List of Aberdonians

There are many notable Aberdonians from Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire in Scotland. In modern times the British Open winning golfer Paul Lawrie and the musician Annie Lennox are the most famous names. However in the past Aberdeen has produced many important people such as Thomas Blake Glover, the founder of Mitsubishi, and Bertie Charles Forbes who founded the Forbes publishing empire.

Architects and designers

• Bill Gibb (1943-1988), fashion designer
• James Gibbs (1682–1754), architect
• Archibald Simpson (1790–1847), architect (responsible for many Aberdeen buildings)

Artists and sculptors

King Lear and the Fool in the Storm, by artist William Dyce

• Alexander Milne Calder (1846–1923), sculptor
• William Dyce (1806–1864), artist
• George Jamesone (c. 1587–1644), Scotland's first eminent artist
• William Keith (1838–1911), landscape artist
• James McBey (1883-1959), artist
• Alberto Morrocco (1917–1998), artist and teacher

Authors, journalists and writers

• Lord Byron (1788–1824), poet (raised in Aberdeen from ages 2–10)
• Alexander Chalmers (1759–1834), journalist
• Simon Farquhar (born 1972), writer
• B.C. Forbes (1880–1954), journalist and founder of Forbes magazine
• Lewis Grassic Gibbon (1901–1935), author
• David Masson (1822–1907), author
• William Matthews (1822–1896), bookbinder and author, gold medal winner at The Crystal Palace Exhibition^[1]
• Janet Milne Rae (1844–1933), novelist and missionary, was born in Willowbank.^[2]
• Rachel Annand Taylor (1876–1960), poet
• Richard Gordon (broadcaster) (born 1960), BBC Radio Scotland presenter

Musicians

Singer Annie Lennox

• Yvie Burnett (born 1963), opera singer, vocal coach and TV personality
• Ronald Center (1913-1973), composer
• Gordon Duthie (born 1987), alternative music artist
• Mary Garden (1874-1967), opera singer
• Evelyn Glennie (born 1965), virtuoso percussionist
• Calvin Goldspink (born 1989), singer and American-based actor
• Annie Lennox (born 1954), singer
• Neil Mackie (born 1946), tenor and professor at Royal College of Music
• Terry McDermott, singer
• John McLeod (born 1934), composer
• Pallas (1980–present), progressive rock band
• Stanley Robertson (1940-2009), ballad singer and storyteller
• Seb Rochford, (born ?), drummer
• Emeli Sandé (born 1987), singer
• Connor Ball (born 1996), Bassist of The Vamps

Politicians

• Richard Alexander (1934-2008), former MP for Newark
• Sir John Anderson (1858–1915), Governor of Straits Settlements
• Sir John Arbuthnot, 1st Baronet (1912–1992), politician
• Norman Baker, MP for Lewes and former UK Government Minister
• William Mortimer Clark (1836–1917), Canadian politician
• James Cran, former MP for Beverley, PPS, Maastricht Rebel and Shadow Deputy Leader of the House
• James Forrester (1937-2011), U.S. politician
• The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP, (born 1967), Government Chief Whip and former Secretary of State for Education
• Sir William MacGregor (1846–1919), Lieutenant-Governor of British New Guinea, Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador and Governor of Queensland
• Alexander Mitchell (1817-1887), U.S. politician
• Sir Richard Shepherd, MP for Aldridge-Brownhills
• Thomas Smith (1745–1809), U.S. politician
• Nicol Stephen, Baron Stephen (born 1960), Deputy First Minister of Scotland and Leader of Scottish Liberal Democrats
• John Stevenson, MP for Carlisle

Religion

• Oswald Chambers (1874–1917), seminarian
• Alexander Cruden (1699–1770), theologian
• Alexander Ewing (1814–1873), church leader
• Rev. John Ferguson (1852–1925), Presbyterian minister and Acting Principal of St Andrew's College at University of Sydney^[3]
• Rev. Scott Rennie (born 1972), minister and theologian
• John Strachan (1778–1867), first Anglican Bishop of Toronto

Science and medicine

Astronomer James Gregory

• Sir Andrew Clark, 1st Baronet (1826–1893), physician and pathologist
• Sir David Gill (1843–1914), astronomer
• David Gregory (1659–1708), astronomer
• James Gregory (1638–1675), astronomer and mathematician
• Wilson Jameson (1885-1962), doctor
• William MacGillivray (1796–1852), naturalist and ornithologist
• Francis Masson (1741–1805), botanist

Sports

• Russell Anderson (born 1978), footballer
• Tim Baillie (born 1979), slalom canoer and 2012 Olympic gold medal winner
• Martin Buchan (born 1949), footballer
• David Carry (born 1981), swimmer and 2006 Commonwealth gold medal winner
• Neil Cochran (born 1965), swimmer and 1984 Olympic bronze medal winner
• Peter Craigmyle (1893-?), referee
• Warren Cummings (born 1980), footballer
• Chris Cusiter (born 1982), rugby union footballer
• Paul Dixon (born 1986), footballer
• Neil Fachie (born 1984), athlete and 2012 Paralympic gold medal winner
• John Hewitt (born 1963), footballer and scorer of winning goal in 1983 European Cup Winners' Cup
• Stuart Holden (born 1985), footballer who plays for USA
• Denis Law (born 1940), footballer
• Paul Lawrie (born 1969), golfer
• Moray Low, (born 1984), rugby union footballer
• Shaun Maloney (born 1983), footballer (raised in Aberdeen)
• Hannah Miley (born 1989), swimmer and 2010 Commonwealth gold medal winner (raised in Aberdeen)
• Gavin Rae (born 1977), footballer
• Richie Ramsay (born 1983), golfer
• Barry Robson (born 1978), footballer
• John Rattray (born 1978), skateboarder
• Robbie Renwick (born 1988), swimmer and 2010 Commonwealth gold medal winner (raised in Aberdeen)
• Andrew Shinnie (born 1989), footballer
• Neil Simpson (born 1961), footballer (raised in Aberdeenshire)
• Jason White (born 1978), rugby union footballer (raised in Aberdeen)

Soldiers

• David Baird (1757–1829), soldier
• James Brooke, recipient of the Victoria Cross
• John Cruickshank, recipient of the Victoria Cross

Others

Thomas Blake Glover, founder of Mitsubishi

• John Henry Anderson (1814–1874), magician
• William Barclay (1546–1608), jurist
• John Hill Burton (1809–1881), Historiographer Royal
• James Donald (1917-1993), actor
• Thomas Blake Glover (1838–1911), trader in Meiji era Japan and founder of Mitsubishi Corporation
• Stewart Milne (born 1950), businessman and Aberdeen F.C. chairman
• John Rae (1841-1891), antiquarian
• George Croom Robertson (1842–1892), philosopher
• Scotland the What?, comedy revue act
• Michael Sheard (1938–2005), actor
• George Smith (1806–1899), financier
• Jeff Stewart, (born 1955), actor
• George Washington Wilson (1823–1892), photographer
• Ian Wood (born ?), businessman

References