Sidney Smith (1771 to 1845)
Church of England
England's Wittiest Parson.
Birth of Sidney Smith near London. This witty parson wrote notable essays, was a founder of the Edinburgh Review and argued in defense of Catholic emancipation. He seems to have cared more for literature than for souls. He delivered a well-received course of lectures on moral philosophy.
Flinders Petrie (1853 to 1942)
Top Archaeologist.
William Matthews Flinders Petrie was born in Kent, England. The famous Egyptologist was perhaps the greatest archaeologist of his era. Petrie wrote over 100 books, including the Pyramids and Temples of Giza, The Making of Egypt, and Wisdom of Egyptians, throwing light on the Bible. He was knighted in 1923. He was a deeply religious man and sought to extend our understanding of Biblical events.
