List of people from Leicester
This is a list of notable people born in Leicester, England, educated there, or otherwise associated with the city.
Academia (except scientists)
- Graham Barnfield (sociologist)
- W. G. Hoskins, (landscape historian)
- Jack Simmons, (historian esp. of British railways)
Architecture
- Ernest Gimson (architect, craftsman)
- John Johnson (architect)
The arts and entertainment
Acting and film
- Richard Armitage (actor, North and South, Robin Hood, The Hobbit)[1]
- Richard Attenborough (actor, Jurassic Park and director Gandhi)
- Martin Ballard (actor and broadcaster)
- Lydia Rose Bewley (actor, The Inbetweeners Movie. and stage).[2]
- Jeremy Bulloch (actor, Star Wars)
- Graham Chapman (comedian, Monty Python)[3]
- Selina Chilton (actress, Doctors)[4]
- Charlie Clapham (actor, Hollyoaks, Kick-Ass 2)[5]
- Amanda Drew (actress, EastEnders)
- Betty Driver (singer and actress, Coronation Street)[6]
- Terri Dwyer (actress, Hollyoaks)[7]
- Stephen Frears (film director, Dangerous Liaisons)
- Tom Hopper (actor, Merlin, Doctor Who)
- Colin Hurley (Shakespearean actor)
- Dominic Keating (actor, Star Trek: Enterprise)[8]
- Alison King, (actress, Coronation Street)[9]
- Michael Kitchen (actor, Foyle's War)[10]
- McKenzie Lee (pornography actress)
- John Leeson (actor, voice of K-9 in Doctor Who and Bungle in Rainbow and current narrator for the children's hospital radio series; The Space Gypsy Adventures)[11]
- Barry Letts (actor, television director, writer and producer)[12]
- Bill Maynard (actor, Coronation Street, Heartbeat)
- Parminder Nagra (actor, Bend It Like Beckham, ER)[13]
- David Neilson (actor, Coronation Street)
- Andy Nyman (actor)[14]
- Kate O'Mara (actress, Howards' Way)[15]
- Helen Pearson (actress, Hollyoaks)[16]
- Josette Simon (actress)
- Una Stubbs (actress, Till Death Us Do Part, Sherlock)
- Rakhee Thakrar (EastEnders)
- Mark Wingett (actor, The Bill)
Broadcasting and journalism
- David Attenborough (broadcaster and naturalist)
- Karl Beattie (Living TV Presenter, Most Haunted & Most Haunted Live)
- Biddy Baxter (editor, Blue Peter)
- Manish Bhasin (BBC sports presenter, Football Focus)
- O.J. Borg (radio and TV presenter)
- Sara Dhada The Apprentice 2008
- Julie Etchingham (TV news reader, Sky News, ITN)
- Derrick Evans, (TV fitness instructor, Mr Motivator)
- Martin Gillingham (Sports commentator and journalist)
- Clare Hollingworth (foreign correspondent)
- David Icke (sports reporter, conspiracy theorist)
- Oliver Kamm (Times leader writer and columnist)
- Sir Henry Norman, 1st Baronet 1858–1939 Journalist and politician who revealed the truth about the Dreyfus affair
- Jon Tickle (Leicester University graduate, Brainiac: Science Abuse presenter)
- Tony Wadsworth (broadcaster, BBC)
- Gok Wan (fashion stylist and presenter of How to Look Good Naked, Channel 4)
- Arlo White (broadcaster, BBC)
- Kevin Myers journalist, (Irish Independent)
Music
- Aetherfx (Jacob Tugby, Industrial electronic musician)
- Laurel Aitken (singer, "The Godfather of Ska". Born Cuba, lived on the St. Mark's Estate from 1971–2005)
- Sam Bailey (winner of The X Factor 2013)
- Blab Happy (band)
- Black Widow (band)
- The Bomb Party (band)
- Grace Burrows (1893 - 1980) English violinist and orchestra conductor
- Felix Buxton (Half of Basement Jaxx)
- Cornershop (band)
- Crazyhead (band)
- John Deacon (bassist, Queen)
- The Deep Freeze Mice (band)
- Diesel Park West (band)
- The Displacements (band)
- Family (band)
- Gemini (musician) (DJ)
- Gaye Bykers on Acid (band)
- Robert Gotobed (drummer, Wire)
- Davy Graham (Folk musician)
- Ric Grech Violinist/ Bassist/Writer/ Producer. Blind Faith. Traffic. Gram Parsons
- H "Two" O (band who produced the 2008 song What's It Gonna Be?)
- Kevin Hewick (singer)
- Engelbert Humperdinck (singer, Release Me, Misty Blue)
- The Hunters Club (band)
- John Illsley (bassist, Dire Straits)
- Tony Kaye (keyboard player, Yes)
- Kasabian (band)
- Frank Benbini (drummer, Fun Lovin Criminals)
- Lisa Lashes (DJ)
- Jon Lord (organist, Deep Purple)
- Paul Martinez Bassist/Guitarist/Writer. Led Zeppelin. Stretch. Dave Edmunds.
- Tom Meighan (vocalist, Kasabian)
- Mark Morrison (singer, Return of the Mack)
- Perfume (band)
- Sergio Pizzorno (Musician, Kasabian)
- Po! (band)
- Prolapse (band)
- Kav Sandhu (former Happy Mondays guitarist, solo artist,musician, co launched UK festival Getloaded in the Park )
- Scum Pups (band)
- Showaddywaddy (band)
- Molly Smitten-Downes, 2014 Eurovision entrant
- DJ SS (DJ and producer)
- Stunt (band)
- Yeah Yeah Noh (band)
- The Young Knives (band)
Painters
- Lemuel Francis Abbott (portrait artist)
- Duncan Fegredo (comic book artist)
- John Flower (artist), 1793–1861
Writing (except journalism)
- Lemuel Abbott (clergyman and poet)
- James Allen (author)
- Elizabeth Arnold, children's writer
- Julian Barnes (author)
- David Campton (Playwright & Actor)
- Thomas Cooper (poet)
- J. T. Edson (author)
- Anne Fine (author)
- Martin Goodman (novelist, biographer and travel writer)
- Hal Iggulden, (author)
- E. Phillips Oppenheim (Most prolific author of 1st half of 20th century, inventor of "Rogue Male" genre)
- Joe Orton (playwright)
- Lynda Page (author)
- John Barclay Pick (journalist, writer, The Last Valley)
- Bali Rai (author)
- C. P. Snow (author)
- Sue Townsend (author, Adrian Mole books)
- Colin Wilson (author)
Others
- Mary Linwood (famous needlewoman)
Business
- Charles Bennion (shoe machinery manufacturer, philanthropist, bought Bradgate Park for the `quiet enjoyment of the people of Leicestershire')
- Thomas Cook (travel agent)
- Nathaniel Corah (textile manufacturer)
- Henry Curry (Founder of Currys)
- Thomas Fielding Johnson (worsted spinner, philanthropist, founding benefactor of Leicester University)
- William Inman (shipping company owner)
- Harry Peach (furniture manufacturer and social campaigner)
- Henry Walker (founder of Walkers Crisps)
- Thomas White (merchant, philanthropist)
- William Wyggeston (merchant, philanthropist)
Exploration
- Henry Bates (naturalist and explorer)
- Ed Stafford (explorer and author)
- Alfred Russel Wallace (naturalist, explorer, evolutionist and author, who briefly taught at Collegiate school)
Politics and Royalty
- Alastair Campbell (journalist and political advisor)
- Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester (founder of the English Parliament)
- Lady Jane Grey ("Queen for Nine Days")
- Greville Janner (MP and barrister)
- Kelvin Hopkins (MP) (born in Leicester)
- Richard III of England
- Peter Soulsby (Mayor or Leicester, former MP)
Religion
- William Carey (missionary and translator)
- Charles Henry Carter Baptist missionary and translator of the first English-Singhalese dictionary
- George Fox (founder of the Religious Society of Friends, otherwise known as Quakers)
Science
- Alf Adams (physicist) (inventor of the strained quantum-well laser)
- William Henry Bragg (physicist, chemist and mathematician)
- William Lawrence Bragg (physicist)
- Harold Hopkins (physicist)
- Sir Alec Jeffreys (geneticist and developer of genetic fingerprinting) (DNA)
- Roger Mason (geologist)
- Benjamin Ward Richardson (physician)
- Cedric Smith (statistician and geneticist)
Sport
Boxing
- George Aldridge (former British middleweight champion)
- Pat Butler (former British welterweight champion)
- Martin Concepcion (Commonwealth light-middleweight boxing title challenger)
- Shaun Cummins, (fought for British and European titles)
- Rendall Munroe (EBU and Commonwealth super bantamweight boxing champion)
- Chris Pyatt (former World Champion middleweight boxer)
- Tony Sibson (former professional boxer)
- Len Wickwar (holds the record for highest number of professional fights)
- Tim Wood (former British light heavyweight champion)
Cricket
- James Barnfather (Played first-class cricket for Essex in 1924)
- Samit Patel (England international cricketer)
- M. J. K. Smith (England cricket captain)
Football
- Ian Baraclough (football manager)
- Ashley Chambers (English Footballer)[17]
- Dion Dublin (England International Footballer)[18]
- Emile Heskey (England international footballer)[19]
- Chris Kirkland (England international footballer)[20]
- Gary Lineker (England international footballer, World Cup 1986 Golden Boot Winner, sports presenter)[21]
- Joe Mattock (English Footballer)[22]
- Norman Plummer (Leicester City footballer, captain 1949 FA Cup Final, decorated World War II veteran)
- Levi Porter (English Footballer)[23]
- Michael Robinson (footballer, Spanish TV presenter)[24]
- Peter Shilton (England's most capped footballer)[25]
- Luke Varney (footballer)[26]
Rugby Union
- Martin Corry (Retired Rugby Player, Former Leicester captain and Former England captain)
- Louis Deacon (Leicester Tigers captain, England International)
- Martin Johnson (CBE, Rugby player, Leicester and England's World-Cup winning captain)
- Steve Redfern (Rugby player, Leicester Tigers walk of legends)
- Dean Richards (Rugby player and coach, Leicester Tigers and England captain)
- Ollie Smith (Rugby Union international)[27]
- John Wells (Leicester Tigers Rugby Captain, Head coach and England Forwards Coach)
Snooker
- Shailesh Jogia (snooker player)
- Mark Selby, (snooker player and eight ball pool world champion 2007)
- Willie Thorne (snooker player and commentator)
- Ben Woollaston
Speedway
- Geoff Bouchard
- Ivor Brown
- Cyril "Squib" Burton
- Bruce Forrester
- David Howe
- Paddy Mills
- Graham Plant
- Fred Wilkinson
- Len Williams (Sheffield, Leicester and England)
- Stan Williams (Sheffield, Coventry and England)
Others
- Tony Allcock (Fourteen-times bowls world champion, now Chief Executive of Bowls England)
- Andrew Betts (Current Great Britain Basketball Player)
- Henry Ernest Atkins (chess master, nine times British champion, the H.E. Atkins tournament is run annually in Leicester)
- Roger Clark (rally driving champion)
- Mark Cox (English professional tennis player)[28]
- Glenn Flear (chess grandmaster)
- Jamie Green (race car driver in the Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters championship)
- Bert Harris (first professional cycling champion of England)
- John Arthur Jarvis (swimmer, 1900 Olympic medallist)
- John Merricks (sailor, 1996 Olympic medallist)
- Roger Williamson (Formula One driver)
- Fred Wood (multi World Cycling Champion - 1880s)[29]
Miscellaneous
- M. E. Clifton James Actor trained to impersonated Bernard Montgomery in World War II
- General Sir Patrick Howard-Dobson (former Vice-Chief of Defence Staff, born in Leicester)
- Daniel Lambert (1770–1809) (heaviest man in England)
- Sydney Lucas (1900–2008) (last soldier to serve in both World Wars)
- Kim McLagan (model and cosmetologist)
- Joseph Merrick (1862–1890) ("The Elephant Man")
- Charles Killick Millard (1870–1952) (Medical Officer for Health & founder of the Voluntary Euthanasia Legalisation Society)
- Phil Shaw (inventor of extreme ironing)
References
- ↑ "Richard Armitage" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0035514/
- ↑ Lydia Rose Bewley at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm3617801/
- ↑ "Graham Chapman" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001037/
- ↑ "Selina Chilton" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2197613/
- ↑ "Charlie Clapham" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2778897/
- ↑ "Betty Driver" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0238107/
- ↑ "Terri Dwyer" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0245543/
- ↑ "Dominic Keating" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0444098/
- ↑ "Alison King" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0454435/
- ↑ "Michael Kitchen" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0457655/
- ↑ "John Leeson" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0498770/
- ↑ "Barry Letts" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0504818/
- ↑ "Parminder Nagra" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0619406/
- ↑ "Andy Nyman" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0638762/
- ↑ "Kate O'Mara" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0641817/
- ↑ "Helen Pearson" at Internet Movie Database http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0669274/
- ↑ "Ashley Chambers" at Football Heroes http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=38950
- ↑ "Dion Dublin" at Football Heroes http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=39636
- ↑ "Emile Heskey" at Football Heroes http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=36969
- ↑ "Chris Kirkland" at Football Heroes http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=41424
- ↑ "Gary Lineker" at Football Heroes http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_international.asp?HeroID=37218
- ↑ "Joe Mattock" at Football Heroes http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=41895
- ↑ "Levi Porter" at Football Heroes http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=42917
- ↑ "Michael Robinson" at Football Heroes http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=43235
- ↑ "Peter Shilton" at Football Heroes http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_international.asp?HeroID=44753
- ↑ "Luke Varney" at Football Heroes http://www.sporting-heroes.net/football-heroes/displayhero_club.asp?HeroID=44222
- ↑ "Ollie Smith" at Rugby Heroes http://www.sporting-heroes.net/rugby-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=7484
- ↑ "Mark Cox" at Tennis Heroes http://www.sporting-heroes.net/tennis-heroes/displayhero.asp?HeroID=1963
- ↑ "Leicestershire's top 100 sporting greats". Leicester Mercury. 19 February 2011.