Sir Francis Galton (1822-1911) - English anthropologist, cousin of Charles Darwin. Inspired by The Origin of Species, he started his studies of anthropology in the early 1860s, as he was reaching the age of forty. Founding the study of eugenics, he advocated furthering the birth-rate of the "fit" and reducing that of the "unfit." In the field of criminality, he originated the use of composite portraiture and urged the use of fingerprints as identification. Knighted in 1909.
More about Sir Francis
The evolution of fingerprinting

Garrick Theater - The landmark theater, in Charing Cross Road, was designed in 1889.

Théophile Gautier (1811-1872) - French poet, novelist, critic and journalist, author of Mademoiselle de Maupin. Played a prominent role in the history of the Romantic movement, closely associated with the doctrine that art neither could nor should be in any way useful, influencing Walter Pater and the Aesthetic Movement.

Goliad - A village in Texas, on the San Antonio River. When General Santa Anna began his advance during the war for Texas independence from Mexico in 1836, Goliad was occupied by 350 American troops under Col. James W. Fannin. Obeying orders to join General Sam Houston, they were overtaken and after a two-day fight, they surrendered. They were marched back to Goliad and shot at Santa Anna's command.
The Angel of Goliad

Joseph Grimaldi (1779-1837) - Most celebrated of the English clowns, considered a pantomimist without equal.
Grimaldi in full flower, and faded

Sir Goldsworthy Gurney (1793-1875) - an unjustly forgotten inventor who, among other things, designed an early steam carriage. The carriage was not a success, largely because the passengers were seated directly above the boiler and weren't too happy about the possibility of explosions. Gurney later designed a version which carried the boiler in a separate carriage, but this too was a failure due to unreliability. (Contributed by Tom Wright. Thanks, Tom!)
Another explosive invention by Gurney.

Gutta-percha - An inelastic material, tough, but soft enough to be dented by the fingernail, derived from the latex of several varieties of tropical trees, formerly used in electrical insulation, cable coverings, and chewing gum.

The Difference Dictionary was first published
in slightly different form in Science Fiction Eye, Issue #8.
Text copyright 1990, 1996, 2000, 2003,
by Eileen K. Gunn.