List of people from the Borough of Woking

This is a list of famous or notable people born in, or associated with, the Borough of Woking in England, who have a Wikipedia page.

Woking is a town and borough in Surrey, around 23 mi (37 km) southwest of central London. In addition to the town of Woking, the borough also includes the settlements of Brookwood, Knaphill, Pyrford, Byfleet and West Byfleet.

The first surviving record of the settlement is from Domesday Book of 1086, in which the manor appears as Wochinges.[1] The "monastery at Wocchingas" is mentioned in a c. 1200 copy of an early 8th-century letter from Pope Constantine to Hedda, Abbot of Bermondsey and Woking.[2][note 1]

List of notable people

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ImageNameResidence PeriodNotes
Michael Axworthy-Academic, historian and commentator with special interest in Iran[4]
[[File:|center|100x75px|Arthur Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour]]Arthur Balfour, 1st Earl of Balfour1929 to deathPolitician, Prime Minister 1902-05, author of Balfour Declaration; lived at Fisher's Hill, Hook Heath Road[5]
Gerald Balfour 2nd Earl of Balfour
Gerald Balfour 2nd Earl of Balfour Politician, lived at Fisher's Hill, Hook Heath Road[6]
[[File:|center|100x75px|Elizabeth Balfour, Countess of Balfour]]Elizabeth Balfour, Countess of BalfourPolitician, suffragette, lived at Fisher's Hill, Hook Heath Road
Lady Margaret Beaufort
Lady Margaret BeaufortMother of King Henry VII, lived in Woking Palace for 5 years[7]
Sir Alec BedserSurrey County and England Cricketer[7][8]
Eric BedserSurrey County Cricketer[7]
Richard Benson
Richard BensonSinger and guitarist born at Woking
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw1901–1903playwright, critic, political activist[9]
Martin BirchRock music producer/engineer for Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden (1948)[7]
John BraineNovelist[10]
Thomas BreakwellFirst Englishman to be a convert to the Baháʼí Faith[11]
Rick Bucklerdrummer with The Jam, (1955)[7][12]
Sonya Butt1940–1943WW2 Special Operations Executive agent[13]
James Cracknell
James CracknellOlympic rower, from Pyrford[7]
Claire Darke
Claire DarkeThe 161st Mayor of Wolverhampton, grew up in Woking
Peter Davison
Peter Davisonactor, former lead in Doctor Who attended The Winston Churchill School (Woking)[7]
Ron Dennis
Ron DennisCEO/Chairman of the McLaren Group[7]
Susie Dent
Susie Denta lexicographer and the dictionary expert on Countdown[14]
Emilia Dilke
Emilia Dilkeart historian, feminist and trade unionist, lived at Pyrford Rough[15]
Ben Charles Edwards
Ben Charles Edwardsphotographer/filmmaker[16]
Bruce Foxton
Bruce Foxtonbass player with The Jam, (1955)[7][12]
John Paul Getty
John Paul GettyLived in Sutton Green[7]
Robert Freke Gould
Robert Freke GouldSoldier, barrister and historian of Freemasonry[17]
Derek Griffithschildren's entertainer, born in Woking[7]
Rupert Guinness, 2nd Earl of Iveagh
Rupert Guinness, 2nd Earl of Iveagh 1906–1967businessman, lived at Pyrford[18]
Lady Emma Hamilton
Lady Emma Hamiltonlover of Horatio Nelson. Hamilton lived in Pyrford[7]
Harry Hill
Harry Hillcomedian, was born in Woking (1964)[7]
Bob Hillerformer England international rugby union player, was born in Woking (1942)[19]
Brian HooperOlympic pole vaulter[7]
Marmaduke Hussey, Baron Hussey of North Bradley newspaper executive, was born at Worplesdon Hill (1923)[20]
Chris Ingram
Chris IngramBusinessman, Entrepreneur and Former Chairman of Woking F.C.
Albert Jack
Albert JackBestselling author from Winston Churchill School
Jentinarapper[21]
Kazuo Ishiguro
Kazuo Ishiguronovelist, attended Woking County Grammar School[7][22]
Adelina de Lara
Adelina de Laraconcert pianist, lived and worked in Woking.[7]
Rowland Leecomposer, pianist, conductor and music arranger born in Woking (1960), attended Sheerwater Secondary School, Woking Boys Grammar School and Woking VI Form College.[7]
Sean Lock
Sean Lockcomedian, was born in Woking (1963)[7]
Peter Lordco-founder of Aardman Animations, attended Woking Grammar school[7]
Liz Lynne
Liz LynneLiberal Democrat politician[23]
Tom Misonactor[24]
Iain MorrisCo-Writer of The Inbetweeners, born in Woking[7]
Robert Ogilvie-England footballer, captain of Clapham Rovers team who won 1880 FA Cup Final, died at Golf Cottage, St John's (1938)[25]
Ian Ogilvy
Ian Ogilvyactor, 1943[26]
Rick Parfitt
Rick Parfittguitarist for Status Quo went to school in Sheerwater and had family in the area,[7][27]
Francis Henry Salvin
Francis Henry Salvin naturalist and writer, lived at Sutton Place and Whitmoor House[28][29]
Delia Smith
Delia Smithbest-selling cook was born in Woking[7]
Ethel Smyth
Ethel Smythcomposer and the first woman suffragette[7][30]
The Spice Girls
The Spice Girlspop group, started their careers at a Knaphill studio[7]
David Sproxton
David Sproxtonco-founder of Aardman Animations, attended Woking Grammar school[7]
Laurretta SummerscalesBallerina, principal dancer with Bayerisches Staatsballett in Munich and formerly with the English National Ballet, grew up in Woking[31]
Alan Turing
Alan Turingmathematician, Cremated at Woking Crematorium[32]
Sam Underwoodactor[33]
Tony Wakefordneo-folk musician, co-founder of Death in June, founder and vocalist of Sol Invictus, & L'Orchestre Noir[7]
Paul Weller
Paul Wellerguitarist and singer-songwriter, The Style Council, The Jam. "Town Called Malice", which was written by Paul Weller and recorded by his band, The Jam, is about Woking. The song reached No. 1 in the UK Charts.[7][12]
H. G. Wells
H. G. Wells1895-1898author who used the town as a setting for his novel The War of the Worlds and was staying in the town when he wrote it. A large sculpture of a (Wellsian) Martian Fighting Machine (above) was installed in the town centre to commemorate Woking's links with the story.[34][35][36]
Matt Willis
Matt Willismusician, singer-songwriter, television presenter and actor, who was a founding member of pop rock band Busted and was the winner of I'm A Celebrity... in 2006, lived in Woking and attended Woking High School[7]
Ken Woodfounded the Kenwood company in Woking[7][37]

Notes

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  1. ^ There is some doubt as to the accuracy and authenticity of Medieval copies of earlier Anglo-Saxon documents.[3]

References

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  1. ^ Gover, Mawer & Stenton 1969, p. 156
  2. ^ de Gray Birch 2012, pp. 196–197
  3. ^ de Gray Birch 2012, pp. xx–xxi
  4. ^ Abrahamian, Ervand (4 April 2013). "Revolutionary Iran: A History of the Islamic Republic by Michael Axworthy". Times Higher Education. Archived from the original on 14 June 2015. Retrieved 13 June 2015.
  5. ^ Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Volume 3. Oxford University Press. 2004. p. 512. ISBN 0-19-861353-9.Article by Ruddock Mackay and H.C.G. Matthew.
  6. ^ Oppenheimer, Janet. "Balfour, Gerald William, second earl of Balfour". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/30556. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac "Hall of fame". Woking Borough Council. Archived from the original on 15 April 2010. Retrieved 21 May 2008.
  8. ^ Steen, Rob. "Bedser, Sir Alec Victor". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/102513. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  9. ^ Field 2012, p. 77
  10. ^ Amis, Kingsley. "Braine, John Gerard". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/39825. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  11. ^ Hainsworth, Philip. "Breakwell, Thomas". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/52579. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  12. ^ a b c O'Brien, Christy (30 May 2022). "Paul Weller's quiet life in Woking and the time he fell into a pond". Surrey Live. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  13. ^ Bailey, Roderick. "D'Artois [née Butt], Sonia Esmée Florence [Toni]". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/odnb/9780198614128.013.108203. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  14. ^ "Biography". Susiedent.awardspace.com. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  15. ^ Fraser, Hilary. "Dilke [née Strong; other married name Pattison], Emilia Francis, Lady Dilke". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/32825. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  16. ^ Wells, Dominic (14 August 2008). "Heels before swine in Ben Charles Edwardss The Town That Boars Me". The Times. London. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2011.
  17. ^ Rylands, W.H; Songhurst, W.J. Ars Quatuor Coronatorum. Рипол Классик. ISBN 9785873023493. Archived from the original on 22 January 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2020.
  18. ^ Wilson, R.G. "Guinness, Rupert Edward Cecil Lee, second earl of Iveagh". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/33604. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  19. ^ "Robert Hiller". ESPN scrum. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 16 September 2019.
  20. ^ Fred, Emery. "Hussey, Marmaduke James [Duke], Baron Hussey of North Bradley". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/97522. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  21. ^ "Dreams are unfolding for Jentina". Surrey Live. 2 July 2013 [30 September 2004]. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  22. ^ McKeon, Christopher (5 October 2017). "Guildford man wins Nobel Prize in literature". Surrey Live. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  23. ^ "Elizabeth Lynne - European Parliament MEPs". Archived from the original on 23 September 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  24. ^ Wolf, Matt (23 May 2012). "Rising London Star Tom Mison on Juggling Movies, TV and the Timely West End Comedy Posh". Broadway.com. Archived from the original on 9 January 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
  25. ^ Warsop, Keith (2004). The Early FA Cup Finals and the Southern Amateurs. SoccerData. p. 109. ISBN 1-899468-78-1.
  26. ^ "Ian Ogilvy". Ian Ogilvy. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  27. ^ "Rick Parfitt". The Times. No. 72103. London. 26 December 2016. p. 51.
  28. ^ Norgate, G. Le G. "Salvin, Francis Henry". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/35922. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  29. ^ White, Stephen (19 June 2022). "Woking war hero that had pet pig he used to take for walks and taught to 'fly'". Surrey Live. Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  30. ^ Kertesz, Elizabeth. "Smyth, Dame Ethel Mary". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/36173. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  31. ^ "Lauretta Summerscales: the rising star of English ballet". standard.co.uk. 10 April 2012. Archived from the original on 7 November 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2017.
  32. ^ Hodges, Andrew. "Turing, Alan Mathison". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/36578. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  33. ^ "Sam hits the big time in New York". Guildford: GetSurrey. 20 March 2009. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2013.
  34. ^ "Woking Surrey Online: War of the Worlds". Wokingsurrey.com. Archived from the original on 16 November 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  35. ^ "Woking – Surrey town". Surrey-online.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 December 2012. Retrieved 1 February 2013.
  36. ^ Crosby 2003, pp. 110–111
  37. ^ Pimlott Baker, Anne. "Wood, Kenneth Maynard". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/68849. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)

Bibliography

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