Eccl. ed. Stevenson, p. 209; Monumenta Hist. Brit. pp. 195–6). But Bishop Stubbs thinks that it probably occurred before the battle of Winwæd in 655; and if Sigebert's successor, Swithelm, was baptised on his accession, which from Bede's account seems likely, he is undoubtedly right. On the other hand, Bede says that Sigebert's death took place a short time after his baptism.
W. H.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sigered (fl.762)

​SIGERED or SIGERÆD (fl. 762), king of Kent, appears as granting a charter, marked spurious by Kemble, to Eardwulf, bishop of Rochester, and as making another grant to the same bishop, which is dated 762, and in which he is described as ‘king of half the province of Kent.’ A charter of Egbert, king of Kent, dated 778, is attested by a Sigered. At that period the kingdom of Kent, in which the Mercian kings and the archbishops of Canterbury were more or less predominant, had no political importance, and seems to have been constantly divided; for the number of kings noticed is large. Bishop Stubbs thinks that the kings of the East-Saxons reigning under Mercian overlordship may have claimed some portion of the kingdom [see under Sigheri].
W. H.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sigebert (fl.626)

1904 Errata appended.
​SIGEBERT or SEBERT, called the Little (fl. 626), king of the East-Saxons, was son of Sæward, who was a son of Sebert or Saberet (d. 616?) [q. v.], king of the East-Saxons. He seems to have succeeded his father and uncles. The latter were slain in a battle with the West-Saxons, dated by Henry of Huntingdon in 626 [see under Sexred], though Bede seems to place the battle soon after the expulsion of Mellitus [q. v.], about 617. Sigebert probably reigned more or less in dependence on the West-Saxon king Cynegils [q. v.] He left a son named Sigheri [q. v.], but was succeeded by his kinsman Sigebert or Sebert, called the Good (fl. 653) [q. v.]
W. H.
Dictionary of National Biography, Errata (1904), p.250 N.B.— f.e. stands for from end and l.l. for last line
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# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sigfrid

​SIGFRID or SIGFRITH (d. 689), co-abbot of the monastery of St. Peter's at Wearmouth, a monk and deacon of that house, was elected abbot during the absence of Benedict Biscop [q. v.] on his fifth journey to Rome. On his departure Benedict had left ​the monastery under the charge of Eosterwine, who died during the pestilence [see under Bede], together with a large number of the brethren, about 686. Those who were left, and Ceolfrid [q. v.], abbot of the daughter monastery at Jarrow, elected Sigfrid in his place. Sigfrid was well versed in the scriptures, and was a monk of high character and ascetic life, but he suffered from an incurable disease of the lungs. On his return Benedict was pleased at his election and confirmed it, assigning to him the active charge of the monastery, and devoting himself to teaching and prayer. Before long Sigfrid's health became much worse, and, Benedict also falling sick, the two lay helpless in their separate cells until one day both desired to be brought together, and Sigfrid was carried into Benedict's cell, where the brethren supported the two abbots so as to enable them to give each other a farewell kiss, and Benedict, with the consent of all, appointed Ceolfrid abbot of Wearmouth as well as of Jarrow. Two months later Sigfrid died, on 22 Aug. 689. After the death of Benedict, on 12 Jan. following, the bodies of Sigfrid and Eosterwine were laid with his body in the church of Wearmouth.
W. H.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sievier, Robert William

​SIEVIER, ROBERT WILLIAM (1794–1865), engraver and sculptor, was born in London on 24 July 1794. Having in 1812 gained the Society of Arts silver medal for a pen-and-ink drawing, he entered the schools of the Royal Academy, studied modelling and anatomy, and was instructed in engraving by John Young (1755–1825) [q. v.] and Edward Scriven [q. v.] Working almost wholly in stipple, he produced some excellent plates, of which the most important are the portraits of John Latham, M.D., after Jackson, 1815, and Lord Ellenborough, after Lawrence, 1819; ‘The Captive’ and ‘The Dream,’ a pair, after M. Haughton, 1820; ‘The Importunate Author,’ after G. S. Newton, 1824; and ‘Venus Descending,’ after Etty, 1824. About 1824 Sievier gave up engraving in favour of sculpture, which he practised successfully for about twenty years; the prince consort, the king of Prussia, Lord Eldon, Lord Brougham, and many other distinguished persons sat to him for their busts, and he received various public commissions, including the statue of Jenner in Gloucester Cathedral, that of Charles Dibdin at Greenwich Hospital, and that of Sir W. Curtis at the Foundling Hospital. He also executed a few fancy subjects, such as ‘Musidora,’ ‘Bacchante,’ ‘Girl with a Lamb,’ and ‘Boy with a Tortoise,’ and was an exhibitor at the Royal Academy from 1822 to 1844. During the latter part of his life Sievier, who had always a great taste for scientific pursuits, became absorbed in inventions for the improvement of various manufactures and the development of the electric telegraph, wholly abandoning art. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Society in 1840. Sievier resided for many years in Henrietta Street, Cavendish Square, London, where he built himself a studio, but later removed to Rochester Road, Kentish Town, and there he died suddenly on 28 April 1865, and was buried at Kensal Green.
F. M. O'D.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sigered (fl.799)

​SIGERED or SIGERÆD (fl. 799), king of the East-Saxons, was son and successor of Sigeric or Siric, who left his kingdom and went on a pilgrimage to Rome, probably in 799. He was present with Cenulf of Mercia at the dedication of the church of Winchcombe Abbey in Gloucestershire in 811, and may no doubt be identified with the ‘Sigered rex’ who attested a charter of Cenulf in the same year. Other later charters of Cenulf are attested by a Sigered as ‘dux’ or ealdorman. The kings of the East-Saxons had long been under the overlordship of Mercia, and in 824, at which date Sigered may have been alive—for his name comes last in the ancient genealogy of the East-Saxon kings—the kingdom submitted to Egbert (d. 839) [q. v.], king of the West-Saxons. William of Malmesbury, however, says that the last king of the East-Saxons was named Swithred, and that he was driven from his kingdom by Egbert; but he may perhaps here be making a confusion with Swithhead, whose reign comes between those of Selred and Sigeric, the father of Sigered. The St. Albans compiler, under 828, elaborates this notice of Malmesbury's. Yet it may be that a second Swithhead was momentarily set up as king after Sigered.
W. H.
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1901 supplement/Albemarle, Earl of

​ALBEMARLE, Earl of. [See Keppel, William Coutts, 1832–1894.]
# Dictionary of National Biography, 1901 supplement/Airey, James Talbot

​AIREY, Sir JAMES TALBOT (1812–1898), general, born on 6 Sept. 1812, was son of Lieutenant-general Sir George Airey [q. v.], by Catherine, sister of the second lord Talbot de Malahide. Richard, lord Airey [q. v.], was his brother. He was commissioned as ensign in the 30th foot on 11 Feb. 1830, became lieutenant on 3 May 1833, and exchanged to the 3rd buffs on 23 Aug. He was aide-de-camp to the governor of Madras from May 1834 to July 1837. On 26 Jan. 1841 he was appointed extra aide-de-camp to Major-general Elphinstone, and accompanied him to Afghanistan. In the latter part of that year he was present at the forcing of the Khoord Cabul pass, and the actions near Cabul, and on 21 Dec. he was given up of his own accord to Akbar Khan as a hostage. He was released with the other captives on 21 Sept. 1842, joined the force sent into Kohistan under Brigadier M'Caskill, and was present at the capture of Istalif. He was twice mentioned in despatches (12 Oct. 1841 and 30 Sept. 1842), and received the Afghan medal. He also received the bronze star for the Gwalior campaign of 1843, in which he took part with his regiment. He was promoted captain on 22 July 1842, and was aide-de-camp to the governor of Ceylon from April 1847 to March 1851. On 11 Nov. 1851 he became regimental major, and on 17 July 1854 he exchanged to the Coldstream guards as captain and lieutenant-colonel.
He served throughout the war in the Crimea with the light division as assistant quartermaster-general, being present at the Alma, Balaclava, Inkerman, and the assault of the Redan, and he accompanied the ​expedition to Kertch. He was three times mentioned in despatches (28 Sept. and 11 Nov. 1854, 18 Sept. 1855). He received the Crimean medal with four clasps, the Turkish medal, the legion of honour (5th class), and the Medjidie (4th class). He was made C.B. on 5 July 1855. He was promoted colonel on 26 Dec. 1859, and became regimental major in the Coldstream guards on 22 May 1866. He was promoted major-general on 6 March 1868, and commanded the troops at Malta from 21 Aug. 1875 to 31 Dec. 1878. He became lieutenant-general on 1 Oct. 1877, and was placed on the retired list on 1 July 1881, with the honorary rank of general. He was made K.C.B. on 2 June 1877, and colonel of the Royal Inniskilling fusiliers on 13 March 1886. He died in London on 1 Jan. 1898. He was unmarried.
[His own narrative of his experience in Afghanistan is given, under the title of 'The Cabool Captives,' in United Service Mag., November 1845 to April 1846. See also Times, 3 Jan. 1898; Army Lists.]
E. M. L.