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This is a list of people from Yorkshire. Yorkshire is the largest historic county in Great Britain. Various efforts have been made in the past to compile lists of the most noted people from Yorkshire, such as the Yorkshire Greats book by Sir Bernard Ingham which compiled fifty Yorkshiremen and women.[1] Some of the most notable figures from the county are;
[edit] Saints
- See also: Yorkshire saints
- Margaret Clitherow, saint, martyr
- Edwin of Northumbria, saint, King of Northumbria
- John of Beverley, bishop, founder & patron saint of Beverley
- John Fisher, bishop, cardinal, saint, martyr
- Hilda of Whitby, princess, nun, founder & patron saint of Whitby
- Wilfrid, bishop, saint
- William of York, priest, archbishop, patron saint of York
[edit] Inventors, explorers and pioneers
- James Henry Atkinson, inventor of the mousetrap[2][3]
- Lords Baltimore the founding colonists of Avalon Peninsula and Maryland
- Donald Bailey, inventor of the Bailey Bridge
- Thomas Boulsover, invented Sheffield plate
- Joseph Bramah, invented hydraulic press; one of two founders of hydraulic engineering
- Harry Brearley, Sheffield inventor of stainless steel
- Henry Briggs (mathematician),perfected system of logarithms used today by astronomers, navigators etc
- Ralph Burton, British soldier and Canadian settler
- George Cayley, engineer, father of aerodynamics
- John Cockroft, Nobel Prize for Physics in 1951
- Capt. James Cook, Georgian oceanic explorer
- Thomas Cooke (machinist), telescope maker
- Thomas Crapper, part-inventor of flush toilet
- Frank Ellis (radiologist), radiologist, world leader in cancer treatment
- Martin Frobisher, explorer
- Joseph Hansom, architect, inventor of the Hansom cab
- Edward Harland, shipbuilding
- John Harris, legendary settler and businessman
- John Harrison, horologist and mathematician
- Sir Fred Hoyle, astronomer and author of "A For Andromeda"
- George Hudson, railway financier, known as the 'Railway King'
- Amy Johnson, aviator
- Benjamin Latrobe, architect of Washington's Capitol
- Samuel Lister, 1st Baron Masham, invented mechanical wool comb
- Joseph Locke, major 19th century railway engineer
- John Mackintosh, invented the Mackintosh toffee
- John Metcalfe, aka "Blind Jack of Knaresborough", pioneering road builder
- Roger Needham, computer scientist
- George Porter, Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1967
- Joseph Priestley, chemist and discoverer of oxygen
- Owen Willans Richardson, Nobel Prize for Physics in 1928
- Augustus Pitt Rivers, archaeologist, ethnologist, army officer
- Joseph Rowntree (educationist)
- Percy Shaw, inventor of Cat's Eyes
- John Smeaton, father of civil engineering
- Michael Holroyd Smith, invented electric tram, in Blackpool
- Oliver Smithies, Nobel Prize in Physiology, or Medicine 2007
- John Snow (physician), One of founders of epidemiology
- John E. Walker, Nobel Prize for Chemistry 1997
- George Vasey (botanist), Botany
- Frederick Walton, inventor of linoleum
- Geoffrey Wilkinson, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1973
[edit] Royalty and nobles
[edit] Politicians and activists
- Robert Aske (political leader), led rebellion in York, executed in 1537
- Herbert Henry Asquith, Liberal MP, Prime Minister 1908-1916
- David Blunkett, Labour MP for Sheffield Brightside, Home Secretary 2001-2004
- Betty Boothroyd, former Labour MP, Speaker of the House of Commons
- Richard Caborn, Labour politician, former Sports minister
- Alasdair Campbell, Keighley-born press chief for Tony Blair
- Barbara Castle, Labour MP, former Minister of Transport who introduced the breathalyser
- Derek Enright, linguist and Labour MP
- Sir Marcus Fox, Conservative MP for Shipley (1970-1997), former chairman of the 1922 Committee
- William Hague, MP and former leader of the Conservative Party
- Robert Goodwill, Conservative MP
- Roy Hattersley, former deputy leader of the Labour Party
- Denis Healey, former Labour MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer 1974–1979
- Sir Bernard Ingham, former press secretary to Margaret Thatcher
- Roy Mason, former Labour MP and cabinet minister
- Richard Oastler, educationalist, activist
- James Pickles, former High Court judge
- John Prescott, former Labour deputy PM
- Arthur Scargill, miners' union leader
- Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, Prime Minister 1765-1766 and 1782
- John Henry Whitley, politician, speaker of the House, Chairman of BBC
- William Wilberforce, social campaigner who brought about the abolition of slavery
- Harold Wilson, Labour MP, Prime Minister 1964-70 and 1974-76
[edit] Writers
- John Arden, playwright
- Simon Armitage, West Yorkshire poet
- Kate Atkinson, York-born novelist
- W. H. Auden, poet, born in York in 1907
- Richard Bean, playwright, author of The English Game
- Simon Beaufoy, screenwriter, author of The Full Monty
- Alan Bennett, playwright and actor
- Sir Malcolm Bradbury, Sheffield-born novelist and academic
- Barbara Taylor Bradford, popular novelist
- John Braine, novelist and playwright
- Asa Briggs, historian, professor
- Anne Brontë, writer, author of "The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall"
- Branwell Brontë, writer and artist
- Charlotte Brontë, writer, author of "Jane Eyre"
- Emily Brontë, writer, author of "Wuthering Heights"
- A. S. Byatt, novelist
- Bruce Chatwin, Sheffield-born novelist and travel writer
- Lindsay Clarke, novelist
- Roy Clarke, comedy writer, author of Last Of The Summer Wine, Open All Hours
- Andrea Dunbar, playwright, author of Rita, Sue and Bob Too
- Margaret Drabble, novelist
- Helen Dunmore, novelist
- Sir William Empson, author of "Seven Types Of Ambiguity"
- Helen Fielding, author of Bridget Jones' Diary
- George Gissing, novelist, author of New Grub Street
- John Godber, West Yorkshire playwright
- Willis Hall, playwright
- Joanne Harris, novelist, author of Chocolat
- Tony Harrison, Leeds-born poet
- Justin Hill, Author and poet
- Barry Hines, Author and film producer ("Kes")
- Ernest William Hornung, creator of Raffles, the 'gentleman' thief
- Ted Hughes, former poet laureate
- Eric Knight, writer
- Bryony Lavery, playwright
- George MacBeth, poet
- Andrew Marvell, poet
- Ian McMillan, poet from Barnsley
- Kay Mellor, TV writer
- David Mercer, playwright, TV writer, screenwriter
- Blake Morrison, writer and poet
- David Peace, novelist
- Petite Anglaise, notorious Parisian blogger and diarist
- Gervase Phinn, comic novelist
- Alan Plater, playwright
- J. B. Priestley, man of letters
- Robert Raikes the Elder, printer, founder of Gloucester Journal
- Ross Raisin, contemporary novelist, author of God's Own Country
- Arthur Ransome, children's writer, author of Swallows and Amazons
- Sir Herbert Read, great art critic
- Joe Simpson, writer and mountaineer, author of Touching The Void
- Edith Sitwell, literary family
- Laurence Sterne, Yorkshire-raised and educated author of Tristram Shandy
- David Storey, Booker Prize-winning novelist
- Charles Stross, science fiction writer (Singularity Sky)
- Graham Taylor (author), writer of the Shadowmancer series
- Keith Waterhouse, journalist and author
[edit] Artists and sculptors
- Andy Goldsworthy, artist
- Doug Binder, artist
- John Bratby, artist
- William Etty, artist
- John Flaxman, sculptor and draughtsman
- John Atkinson Grimshaw, artist
- Barbara Hepworth, artist
- David Hockney, artist
- Percy Metcalfe, artist
- Henry Moore, sculptor
- Henry Scott Tuke, artist
[edit] Entertainers
[edit] Actors
- Sean Bean, actor
- Brian Blessed, actor
- David Bradley (actor), actor
- Joy Brook, actress
- Ian Carmichael, actor
- Sir Tom Courtenay, actor
- Elizabeth Dawn, actress, Vera Duckworth in Coronation Street
- Judi Dench, actress
- Michael Denison, actor
- Peter Firth, actor
- Brian Glover, actor and former wrestler
- Richard Griffiths, actor
- Gail Harris, actress and model
- Barrie Ingham, actor
- Ben James-Ellis, stage actor
- Jimmy Jewel, actor
- Gordon Kaye, actor, star of 'Allo 'Allo
- Lisa Kay, actress
- Ben Kingsley, actor
- Charles Laughton, actor and director of classic Night of The Hunter
- James Mason, actor
- Malcolm McDowell, actor (A Clockwork Orange)
- Jimi Mistry, actor
- Eric Portman, actor
- Peter O'Toole, actor
- Wilfred Pickles, actor, comedian and quizmaster
- Diana Rigg, actress, "Emma Peel" in The Avengers
- Brian Rix, Baron Rix, actor and President of Mencap
- Patrick Stewart, actor, "Jean-Luc Picard" in Star Trek: The Next Generation
- Mollie Sugden, actress (Are You Being Served?)
- Timothy West, actor
- Billie Whitelaw, actress
- Tom Wilkinson, actor
- Penelope Wilton, actress
- Helen Worth, soap opera actress (Coronation Street)
[edit] Comedians
- Debbie Barham, late comedian, comedy writer
- Julian Barratt, comedian, actor and writer (The Mighty Boosh)
- Roy 'Chubby' Brown, comedian
- Marti Caine, comedienne
- Johnnie Casson, Halifax comedian, Peter Kay's "idol"
- Chuckle Brothers, comedians Barry and Paul Elliot
- Alun Cochrane, comedian
- Kevin Connelly, Dead Ringers performer and writer
- Barry Cryer, writer and comedian
- Norman Collier, comedian
- Jeremy Dyson, comedian, actor and scriptwriter of League of Gentleman
- Adrian Edmondson, comedian and actor (The Young Ones)
- Graham Fellows, comedian, creator of John Shuttleworth
- Leigh Francis, comedian, better known as Avid Merrion and for Bo Selecta!
- Dustin Gee, late impressionist and comedian
- Boothby Graffoe (comedian), surreal comedian with BBC4 series
- The Grumbleweeds, comedy group
- Daniel Kitson, comedian, won Perrier in 2002
- Maureen Lipman, actress and comedian
- Bob Mortimer, comedian from Middlesbrough
- Michael Palin, actor and comedian (Monty Python's Flying Circus)
- Sandy Powell, comedian
- Vic Reeves, Leeds-born comedian
- Paul Shane, actor and comedian
- Reece Shearsmith, actor, comedian and scriptwriter of League of Gentleman
- Count Arthur Strong, character created by comedian Steve Delaney; on BBC Radio 4
- Paul Tonkinson, award-winning comedian, TV and radio presenter
- Charlie Williams, comedian and footballer
- Ernie Wise, comedian
- Tom Wrigglesworth, comedian
[edit] Musicians and Bands
- Mark Almond, singer in Soft Cell
- Arctic Monkeys, Sheffield indie rock group
- Dame Janet Baker, opera singer
- John Barry, composer, best known for his soundtracks for James Bond films and Midnight Cowboy
- Arthur Brown, rock singer
- Melanie Brown, member of the Spice Girls
- Tony Capstick, folk singer and actor
- Kaiser Chiefs, indie band from Leeds
- Tony Christie, singer
- Jarvis Cocker, lead singer of Pulp
- Joe Cocker, rock singer
- Kiki Dee, singer/songwriter
- Def Leppard, hard rock group
- Frederick Delius, composer
- George Dyson (composer), musician, composer, director of Royal College of Music
- Keith Emerson, organist
- Martin Fry, lead singer of ABC
- Gang of Four (band), Leeds post-punk group
- Lesley Garrett, opera singer
- Gareth Gates, singer
- Richard Hawley, Sheffield singer and guitarist
- Allan Holdsworth, "jazz fusion" guitarist and composer
- Little Angels, 90's Rock Group
- Geoff Love, bandleader
- John McLaughlin, jazz guitarist, founder of the Mahavishnu Orchestra
- Phil Oakey, musician, lead singer of the Human League
- One Night Only, Indie Group
- Robert Palmer, singer
- Corinne Bailey Ray, Leeds singer
- Chris Rea, singer
- Mick Ronson, guitarist with David Bowie's Spiders From Mars
- Steve Rothery, guitarist with Marillion
- Kate Rusby, folk singer
- The Sisters of Mercy, post-punk group from Leeds
- Jake Thackray, folk singer
- Kimberley Walsh, member of Girls Aloud
- Fanny Waterman, concert pianist, music teacher, founder of the Leeds International Piano Festival
- Walter Widdop, tenor
- Chris Wolstenholme, musician in the English band, Muse
[edit] Television presenters
- Richard Alexander, producer and presenter
- Roy Castle, late singer, dancer and TV presenter
- Jeremy Clarkson, broadcaster
- John Craven, television presenter
- Philip Hayton, BBC News
- Gabby Logan, television presenter
- Emily Maitlis, news presenter
- John Noakes, television presenter, known best for presenting Blue Peter
- Michael Parkinson, chat show host
- Mary Nightingale, ITV News
- Jeremy Paxman, news presenter
- Sir Jimmy Savile, disc-jockey and broadcaster
- Selina Scott, News and TV presenter
- Peter Taylor (journalist), former presenter of BBC Panorama
- Alan Titchmarsh, TV presenter and gardener
- Richard Whiteley, television presenter, Countdown
[edit] Others
- Simone Clarke, former prima ballerina of English National Ballet, famously a member of the BNP
- Harry Corbett, puppeteer, creator of "Sooty and Sweep"
- Paul Daniels, magician
- James Martin (chef), celebrity chef
- Nell McAndrew, model for Lara Croft in Tomb Raider
- Chris Moyles, Radio One DJ
- Jonti Picking, creator of the Weebl and Bob cartoon series
- Joel Ross, one half of JK and Joel
- Brian Turner, celebrity chef
- Marco Pierre White, Hell's Kitchen chef, won three Michelin stars
[edit] Sports
[edit] Athletics
[edit] Boxing
[edit] Cricket
- Bob Appleyard, cricketer
- Harold "Dickie" Bird, cricket umpire
- Geoffrey Boycott, cricketer
- Bill Bowes, cricketer
- David Byas, cricketer
- Brian Close, cricketer
- Darren Gough, cricketer
- George Herbert Hirst, cricketer
- Matthew Hoggard, cricketer
- Sir Leonard Hutton, cricketer, Ashes-winning captain
- Raymond Illingworth, cricketer, Ashes-winning captain
- Frank Stanley Jackson, cricketer, and Ashes-winning captain
- Jim Laker, cricketer and broadcaster
- Barry Leadbeater, cricketer
- Maurice Leyland, cricketer
- Thomas Lord, builder of Lord's Cricket Ground in London
- Don Mosey, cricket commentator and journalist, nicknamed "The Alderman"
- Wilfred Rhodes, cricketer
- Ryan Sidebottom, cricketer
- Herbert Sutcliffe, cricketer
- Fred Trueman, cricketer
- Hedley Verity, cricketer
- Michael Vaughan, Manchester-born cricketer, Ashes-winning captain
- Johnny Wardle, cricketer
- Willie Watson, duel international in cricket and football
[edit] Football
- Gordon Banks, footballer, part of the England World Cup-winning team of 1966
- David Batty, footballer
- Herbert Chapman, football manager with Huddersfield and Arsenal, among others
- Brian Clough, football manager with Derby County and Nottingham Forest
- Kevin Davies, footballer
- Stewart Downing, footballer
- Jonathan Greening, footballer
- Mark Jones (footballer), Man United footballer, died in Munich air disaster
- Kevin Keegan, former England footballer, now football manager
- Stuart McCall, footballer, Bradford City, Everton, Rangers and Scotland
- Steve McClaren, footballer, former manager of England
- Bill Nicholson (footballer), Tottenham Hotspur Legend
- David Pegg, Man United footballer, died in Munich air disaster
- Don Revie, footballer and manager of Leeds United and England
- Paul Robinson (goalkeeper), footballer
- David Seaman, footballer, 75 caps as England goalkeeper
- Len Shackleton, England footballer, known as the "Clown Prince"
- Alan Smith, footballer
- Howard Wilkinson, manager
- Frank Worthington, footballer
- John Bentley, rugby league and union player
- Stuart Fielden, rugby league player
- Neil Fox, rugby league player
- Albert Goldthorpe, rugby player
- Ellery Hanley, rugby league player
- Alan Hardisty, rugby league player
- Charlie Hodgson, rugby union player
- Nigel Melville, rugby union player
- Brian Moore, rugby union player
- Brian Noble, rugby league player and coach
- Jonty Parkin, rugby league player
- Mal Reilly, rugby league player and coach
- Jason Robinson, rugby league and union
- Clive Sullivan, rugby league player
- Rory Underwood, rugby union player
- Harold Wagstaff, rugby league player
- Eddie Waring, rugby league commentator
[edit] Others
- Karen Inman (nee Briggs), world and Olympic judo champion
- Beryl Burton, cyclist
- Kenny Carter, former world speedway champion
- Howard Clark, Ryder Cup golfer
- Shirley Crabtree, wrestler, better known as Big Daddy
- George Duffield, jockey
- Alan Hinkes, first Briton to climb world's highest 14 peaks
- Paul Hunter, late snooker player
- David Jefferies, late motorcycle rider
- Les Kellett, wrestler and pig farmer
- Ben Moon, rock climber
- Adrian Moorhouse, Olympic swimmer
- Dennis Priestley, twice world darts champion
- Harvey Smith, showjumper and racehorse trainer
- Roger Taylor, tennis player, Wimbledon men's semi-finalist in 1973
- Dave Taylor,WWE wrestler
[edit] Miscellaneous
- Alcuin, Renaissance scholar, ecclesiastic, poet and teacher from York
- Ken Annakin, film director
- Richard Bentley, 17th/18th century theologian, scholar, critic
- William Bradley, the tallest ever Britishman.
- Thomas Chippendale, furniture designer and maker
- John Reginald Halliday Christie, serial killer of 10 Rillington Place
- Guy Fawkes, of the Gunpowder Plot
- Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron, military commander in English Civil War.
- John Fisher, 15th/16th century cardinal, bishop, martyr
- Robin Hood (Robert of Loxley), legendary outlaw and folk hero
- David Mellor (cutler), designer and manufacturer of cutlery and tableware
- James Paul Moody, Titanic hero
- Ken Morrison, chairman of Morrisons supermarket
- Bruce Oldfield, fashion designer
- Joseph Rowntree (philanthropist), chocolate magnate and philanthropist
- Helen Sharman, first Briton in space, chemist
- Thorgils Skarthi, Viking from whom Scarborough takes it's name
- Thomas Spencer, co-founder of Marks and Spencer in Leeds market
- Andy Strangeway, record-breaking islomaniac and travel writer
- Peter Stringfellow, socialite and owner of Stringfellows nightclub
- Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper
- Joseph William Thornton, chocolate manufacturer, founder of Thorntons
- John Tillotson, Archbishop of Canterbury
- Jane Tomlinson, cancer charity fundraiser
- John Wycliffe, 14th century theologian, first English translator of bible
[edit] References
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
