John Allen Giles facts for kids

John Allen Giles by Charles J. Grant.

John Allen Giles (1808–1884) was an English historian and scholar. He was especially known for his deep knowledge of the Anglo-Saxon language and early English history. He helped update important old texts like the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People. He was also a respected member of Corpus Christi College at Oxford University.

Life and Education

John Allen Giles was born on October 26, 1808, in Somerset, England. From a young age, he showed great promise in his studies. When he was sixteen, he attended Charterhouse School, a well-known boarding school.

University Days

After Charterhouse, John Giles earned a scholarship to Corpus Christi College, Oxford. He was a brilliant student at Oxford University. In 1828, he achieved a "double first class" honors degree, which means he got top marks in two different subjects. He continued his studies, earning his Master's degree in 1831 and a Doctor of Civil Law degree in 1838. In 1832, he became a fellow at Corpus Christi College, which is a special academic position.

A Career in Teaching and Writing

John Giles initially wanted to become a lawyer, but he decided to become a clergyman instead. He worked as a curate (a type of assistant priest) in different places, including Cossington and Bampton in Somerset.

He also had a passion for teaching. In 1834, he became the headmaster of Camberwell Collegiate School. Later, in 1836, he was chosen to be the headmaster of the City of London School. He eventually left this role in 1840. After leaving, he moved to a house near Bagshot, where he taught students privately and focused on his writing.

While working as a curate in Bampton, he continued to teach and write many books. He sometimes faced challenges regarding some of his published works, but he kept writing and editing. He even worked with important European scholars like André-Marie Ampère and Jacques Paul Migne, contributing to large collections of historical texts.

Later Life and Work

After his time in Bampton, John Giles continued his work as a clergyman in various locations, including Perivale and Harmondsworth. He also continued to take on private students. In 1867, he became the rector of Sutton in Surrey, a position he held for seventeen years until his death on September 24, 1884.

His Many Books and Writings

John Allen Giles was a very busy writer and editor. He produced a huge number of books, often working quickly for publishers.

Early Works and Grammars

Some of his early works included Scriptores Græci minores (a collection of minor Greek writers) in 1831 and a Latin Grammar which was so popular it reached a third edition by 1833. He also published a Greek Lexicon (a dictionary for Greek) in 1839.

Important Historical Collections

Between 1837 and 1843, Giles published a major series called Patres Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ (Fathers of the English Church). This series had thirty-four volumes and included the writings of important historical figures like Aldhelm, Bæda (Bede), Boniface, and Lanfranc.

He also translated Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae (History of the Kings of Britain) in 1842, which included the famous Prophecies of Merlin. He edited several books for the Caxton Society, a group that published old texts. These included works about Bede and the life of Saint Thomas Becket. In 1845, he published Scriptores rerum gestarum Willelmi Conquestoris, a collection of writings about William the Conqueror.

Translations and Biographies

John Giles also contributed many translations to Bohn's Antiquarian Library. He translated works like Matthew Paris (a medieval historian), Bede's Ecclesiastical History, and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

He wrote several biographies, including:

• Life and Times of Thomas Becket (1845)
• History of the Ancient Britons (1847)
• Life and Times of Alfred the Great (1848)

In 1848, he put together Six Old English Chronicles, which brought together material that had been published before. He also wrote local histories, such as his History of Bampton (1847–8) and History of Witney and some neighbouring Parishes (1852).

Books for Young Learners

From 1853, John Giles started a series called Dr. Giles's Juvenile Library. This collection included many schoolbooks designed for young learners. These books covered a wide range of subjects, such as:

• First Lessons on English, Scottish, Irish, French, and Indian history
• Lessons on geography
• Lessons on astronomy
• Lessons on arithmetic

He also contributed Poetic Treasures to Moxon's Popular Poets in 1881, sharing his love for poetry.

Family Life

John Allen Giles married Anna Sarah Dickinson in 1833. They had several children:

• Arthur Henry Giles, who worked in the Bengal police force.
• Herbert Allen Giles, who became a famous Professor of Chinese at the University of Cambridge.
• Anna Isabella Giles, their eldest daughter, who married three times.
• Ellen Harriet Giles, who remained unmarried.

Images for kids

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  Monumental brass in Dunsford Church, Devon, erected by Anna Isabella Giles to her husband Col. Baldwin Fulford (1801–1871), displaying the arms of Giles: Azure, a cross between four cups uncovered or on a chief argent three pelicans vulning themselves proper