FAMOUS COVENTRIANS

INCLUDING IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER THE FOLLOWING COVENTRY PEOPLE

Danny Grewcock, Clive Owen, Jim Hamilton, Neil Back, Delia Ann Derbyshire, Hazel O'Connor, Bobbie Clarke, Marlon Devonish, James Starley, Sir Alfred Herbert, David Duckham, Phillip Larkin, Sir Frank Whittle, Pete Waterman, Mo Mowlam, General Sir Anthony Heritage Farrer-Hockley, Andy Goode, Shane Geraghty, Sir Nigel Hawthorne, Ian Bell , Leon Lloyd, Darren Garforth, Dave Moorcroft, Graham Alexander, Richard Keys, Monsignor Tom Gavin, Brian Mathew, Sir Henry Parkes, Tom Cartwright, Dame Ellen Terry, Laura Davies, Frank Ifield, Tom Mann, Lisa Dillon, Dennis Spicer, Geoff Thompson, Trish Adudu, Lee Child, Professor Colin Blakemore, Sian Massey, Nitin Ganatra, Ian Evatt, Cal Crutchlow,Brian Fernyhough, Terry Hall, Neville Staple, Peter Boddington

If you want to nominate someone as a famous Coventrian e-mail community@activcoventry.com 

Daniel Jonathan Grewcock MBE, - born 7th November 1972 in Coventry. Danny was educated at Woodlands Comprehensive School. He played Rugby Union for Barkers Butts, Coventry, Saracens and Bath. Danny was a member of the England world cup winning team of 2003 and is a British and Irish Lion. He is still playing professional rugby for Bath.

 Clive Owen - born 3rd October 1964 in Coventry, Clive is an actor of great distinction and has won a Golden Globe, BAFTA Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for the film Closer. Clive graduated from RADA in 1987.

James Leigh Hamilton - born 17th November 1982 in Swindon, Jim was raised in Coventry and educated at Coundon Court School. He played Rugby Union for Barkers Butts R.F.C. before joining Leicester Tigers as a professional. Jim is a Scottish international rugby union player by virtue of his Scottish father James. Jim also represented England at U21 level but decided to pursue an international career with Scotland. He currently plays for Edinburgh.

Neil Anthony Back - born January 16th 1969 in Coventry, is a former rugby union international player and world cup winner with England in 2003. He was educated at Woodlands School and played football, cricket and rugby and opted for the latter as the focus of attention. Neil played for Earlsdon R.F.C., Barkers Butts R.F.C and went on to represent England at U18 and U21 level. He also played for Nottingham before moving on to Leicester Tigers as a professional. Neil won 66 caps for England and also captained his country. He is also a British and Irish Lion.

Delia Ann Derbyshire - born 5th May 1937 in Coventry, she was a musician and composer of electronic music and is best know for the Doctor Who theme music.
Delia was educated at Barrs Hill Girls School and then Cambridge University where she completed a degree in mathematics and music. She applied to Decca records for a job but was turned down because she was a woman. Her music influenced the bands Pink Floyd and the Chemical Brothers amongst many others. Delia died in 2001 aged 64.

Hazel O'Connor - born 16th May 1955 in Coventry, singer-songwriter and actress. She played the role of Kate in the 1980 film Breaking Glass and had chart hits with Will You and Eighth Day. Hazel also had album chart success with the soundtrack album to Breaking Glass going double platinum.

Bobbie Clarke - (born Robert William Woodman) 13th June 1940 in Coventry. Bobby is a rock drummer who was the first to use a double bass drum kit with special pedals.
He has played with several international rock bands including Vince Taylor and the Playboys, Frank Zappa and Deep Purple. Bobby is still drumming to this day.

Marlon Devonish, MBE - born 1st June 1976 in Coventry. Marlon is an Olympic sprint gold medallist, being a member of the British 4 x 100m sprint relay team who won gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He is a member of the Coventry Godiva Harriers athletics club.

 James Starley - born 21st April 1830 in Sussex but moved to Coventry and is regarded as the father of the Bicycle Industry. James died in Coventry in 1881. His son and nephew followed him into the industry and devised the modern safety bicycle called the Rover, in Coventry. This was the beginnings of the Rover car company, with the first Rover car being produced in Coventry in 1904.

Sir Alfred Herbert, KBE - born 5th September 1866 in Leicester. Sir Alfred founded the world renowned Herbert Machine Tool Company in Coventry. His legacy to the City is the magnificent Herbert Art Gallery and Museum. Sir Alfred died in 1957.

David Duckham MBE - Coventry, England and British & Irish Lions Rugby Union player. Born in 1946 he was educated at King Henry VIII School Coventry. David Played for England 36 times between 1969 and 1976. He also was a member of the successful 1971 British & Irish lions tour of New Zealand, scoring 11 try's in 16 games. He was one of the stars of the very successful Coventry Football Club (Rugby Union) of the 1960's and 1970's

Phillip Larkin CBE - Was born in Coventry in 1922. He was educated at King Henry VIII School. Larkin was regarded as one of the greatest poets of the twentieth century. He died aged 63 in 1985.

Sir Frank Whittle - Born 1st June 1907 in Earlsdon Coventry. He is credited with being the inventor of the jet engine. He died in 1996 of lung cancer in the USA where he had made his home, aged 89. His statue stands under the Whittle arches in Coventry outside the Transport Museum.

Pete Waterman OBE - Born in Coventry in 1947 Pete was educated at Whitley Abbey Comprehensive School. He went on to work for British Rail, GEC and as a grave digger. Pete worked as a disc jockey at the Locarno in Coventry before going on to become a hugely successful record producer in the pop music business.

Marjorie "MO" Mowlam - Although born in Watford Mo was raised in Coventry and attended Coundon Court School where she was head girl. She went on to become a charismatic and formidable politician in the Labour Party, she was the MP for Redcar from 1987 to 2001. Mo was the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Good Friday Agreement was signed. Mo died aged 55 in 2005 after a long battle with illness caused by a brain tumour.

 General Sir Anthony Heritage Farrer-Hockley GBE, KCB, DSO & Bar, MC - Born in Coventry 8th April 1924, after a long and distinguished Army career which started in 1941, he finished his active career as NATO's Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Northern Europe in 1982. He died in Oxford in 2006.

Andrew James Goode - born 3^rd April 1980 in Coventry. Andy is a rugby union player for CA Brive and England. He was educated at King Henry VIII School in Coventry and Bromsgrove School. Andy started playing Rugby aged 5 at Barkers Butts RFC, then Nuneaton RFC at the age of 12. He joined Coventry aged 16 then joined Leicester Tigers.

Shane Geraghty - born 12^th August 1986 in Coventry. Shane is a rugby union player for Northampton Saints and is an England international. He was educated at Bablake School in Coventry and also Colston's Collegiate.

Sir Nigel Barnard Hawthorne CBE - born 5^th April 1929 in Coventry. Sir Nigel was a highly accomplished actor who grew up in South Africa. He returned to England in the 1950s to become an actor. Sir Nigel died on the 26^th December 2001.

Ian Ronald Bell MBE - born in Coventry 11^th April 1982. Ian is an international cricketer for England. He plays county cricket for Warwickshire. Ian was educated at Princethorpe College near Coventry. He attended Coventry City's Football Club school of excellence  as a youngster but  was did not make the grade.  

Leon David Lloyd - born 22^nd September 1977 in Coventry. Leon is a retired rugby union international player who played for Leicester Tigers, Gloucester and England between 1997 and 2008.

Darren Garforth - born 9^th April 1966 in Coventry. Darren is a retired rugby union international player who played for Leicester Tigers and England between 1991 and 2003. He moved on to become the player-coach of Nuneaton RFC. 

 David Robert Moorcroft MBE, OBE - born 10^th April 1953 in Coventry, Dave was a middle distance runner and was  5,000 metres world record holder. He was educated at Woodlands Comprehensive School, and is a member of Coventry Godiva Harriers athletics club where he is now President. Dave was also Chief Executive of UK Athletics for 10 years, and can be seen on television coverage of athletics as a pundit.

  Graham Robert Alexander - born 10^th October 1971 in Coventry. Graham is a professional footballer in the English Premier League and Scottish international. He currently plays for Burnley at right back or midfield. He qualifies to play for Scotland through his Scottish father.  Graham is one the oldest players in the Premier League and is remarkably fit. He has played nearly 900 competitive games in his career and is on target to exceed 1000.  Graham is a very reliable penalty taker with a high success rate.

  Richard Keys - born 23^rd April 1957 in Coventry. Richard is a television presenter on Sky Sports and is a well known face to football fans around the world. He was educated at Whitley Abbey Comprehensive School in Coventry. Richard is noted for having very hairy hands!

  Monsignor Tom Gavin -  born in Coventry 87 years ago. Monsignor Gavin was not only an ordained priest in the Roman Catholic Church; he was also an international rugby player.  He played rugby for Cambridge University, London Irish, Moseley, Nuneaton and Coventry. Tom was capped twice by Ireland in 1949 as a member of the triple crown winning team. He qualified through Irish parents. Tom was the parish priest at St Thomas More in Styvechale, Coventry for many years. In 1982 he organised the visit of Pope John Paul II to Coventry airport where 350,000 attended mass on the airfield. Tom lived his entire life in Coventry and was ordained at the Sacred Heart Church in Harefield Road, Coventry. Monsignor Gavin passed away on Christmas day 2009 in Coventry.

 Brian Mathew - born 17^th September 1928 in Coventry. Brian is a British broadcaster who became very well known in the 1960s and presented the television show Thank Your Lucky Stars. He trained as an actor at RADA before joining the BBC in 1954. Brian still works for the BBC and presents the Radio 2 programme Sounds of the 60s on Saturday mornings. He was awarded a Sony Gold in 2008 for a "lifetime career and in recognition of a truly outstanding contribution to UK radio."

 Sir Henry Parkes , GCMG - born 27^th May 1815 in Canley, Coventry. Sir Henry was regarded as the most commanding figure in Australian politics and a founding father of the country. He was the son of a Coventry farmer and received a modest formal education. Sir Henry emigrated to Australia arriving in Sydney on 25^th July 1839 with his wife and children. He became involved in politics and campaigned for self-government. Sir Henry was the Prime Minister of 5 Australian governments. He died on 27^th April 1896 and in 1901 Australia became a federation. Sir Henry is a figure of huge national importance to Australians and has appeared on banknotes and coins.

 Tom Cartwright - born 22^nd July 1935 in Aldermans Green, Coventry. Tom was born in a modest miners' cottage and was the youngest of 4 children. He was educated at Foxford Secondary School where he excelled at football and cricket. After leaving school he worked at the Rootes car factory. He started playing top class cricket for Warwickshire in 1952 and went on to play for England in 5 test matches. Tom died on 30^th April 2007 in Neath, Wales.

  Dame Ellen Terry, GBE - born 27^th February 1847 in Coventry. Ellen was a stage actress and became the leading Shakespearean actress in Great Britain. Sir John Gielgud was her great nephew, Ellen came from a theatrical family. She was named as Alice Ellen Terry when she was born in Coventry to parents who were in a touring company. Ellen went on to make movies in the twentieth century and was made a Dame in 1925. In the twilight of her life she lost her sight and suffered from dementia. Dame Ellen died aged 81 and her ashes are in St Paul's Church, Covent Garden, London.

 Laura Davies, CBE - born 5^th October 1963 in Coventry. Laura has achieved more than any other English female golfer and she is the first to finish at the top of the LPGA money list. She has won 4 major tournaments including 2 LPGA Championships'.

Frank Ifield - born 30^th November in Coundon, Coventry. Frank emigrated to Australia with his family in 1946 and lived just outside Sydney in the country. His musical influence was country music and he would sing along as he worked around the farm. Aged 13 he recorded a record and by 19 he was the top recording star in Australia and New Zealand.He returned to the UK in 1959 and had several hits including "I remember you" which was at number 1 for 7 weeks in 1962 selling over 1 million records. The Beatles supported him on his 1963 UK tour.

Tom Mann - born 15^th April 1856 in Bell Green, Coventry. Tom was the son of a clerk who worked at one of Coventry's many coal mines. He had a brief time at school from the age of 6 until he was 9 and then he went to work on the colliery farm. He then became a trapper which involved clearing blockages from the airways in the pit shafts. Tom went on to become a renowned trade unionist and a popular public speaker in the Labour movement. Tom died on the 13^th March 1941.

Lisa Dillon - born 1979 in Coventry. Lisa is a RADA trained actress of theatre, film and television. She is probably best known for her role in the BBC television series Cranford in which she plays Mary Smith.   

Dennis Spicer - born 1936 in Coventry.Famous for his ventriloquist act in the 1960s. His first ventriloquist dummy was called Jimmy Green, but he later changed the name to James Green when he got a new doll.Died in car crash on the A1, near RAF Wittering, just outside Stanford, Lincolnshire, on his way back from the Royal Command Performance on the 15th November 1964. When police arrived at the scene of the crash they found what they believed to be a baby's shoe, so they made the priority the search for a baby rather than focusing on freeing Spicer. They later discovered that the shoe actually belonged to his ventriloquist dummy and it is believed that had they not been searching for a non-existent baby, then they could have saved Spicer.He played in more than one Royal Variety Show and also appeared on the Ed Sullivan Show, which then had the largest viewing audience in the USA.

 According to a news article about his death he was married to a woman named June. His mother, Maude Spicer, lived on Earlsdon Avenue.

(Thanks to John Barker for bringing Dennis to Activ Coventry's attention)

Geoff Thompson - born 1960 in Tile Hill, Coventry. Geoff was a victim of bulling and sexual abuse as a child and entered adulthood with many fears. He conquered these fears through martial arts and then working as a bouncer in some of the toughest pubs and clubs in Coventry. Geoff has gone on to become a successful writer and teacher of martial arts and has won BAFTA awards for his screenplays. He has worked in the USA with Chuck Norris and is highly regarded in the martial arts and literary world.  

 Trish Adudu - born 30th May 1969 in Bristol.  She moved to Coventry as a child and was raised in Coventry. Trish attended Barrs Hill School in Radford. She began working in television as the producer of BBC's sport show Grandstand and the BBC's football show Match of the Day. Trish then became a presenter on Janet Street Porter's series Reportage. In 1997 she worked as Channel 5's main sports presenter for six years. At the time Five News was based in the ITN Building in London's Grays Inn Road, Trish who is a very bubbly lively lady, enjoyed singing in the lifts of the building with "Soap Expert" Chris Stacey, who also worked in the building. This caused much irritation amongst senior ITN staff including Sir Trevor McDonald. Trish sometimes appears on the daytime ITV show Loose Women and BBC's Inside Out.
She is currently presenting on BBC local radio station BBC Coventry & Warwickshire. Trish is engaged with two sons, and chairs the parents' association at her children's school.Trish also works as a Media Teacher at a Comprehensive school in her home city of Coventry.

 Lee Child - born 1954 in Coventry. Lee Child is the pen name of British thriller writer Jim Grant. His wife Janeis a New Yorker and they currently live in New York state. His first novel, Killing Floor, won the Anthony Award for Best First Novel. Child's novels follows the adventures of a former American Military Policeman named Jack Reacher who is drifting around the USA. Although born in Coventry his family moved to another city when he was 4 and he has no known links with Coventry. Grant attended law school at Sheffield University, but had no intention of entering the legal profession and, during his student days, worked backstage in a theatre. After graduating he took a job in commercial television. Grant joined Granada Television,  in Manchester as presentation director. There he was involved with shows including Brideshead Revisited, The Jewel in the Crown (TV series), Prime Suspect, and Cracker. Grant was involved in the transmission of more than 40,000 hours of programming for Granada, writing thousands of commercials, news stories, and trailers.He worked for Granada from 1977-1995. After being made redundant because of corporate restructuring, he decided he wanted to start writing novels. In 1997 his first novel, Killing Floor, was published and he moved to the US in the summer of 1998.He has said that he chose the name 'Reacher' for the central character in his novels because he is himself tall and, in a supermarket, his wife Jane told him: "Hey, if this writing thing doesn't pan out, you could always be a reacher in a supermarket."

 (Thanks to Sean for bringing Lee Child to Activ Coventry's attention)

 Colin Blakemore - born in 1944 in Stratford upon Avon. Professor Blakemore is a world renowned Neurobiologist who has attracted worldwide recognition. He was the first member of his family to go to University and has gone on to become one of the most powerful scientists in the world. He has carried out research into the early development of the brain and aspects of vision. Colin has had over 200 books and papers published and is the Professor of Neuroscience at Oxford. The family moved to Coventry when Colin was very young and he grew up in Capmartin Road Radford and was educated at King Henry VIII School. He is immensely proud of his Coventry roots and proclaims himself a Coventrian rather than a Stratfordian. He is on record as saying that being a child in post war Coventry was exciting and stimulating and has played a huge part in inspiring him. Professor Blakemore now lives in Oxford.

 (Thanks to Pat Hartley for nominating Professor Blakemore as a famous Coventrian)

Sian Massey - born in 1985 in Coventry. Sian has come to prominence due to the stupidity of another famous Coventrian Richard Keys, the television broadcaster. Richard Keys and football pundit Andy Gray were working on Sky Sport TV made sexist comments off air about Sian who was the assistant referee for an English Premier League football match on 22 January 2011. These comments were recorded by Sky TV and were leaked into the public domain which caused an outrage. Miss Massey is a physical education teacher at Foxford Comprehensive School in Coventry but also works as a football referee in professional football. She is now guaranteed a high profile for as long as she is involved in professional football. Sian will have the honour of refereeing the Womens FA Cup Final which will be played at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry on May 21st 2011.

Nitin Ganatra - born 1967 in Kenya. Nitin came over to the UK when he was four years old. He is known internationally as Prince Pondicherry in the Tim Burton film Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. In the United Kingdom he is currently playing Masood Ahmed in the BBC soap-opera EastEnders and Dev Raja in Mumbai Calling. He also appeared in the first ever iPod commercial.
Nitin went to Coundon Court School in Coventry. He still returns to Coventry on a regular basis and very often helps out in his family's newsagent shop in Coundon serving customers.Nitin and his co-star Nina Wadia won the award for Best On Screen Partnership at the British Soap Awards 2009. He was nominated for "Best Actor" at the British Soap Awards 2010

Ian Ross Evatt - born 19th November 1981 in Coventry. Ian is a proffesional footballer (centre half) in the English Premier League playing for Blackpool FC. When he was ten years old, Evatt was spotted playing for the district side in Coventry by Derby County FC. He joined their academy and signed his first professional contract on his seventeenth birthday with Derby. Ian has played for Queens Park Rangers, Northampton Town, Chesterfield and he is currently with Blackpool where he has been a League 1 play-off final winner in 2006-07 and Championship play-off final winner in 2009-10 securing promotion to the Premier League.

Cal Crutchlow - born 29th October 1985 in Coventry. Cal is a motorcycle racing rider and the 2009 Supersport World Champion. He is an all-round sportsman and had trials with Coventry City and Aston Villa Football Clubs. Cal moved up to the Superbike World Championship in 2010 and racing for Yamaha. For 2011 he is moving to Moto GP racing for Monster Yamaha Tech 3.

Brian John Peter Ferneyhough - born Jauary 16th 1943 in Coventry and is a former pupil of Woodlands School in Coventry. He went on to formal musical training at the Birmingham School of Music and the Royal Academy of Music from 1966-67.
Brian was awarded the Mendelssohn Scholarship in 1968 and moved to mainland Europe to study and eventually teach composition at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg, Germany.
Brian has been called "the most controversial composer of his generation".He is both famous and infamous, being a controversial figure of world renown. Brian has pushed the boundaries of contemporary classical music throughout his career. He is regarded as a modernist composer who is most closely associated with the "New Complexity" trend of the late 20th century.

(Thanks to Peter Dawson for nominating Brian).

Terence Edward Hall - born 19th March 1959 in Coventry. Terry came to world prominence as the lead singer with Coventry band The Specials. He got involved in the Coventry music scene in the late 1970's as a member of a punk band called The Squad and he composed their single "Red Alert". He then joined a band called The Automatics in 1978 which became The Specials. This band was to become world famous because of the appeal of the 2-tone music they played, a fusion of black and white musicians sending out a message of unity in very tough economic times. Terry went on to work with an impressive list of musicians following the break-up of the Specials including Dave Stewart, Sinead O Connor, The Lightening Seeds and Lily Allen.
The Specials were always celebrated even after they broke up and the 2-tone music lived on. Following relentless appeals from fans the world over, The Specials re-formed in 2008 and are enjoying a renaissance with their gigs selling out.

(Thanks to Nick Towe who reminded us of this unforgivable ommission) 

Neville Staple - born 11th April 1955 in the Parish of Manchester, Jamaica. Neville is famous for being a pioneer of the 2-tone music scene and is a member of the legendary 2-tone band The Specials. Neville moved to Rugby, England when he was five and then when he was 15 he left home and moved to Coventry. He has lived in Coventry for most of his life and he still does. Neville is still a huge influence in the ska and 2-tone music genre and apart from performing with The Specials he also leads his own band. His autobiography "Original Rude Boy" is a fantastic book and a "must" read if you are from Coventry or ever lived in the city. It is also a "must" read for all fans of 2-tone and ska music because it is informative as well as entertaining. Neville's life is described as a life of crime and music. It is the best source of facts about Neville, from the "horse's mouth".

Peter Boddington - born 1st October 1942 in Coventry. Peter was an amateur heavyweight boxer and ABA Champion and he won that title in 1967. He also won a silver medal in the European Amateur Boxing Championships in Rome in 1967. Peter was a member of the Rootes ABC in Coventry. He was educated at Whitley Abbey School in Coventry.
Peter turned professional in 1967 and won his first 12 fights including 11 knock outs. However he lost four of his last 10 fights including two defeats by Bunny Johnson and his final bout was in South Africa in 1972 against Mike Schutte.
Peter went in to business and owned a joinery workshop and windows and doors company on Radford Road in Coventry. He still lives in his home city which he has served so well, and he now takes his rightful places as a famous Coventrian.

(Thanks to Chris Boddington for nominating his Father)