The defence of the mission station of Rorke's Drift, under the command of Lieutenant John Chard of the Royal Engineers, immediately followed the British Army's defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879, and continued into the following day, 23 January.

Late on the evening of 21 January, Durnford was ordered to Isandlwana, as was a small detachment of No. 5 Field Company, Royal Engineers, commanded by Lieutenant John Chard, which had arrived on the 19th to repair the pontoons which bridged the Buffalo.

Lt. John Rouse Merriott Chard | John Chard, VC

John Chard VC, as a lieutenant-colonel

* Lieutenant John Rouse Merriott Chard, 5th Field Coy, Royal Engineers

In 1848, John Stringfellow made a successful indoor test flight of a steam-powered model, in Chard, Somerset, England.

Chard claims to be the birthplace of powered flight as in 1848 John Stringfellow first demonstrated that engine-powered flight was possible.

Chard claims to be the birthplace of powered flight, as it was here in 1848 that the Victorian aeronautical pioneer John Stringfellow ( 1799 – 1883 ) first demonstrated that engine-powered flight was possible through his work on the Aerial Steam Carriage.

It was the residence of William Samuel Henson, aviation engineer and inventor, who worked with fellow Chard resident John Stringfellow to achieve the first powered flight, in 1848, in a disused lace factory, with a 10 foot ( 3 m ), steam-driven flying machine ,.

Chard claims to be the birthplace of powered flight, as it was here in 1848 that the Victorian aeronautical pioneer John Stringfellow first demonstrated that engine-powered flight was possible through his work on the Aerial Steam Carriage.

Upon receiving news of Isandhlwana from the Natal Contingent Ardenoff and that an army of 4000 Zulu Warriors are advancing their way, Lieutenant John Chard ( Stanley Baker ) of the Royal Engineers assumes command of the small British detachment, being senior by virtue of his commission date to Lieutenant Gonville Bromhead ( Michael Caine ), who, as an infantry officer, is rather put out to find himself subordinate to an engineer.

* Stanley Baker as Lieutenant John Chard

The 1793 Chard Canal plan was revived in 1809, by now renamed as the English and Bristol Channels Canal, and the engineer John Rennie was asked to survey it in 1810.

During the defence of Rorke's Drift on the 22 and 23 January 1879 Bromhead shared the command of the defenders of the post with John Chard, an officer of the Royal Engineers.

Colonel John Rouse Merriott Chard VC ( 21 December 1847 – 1 November 1897 ) was a British Army officer who received the Victoria Cross for his role in the defence of Rorke's Drift in 1879.

Bust of John Rouse Merriott Chard.

Until 2003, the bravery of Lt. Chard was commemorated by the South African Army with the John Chard Decoration ( see South African military decorations ).

* John Rouse Merriott Chard ( biography, photos, memorial details )

* Find-A-Grave profile for John Rouse Merriott Chard

* Royal Engineers Museum Royal Engineers biographies ( John Rouse Merriott Chard )

King Charles II, who founded the Royal Observatory Greenwich in 1675 instructed the first Astronomer Royal John Flamsteed, ".

Sir Andrew John Wiles, KBE, FRS ( born 11 April 1953 ) is a British mathematician and a Royal Society Research Professor at Oxford University, specializing in number theory.

This became the dominant form in the Restoration, when composers such as Henry Purcell ( 1659 – 1695 ) and John Blow ( 1649 – 1708 ) wrote elaborate examples for the Chapel Royal with orchestral accompaniment.

* John Morgan-Canadian comedian best known for his roles on Royal Canadian Air Farce.

Set to music by John Lanchbery with choreography by Frederick Ashton and performed in character costume by members of the Royal Ballet and the Royal Opera House orchestra.

The idea of a body so massive that even light could not escape was first put forward by geologist John Michell in a letter written to Henry Cavendish in 1783 of the Royal Society:

Groups associated with John Thomas met under various names, including Believers, Baptised Believers, the Royal Association of Believers, Baptised Believers in the Kingdom of God, Nazarines ( or Nazarenes ) and The Antipas until the time of the American Civil War ( 1861 – 1865 ).

The Royal Governor of New Hampshire, John Wentworth, provided the land upon which Dartmouth would be built and on December 13, 1769, issued the charter in the name of King George III establishing the College.

Eleazar Wheelock, with a Royal Charter from King George III, on land donated by Royal Governor John Wentworth.

Aberdeen married firstly Lady Catherine Elizabeth ( 1784 – 1812 ), daughter of John Hamilton, 1st Marquess of Abercorn, and assumed by Royal license the additional surname of Hamilton in 1818.

John Gordon ( 1792 – 1869 ), younger brother of the fourth Earl, was an Admiral in the Royal Navy.

* 1797 – French Revolutionary Wars: Battle of Cape St. Vincent – John Jervis, ( later 1st Earl of St Vincent ) and Horatio Nelson ( later 1st Viscount Nelson ) lead the British Royal Navy to victory over a Spanish fleet in action near Gibraltar.

* 1926 – John Frank Davidson, British chemical engineer and Royal Medal holder

* 1747 – John Thomas Duckworth, Royal Navy admiral ( d. 1817 )

Hendrick Danckerts, Royal Gardener John Rose and King Charles II, 1675

In the town, the Marine brigade, still under the command of the British admiral Sir John Leake, and the governor, Prince George of Hesse-Darmstadt ( who had commanded the land forces in August ), and reinforced shortly before by a further 400 Royal Marines, held the fortress against repeated attacks.

A market was running outside the abbey from the 10th century ; it was confirmed by King John of England in 1202 and by a Royal Charter of Edward VI in 1553.

When John I died, Henry's eldest brother, Edward became head of the castles council, and granted Henry a " Royal Flush " of all profits from trading within the areas he discovered as well as the sole right to authorize expeditions beyond Cape Bojador.

Henry was a chorister in the Chapel Royal until his voice broke in 1673, when he became assistant to the organ-builder John Hingston, who held the post of keeper of wind instruments to the King.

In 1679, he wrote some songs for John Playford's Choice Ayres, Songs and Dialogues and also an anthem, the name of which is not known, for the Chapel Royal.

Sir John Tenniel is also the author of one of the mosaics, Leonardo da Vinci, in the South Court in the Victoria and Albert Museum ; while his highly stippled watercolour drawings appeared from time to time in the exhibitions of the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours, of which he had been elected a member in 1874.

* 1663 – Charles II of England grants John Clarke a Royal charter to Rhode Island.