List of people from Croydon
Encyclopedia
Among those who were born in the London Borough of Croydon
, or have dwelt within the borders of the modern borough are (alphabetical order):
London Borough of Croydon
The London Borough of Croydon is a London borough in South London, England and is part of Outer London. It covers an area of and is the largest London borough by population. It is the southernmost borough of London. At its centre is the historic town of Croydon from which the borough takes its name...
, or have dwelt within the borders of the modern borough are (alphabetical order):
A
- Feroz AbbasiFeroz AbbasiFeroz Abbasi is one of nine British men who were held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba. He was released from detention on 25 January 2005 along with Moazzam Begg, Martin Mubanga and Richard Belmar, the other five having previously been...
, arrested in AfghanistanAfghanistanAfghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in 2001 and detained at Guantanamo BayGuantanamo Bay detainment campThe Guantanamo Bay detention camp is a detainment and interrogation facility of the United States located within Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, Cuba. The facility was established in 2002 by the Bush Administration to hold detainees from the war in Afghanistan and later Iraq...
, lived in Shirley and attended school in Croydon. - Adegbenga AdejumoBengaBenga may refer to:* Benga tree, another name for the Indian Kino Tree Ethnonym:* Benga people, an indigenous ethnic group of Equatorial Guinea* Benga language, spoke by the Benga people...
(1987-), Croydon born DubstepDubstepDubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
producer known as Benga. - Allan Ahlberg (1938–), children's writer (Penguin)
- Dame Peggy AshcroftPeggy AshcroftDame Peggy Ashcroft, DBE was an English actress.-Early years:Born as Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft in Croydon, Ashcroft attended the Woodford School, Croydon and the Central School of Speech and Drama...
(1907–1991), Actress was born in Croydon and lived in George Street as a child. She is honoured in the naming of the Ashcroft TheatreAshcroft TheatreThe Ashcroft Theatre is a theatre located within the Fairfield Halls, Croydon, South London. The theatre was named after Croydon-born Dame Peggy Ashcroft and is a proscenium theatre with a stepped auditorium. The mural on its fire curtain is by the artist Henry Bird. A variety of productions are...
, part of the Fairfield HallsFairfield HallsFairfield Hall is an arts centre in Croydon, London, England and opened in 1962. It contains a concert hall, the Ashcroft Theatre , the Arnhem Gallery civic hall and an art gallery....
. She was a school friend of architect Jane DrewJane DrewDame Jane Drew, DBE, FRIBA was an English modernist architect and town planner. She qualified at the AA School in London, and prior to World War II became one of the leading exponents of the Modern Movement in London.... - Baron Ali (1964–), Born and raised in the north of Croydon Waheed Alli is an ultimillionaire media entrepreneur and politician. Co-founder of Planet 24 TV production company, and MD at Carlton Television. Currently chairman of ASOS.com and Chorion Ltd. A Labour peer and one of very few openly gay Muslim politicians in the world.
B
- Jeannie BakerJeannie BakerJeannie Baker was born in England on 2 November 1950. She is an author and illustrator of a number of children's picture books, the most notable of which is perhaps Where the Forest meets the Sea...
(1940-), artist, author, designer and animator - Edward White BensonEdward White BensonEdward White Benson was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1883 until his death.-Life:Edward White Benson was born in Highgate, Birmingham, the son of a Birmingham chemical manufacturer. He was educated at King Edward's School, Birmingham and Trinity College, Cambridge, where he graduated BA in 1852...
, Archbishop of Canterbury (1883–1896) lived at Addington Palace. Invented Christmas tradition of Festival of Nine Lessons and CarolsNine Lessons and CarolsThe Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is a format for a service of Christian worship celebrating the birth of Jesus that is traditionally followed at Christmas...
. - Cicely Mary BarkerCicely Mary BarkerCicely Mary Barker was an English illustrator best known for a series of fantasy illustrations depicting fairies and flowers. Barker's art education began in girlhood with correspondence courses and instruction at the Croydon School of Art...
(1895–1973), Illustrator and artist who created the famous Flower Fairies books, was born in Croydon and lived locally. She studied at the Croydon School of Art. - Jeff BeckJeff BeckGeoffrey Arnold "Jeff" Beck is an English rock guitarist. He is one of three noted guitarists to have played with The Yardbirds...
(1944-), guitarist - Keith BerryKeith BerryKeith Berry is a London-based musician and composer, often working in the field of minimalist and ambient music. He has released material on labels such as trente oiseaux, Crouton Music, Authorized Version, and Twenty Hertz...
(1973-), musician & composer - Frederick BettsBetts ParkBetts Park is a public park in Penge, London Borough of Bromley, England. It has a number of attractions, including part of the old Croydon Canal. It was opened in December 1928. -Location:...
(1859 - 1944), who donated Betts Park and built large areas in Croydon and Penge. - James BoothJames BoothJames Booth was an English film, stage and television actor and screenwriter. Though handsome enough to play leading roles, and versatile enough to play a wide variety of character parts, Booth naturally projected a shifty, wolfish, or unpredictable quality that led inevitably to villainous roles...
(1927–2005), actor (Zulu) - Dane BowersDane BowersDane Bowers is an English R&B singer, songwriter, DJ and record producer. He was a part of R&B boyband Another Level between 1997 and 2000 when he performed on seven Top 10 singles...
(1979-), singer - Derren BrownDerren BrownDerren Victor Brown is a British illusionist, mentalist, painter, writer and sceptic. He is known for his appearances in television specials, stage productions and British television series such as Trick of the Mind and Trick or Treat...
, illusionist, was born and brought up in PurleyPurley, LondonPurley is a place in the London Borough of Croydon, England. It is a suburban development situated 11.7 miles south of Charing Cross.The name derives from "pirlea", which means 'Peartree lea'. Purley has a population of about 72,000....
. - James Buckley (actor)James Buckley (actor)James Patrick Buckley is an English actor, best known for his roles as Jay Cartwright in the British comedy The Inbetweeners and Derek "Del Boy" Trotter in Rock & Chips.-Early life:...
, actor, best known for playing Jay Cartwright in The InbetweenersThe InbetweenersThe Inbetweeners is a British sitcom which aired for three series from 2008 to 2010 on E4. Created and written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris, the show follows the life of suburban teenager Will , and three of his friends at the fictional Rudge Park Comprehensive. The Inbetweeners Movie was...
. - Raymond BurnsCaptain SensibleCaptain Sensible is a singer, songwriter, guitarist who grew up in Croydon, England, and co-founded the punk rock band The Damned in 1976. After leaving the band, he reinvented himself as an alternative pop singer with a rebellious, self-conscious image...
(1954-), musician, member of punk rock band the Damned. He is also known by the name Captain Sensible. - Mark ButcherMark ButcherMark Alan Butcher is a former English Test cricketer, who played county cricket for Surrey from 1992 until his retirement from the sport in 2009. He was a left-handed batsman, and occasional right-arm medium-pace bowler....
(1972-), in Croydon – Surrey and England cricketer - Bob BrownBob BrownRobert James Brown is an Australian senator, the inaugural Parliamentary Leader of the Australian Greens and was the first openly gay member of the Parliament of Australia...
(1936-), prize-winning Royal Academy artist, student at Croydon College of Art
C
- Alison CarrollAlison CarrollAlison Carroll is an English gymnast, model, and actress. She was the most recent Lara Croft model, from 2008 to 2010.- Biography :Alison Carroll was born in Croydon, Surrey in England....
, actress. - Raymond ChandlerRaymond ChandlerRaymond Thornton Chandler was an American novelist and screenwriter.In 1932, at age forty-five, Raymond Chandler decided to become a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive during the Depression. His first short story, "Blackmailers Don't Shoot", was published in...
(1888-1959), screen writer and author. - Klariza ClaytonKlariza ClaytonKlariza Clayton is a British-Filipino actress, known for her roles in television shows including Dani's House and Skins. She is currently starring as Joy Mercer in the Nickelodeon teen mystery drama, House of Anubis ....
(1989-), actress. - Martin ClunesMartin ClunesAlexander Martin Clunes is an English actor and comedian. Clunes is perhaps best known for his roles as Gary Strang in Men Behaving Badly, Doctor Martin Ellingham in Doc Martin and the title character in Reggie Perrin....
(1961-), actor – resident - Carlton ColeCarlton ColeCarlton Michael Cole Okirie is an English footballer who plays as a striker for West Ham United in the Npower Championship....
, footballer, born in CroydonCroydonCroydon is a town in South London, England, located within the London Borough of Croydon to which it gives its name. It is situated south of Charing Cross...
, played for ChelseaChelsea F.C.Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, currently playing for West Ham UnitedWest Ham United F.C.West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current... - Ronnie CorbettRonnie CorbettRonald Balfour "Ronnie" Corbett, OBE is a Scottish actor and comedian of Scottish and English parentage who had a long association with Ronnie Barker in the British television comedy series The Two Ronnies...
, the comic actor has lived for many years in Shirley, Croydon - Frederick George Creed (1871–1957), Electrical engineer and inventor of the TeleprinterTeleprinterA teleprinter is a electromechanical typewriter that can be used to communicate typed messages from point to point and point to multipoint over a variety of communication channels that range from a simple electrical connection, such as a pair of wires, to the use of radio and microwave as the...
lived and died at 20 Outram Road, AddiscombeAddiscombeAddiscombe is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south of Charing Cross.It is situated just to the northeast of central Croydon, and is home to a high proportion of people who commute to Central London, owing to its proximity to the busy...
.
D
- Tasha Danvers-Smith (1977-), champion hurdler
- Desmond DekkerDesmond DekkerDesmond Dekker was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group, The Aces , he had one of the first international Jamaican hits with "Israelites". Other hits include "007 " and "It Miek"...
(1941–2006) Legendary SkaSkaSka |Jamaican]] ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. Ska combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues...
musician lived in Thornton HeathThornton HeathThornton Heath is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south-southeast of Charing Cross.-Geography:...
. - Luol DengLuol DengLuol Deng is a South Sudanese-British professional basketball player for the National Basketball Association's Chicago Bulls and the Great Britain national basketball team. He plays the small forward position.-Early life:...
(1985-), basketball player for the Chicago BullsChicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
and Great BritainGreat Britain national basketball teamThe Great Britain men's national basketball team, known as Great Britain or GB, is the national team for Great Britain in basketball...
raised in South Norwood - Sir Arthur Conan DoyleArthur Conan DoyleSir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
(1859–1930) author and creator of Sherlock HolmesSherlock HolmesSherlock Holmes is a fictional detective created by Scottish author and physician Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The fantastic London-based "consulting detective", Holmes is famous for his astute logical reasoning, his ability to take almost any disguise, and his use of forensic science skills to solve...
, lived at 12 Tennison Road, South NorwoodSouth NorwoodSouth Norwood is an urban town and in south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is a suburban development 7.8 miles south-east of Charing Cross. South Norwood is an electoral with a resident population in 2001 of just over 14,000...
1891–1894. - Jane DrewJane DrewDame Jane Drew, DBE, FRIBA was an English modernist architect and town planner. She qualified at the AA School in London, and prior to World War II became one of the leading exponents of the Modern Movement in London....
(1911–1996), architect and town planner, was born at 8 Parchmore Road, Thornton HeathThornton HeathThornton Heath is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south-southeast of Charing Cross.-Geography:...
. She went to Croydon High SchoolCroydon High SchoolCroydon High School for Girls GDST is a leading non-denominational independent school for girls, located near Croydon, Greater London, England. It is one of the schools in the Girls' Day School Trust....
and was a school friend of Dame Peggy AshcroftPeggy AshcroftDame Peggy Ashcroft, DBE was an English actress.-Early years:Born as Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft in Croydon, Ashcroft attended the Woodford School, Croydon and the Central School of Speech and Drama...
. - Jacqueline du PréJacqueline du PréJacqueline Mary du Pré OBE was a British cellist. She is particularly associated with Elgar's Cello Concerto in E Minor; her interpretation has been described as "definitive" and "legendary." Her career was cut short by multiple sclerosis, which forced her to stop performing at 28 and led to her...
(1945–1987), A British cellist, acknowledged as one of the greatest players of the instrument, but whose career was cut short by multiple sclerosis. Lived in Purley and attended Croydon High School.
F
- Noel FieldingNoel FieldingNoel Fielding is a British artist, comedian and actor. He is known for his roles as Vince Noir in The Mighty Boosh, which he co-writes with comedy partner Julian Barratt, and as team captain on the music panel show Never Mind the Buzzcocks.-Stand-up comedy:Noel Fielding performed regularly as a...
(1973-), comedian, writer, actor, artist, co-creator of The Mighty Boosh - Matthew FisherMatthew FisherMatthew Fisher is an English organist and singer-songwriter, and was responsible for the organ sound on the 1967 single, "A Whiter Shade of Pale" by Procol Harum.-Biography:...
(1946-), musician, Procol Harum, Composer of Whiter Shade of Pale - Alexander Francis (1995-), musician, composer
- Vincent Frank (1985-), musician, Frankmusik
- Donna FraserDonna FraserDonna Karen Fraser in Thornton Heath, Croydon is an English athlete who mainly competed in the 200 and 400 metres.-Career:...
(1972-), international athlete - Neil FraserNeil FraserNeil Fraser is a Canadian former civil servant who came to prominence for his crusade against the Metric system of weights and measures in the early 1980s, which resulted in him being sacked from his post in the Revenue Department in February 1982...
(1955-), dub musician/producer (AKA Mad ProfessorMad ProfessorMad Professor is a dub music producer and engineer known for his original productions and remix work. He is considered one of the leading producers of dub music’s second generation and was instrumental in transitioning dub into the digital age. He is a prolific producer, contributing to or...
) - Ian FrazerIan Frazer (poker player)Ian "The Raiser" Frazer is an English professional poker player and commentator, chiefly noted for his strong record in shootout poker tournaments...
, poker player - Charles Burgess Fry (1872–1956), polymath – sportsman, politician, teacher, writer, editor, publisher
G
- Jonathan Benjamin "JB" Gill (1986-), singer/songwriter in British boyband JLSJLS- Music :* JLS, an English boyband** JLS , debut album by JLS* JLS a Spanish Rock band based in Zaragoza , Spain formed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic by lead Leo Susana.- Organizations :...
- Trevor GoddardTrevor GoddardTrevor Goddard was an English actor. He played Kano in the first Mortal Kombat movie and Lieutenant Commander Mic Brumby on JAG.-Career:Goddard was born in Croydon, Surrey, England, in 1962...
(1962–2003), actor - Sir Philip Green (1952-), Croydon born British billionaire who is the owner of the Arcadia GroupArcadia GroupThe Arcadia Group Limited a British company that owns the high street clothing retailers Burton, Dorothy Perkins, Evans, Miss Selfridge, Topman, Topshop, Wallis and BHS, and the out of town chain Outfit, which sells lines from the other group chains...
. - Deryck GuylerDeryck GuylerDeryck Guyler was an English actor, best known for his portrayal of officious, short-tempered middle-aged men in sitcoms such as Please Sir! and Sykes.-Early life:...
(1914–1999), actor
H
- Will HayWill HayWilliam Thomson "Will" Hay was an English comedian, actor, film director and amateur astronomer.-Early life:He was born in Stockton-on-Tees, in north east England, to William R...
(1888–1949), Comic actor lived at 45 The Chase, NorburyNorburyNorbury is a town in the London Borough of Croydon, also crossing the London Borough of Merton. It shares the postcode London SW16 with nearby Streatham. Norbury is south of Charing Cross.-History:...
1927–1934. - Sir Francis Bond HeadFrancis Bond HeadSir Francis Bond Head, 1st Baronet KCH PC , known as "Galloping Head", was Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada during the rebellion of 1837.-Biography:...
(1793–1875), soldier, traveller, author and Lieut. Governor of Upper Canada (1836–1838), had his home at Duppas Hill, Croydon - Chris HeathChris HeathChris Heath is a British writer who was a regular contributor to the popular English music magazine Smash Hits in the eighties and early nineties....
1959 actor, author, comedienne - Roy HodgsonRoy HodgsonRoy Hodgson is a former English footballer and current head coach of West Bromwich Albion.Hodgson, who has managed sixteen different teams in eight countries, guided the Switzerland national team to the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup and qualification for Euro 1996; Switzerland had not qualified...
, football manager and former player, born in Croydon - Joseph HolbrookeJoseph HolbrookeJoseph Charles Holbrooke was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was sometimes referred to as "the cockney Wagner".-Family:...
(1822–1876), composer of stage, choral, and orchestral music - John Horniman (1803–1893) and Frederick John HornimanFrederick John HornimanFrederick John Horniman was an English tea trader, collector and public benefactor.He was the son of John Horniman, who established a tea business using mechanical packaging. In 1891, it was said to be the biggest tea company in the world.He founded the Horniman Museum in Forest Hill, south London...
(1835–1906), tea merchants, collectors and public benefactors, lived at Coombe Cliff, Coombe Road, Croydon - Roy HuddRoy HuddRoy Hudd, OBE is an English comedian, actor, radio host and author, and an authority on the history of music hall entertainment.- Early life :...
Comedian was born in Croydon in 1936.
J
- Oliver JonesSkreamSkream is a dubstep producer based in Croydon. One of dubstep's first and most prominent producers, he has played an important role in the genre's development. His debut album Skream! was released in 2006, and was followed up by Outside the Box in 2010...
(1986-) – Croydon born DubstepDubstepDubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in south London, England. Its overall sound has been described as "tightly coiled productions with overwhelming bass lines and reverberant drum patterns, clipped samples, and occasional vocals"....
producer otherwise known as SkreamSkreamSkream is a dubstep producer based in Croydon. One of dubstep's first and most prominent producers, he has played an important role in the genre's development. His debut album Skream! was released in 2006, and was followed up by Outside the Box in 2010...
. - Finn JonesFinn JonesFinn Jones is an English actor, best known for his role as Loras Tyrell, The Knight of Flowers, in the HBO series Game of Thrones.-Career:Jones trained at The Arts Educational Schools on a three-year acting course....
(1988-) - Croydon raised.
K
- George Arthur KnowlandGeorge Arthur KnowlandGeorge Arthur Knowland VC was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross during the Second World War, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.Knowland was born on 16 August 1922 in Catford, Kent and...
, recipient of the Victoria Cross during the Second World War - Steve KemberSteve KemberStephen Dennis "Steve" Kember is a former footballer who played in the centre of midfield during his career, before going into management...
(1948-), born in Croydon, footballer
L
- D. H. LawrenceD. H. LawrenceDavid Herbert Richards Lawrence was an English novelist, poet, playwright, essayist, literary critic and painter who published as D. H. Lawrence. His collected works represent an extended reflection upon the dehumanising effects of modernity and industrialisation...
(1885–1930) Author lived at 12 Colworth Road, AddiscombeAddiscombeAddiscombe is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south of Charing Cross.It is situated just to the northeast of central Croydon, and is home to a high proportion of people who commute to Central London, owing to its proximity to the busy...
, 1908–1912 whilst a teacher at Davidson Road School. - Sir David LeanDavid LeanSir David Lean CBE was an English film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor best remembered for big-screen epics such as The Bridge on the River Kwai , Lawrence of Arabia ,...
(1908–1991), Film director was born in Croydon on 25 March 1908.
M
- Kirsty MacCollKirsty MacCollKirsty Anna MacColl was an English singer-songwriter.MacColl scored several pop hits from the early 1980s to the early 1990s...
(1959-2000), singer and songwriter was born and grew up in Croydon - Miles MallesonMiles MallesonWilliam Miles Malleson was an English actor and dramatist, particularly known for his appearances in British comedy films of the 1930s to 1960s. Towards the end of his career he also appeared in cameo roles in several Hammer horror films, with a fairly large role in The Brides of Dracula as the...
(1888–1969), actor and dramatist was born in Croydon - David McAlmontDavid McAlmontDavid McAlmont is a British vocalist and songwriter.-Early years and Thieves:...
(1967–), British vocalist and songwriter was born in Croydon on 2 May. - Michael McintyreMichael McIntyreMichael Hazen James McIntyre is an English stand-up comedian. He is well known for appearing at many British stand-up comedy events and for several roles on television stand-up programmes such as Live at the Apollo and his own show, Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow...
(1976-), Comedian lived in East Croydon before becoming a mainstream comedian - Duke McKenzieDuke McKenzieDuke McKenzie MBE is a British former professional boxer, now a boxing commentator for broadcaster ITV.-Boxing career:Previously a highly successful professional boxer, McKenzie has been British champion at two weights, a European champion once and World champion at three different weights...
(1963-), world champion boxer - Ralph McTellRalph McTellRalph McTell is an English singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar player who has been an influential figure on the UK folk music scene since the 1960s....
(1944-), musician, composer of Streets of London - Katie MeluaKatie MeluaKetevan "Katie" Melua is a British-Georgian singer, songwriter and musician. She moved to Northern Ireland at the age of eight and then to England at fourteen. Melua is signed to the small Dramatico record label, under the management of composer Mike Batt, and made her musical debut in 2003...
(1984-), singer, songwriter, musician who went to the Brit SchoolBRIT SchoolThe London School for Performing Arts & Technology is a British school located in Selhurst, Croydon, in London, England, with a mandate to provide education and vocational training for the performing arts, media, art and design and the technologies that make performance possible...
for Performing Arts at Selhurst, Croydon - Graham MoodieGraham MoodieGraham Thomas Moodie is a Scottish field hockey player, who was a member of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland squad that finished ninth at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens....
(1981-), Olympic hockey player - Kate MossKate MossKate Moss is an English model. Moss is known for her waifish figure and popularising the heroin chic look in the 1990s. She is also known for her controversial private life, high profile relationships, party lifestyle, and drug use. Moss changed the look of modelling and started a global debate on...
(1974-), model - Malcolm MuggeridgeMalcolm MuggeridgeThomas Malcolm Muggeridge was an English journalist, author, media personality, and satirist. During World War II, he was a soldier and a spy...
(1903–1990), author and media personality was the son of H.T. Muggeridge, a prominent Croydon Labour councillor. He also taught at John Ruskin Central SchoolJohn Ruskin CollegeJohn Ruskin College is now the first specialist vocational sixth form college in the country. It is situated in Forestdale on the A2022 , close to the A212 roundabout, on the southern edge of London's conurbation...
in the 1920s
N
- Kate NashKate NashKate Marie Nash is an English singer, songwriter, and musician. She had a UK no. 2 hit "Foundations" in 2007, followed by the platinum selling UK number 1 album Made of Bricks. She was named Best Female Artist at the 2008 BRIT Awards....
(1987-) singer/songwriter born 6 July 1987. Attended Brit SchoolBRIT SchoolThe London School for Performing Arts & Technology is a British school located in Selhurst, Croydon, in London, England, with a mandate to provide education and vocational training for the performing arts, media, art and design and the technologies that make performance possible...
, Croydon - Habib Nasib NaderHabib Nasib NaderHabib Nasib Nader is a British actor, best known for his role as Gregory in the BBC television comedy Little Britain, written by and starring Matt Lucas and David Walliams....
– Actor/writer born 31 October 1979.
P
- Sue PerkinsSue PerkinsSue Perkins is an English comedienne, broadcaster, actress, and writer.-Education:Perkins was educated at Croham Hurst School, an independent school for girls in Croydon in South London, at the same time as the BBC Breakfast News presenter Susanna Reid...
(1969-), comedienne, writer, performer - Lucy PorterLucy PorterLucy Donna Porter is an English actress, writer and comedienne.She has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, the Brighton Festival and many clubs around Britain. She has also a regular voice on BBC Radio 4 in various panel shows, including Quote.....
, comedienne was raised in Croydon. - Simon PrebbleSimon PrebbleSimon Prebble is an English actor and narrator.-Early life:Born and raised in Croydon, England, Simon Micawber Prebble is the son of the novelist, screenwriter and historian John Prebble and fashion artist Betty Prebble...
(1942-), actor/narrator - Luke Pritchard, lead singer of The KooksThe KooksThe Kooks are an English indie rock band formed in Brighton, East Sussex, in 2001. Formed by Luke Pritchard , Hugh Harris , Paul Garred , and Max Rafferty , the lineup of the band remained constant until 2008 and the departure of Rafferty...
, attended the Brit SchoolBRIT SchoolThe London School for Performing Arts & Technology is a British school located in Selhurst, Croydon, in London, England, with a mandate to provide education and vocational training for the performing arts, media, art and design and the technologies that make performance possible...
, Croydon - Dave Prowse,actor, aka Darth Vader in Star wars, born in Bristol , lives in Addiscombe Croydon for over 40 years.
R
- Chris ReedChris ReedChris Reed is an American-Japanese ice dancer who currently represents Japan. He competes with his older sister Cathy Reed. They are the 2008-2010 Japanese national champions.-Personal life:...
(1982-), BBC Radio One Dubstep & Grime DJ/Producer (AKA Plastician) - Jamie ReidJamie ReidJamie Reid is a British artist and anarchist with connections to the Situationists. His work, featuring letters cut from newspaper headlines in the style of a ransom note, came close to defining the image of punk rock, particularly in the UK...
(1947-), situationist, artist, graphic designer - Robert ReidRobert Reid (co-driver)Robert Reid is a Scottish rally and motorsport personality. He was born in Perth, Scotland.-Career:During his career Reid has sat alongside many notable drivers including Robbie Head, Colin and Alister McRae but he is by far best known for his long and successful partnership with Richard Burns,...
, Formula 1 driver, lives in a flat in South CroydonSouth CroydonSouth Croydon is a locality in Greater London, the area surrounding the valley south of central Croydon about 1 km in radius, centred on the Red Deer public house on the Brighton Road. It is part of the South Croydon post town and in the London Borough of Croydon... - Nigel Reo-CokerNigel Reo-CokerNigel Shola Andre Reo-Coker is an English footballer of Sierra Leonean descent. He currently plays for Bolton Wanderers of the Premier League. He is known for being a robust midfielder with good overall tackling and passing qualities...
, current English midfielderMidfielderA midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
, born in Thornton HeathThornton HeathThornton Heath is a district of south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south-southeast of Charing Cross.-Geography:...
who is playing for Bolton WanderersBolton Wanderers F.C.Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
and formerly of Wimbledon F.C.Wimbledon F.C.Wimbledon Football Club was an English professional association football club from Wimbledon, south-west London. Founded in 1889 as Wimbledon Old Central Football Club, the club spent most of its history in amateur and semi-professional non-League football before being elected to the Football...
, West Ham UnitedWest Ham United F.C.West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
and Aston VillaAston Villa F.C.Aston Villa Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Witton, Birmingham. The club was founded in 1874 and have played at their current home ground, Villa Park, since 1897. Aston Villa were founder members of The Football League in 1888. They were also founder...
. - Martyn RooneyMartyn RooneyMartyn Joseph Rooney is an English sprinter who specialises in the 400 metres event. He reached the 400 m final at the 2008 Summer Olympics and also finished fourth in the 4×400 metres relay. At the 2009 World Championships in Athletics he won a silver medal with the Great Britain relay team...
(1987-), international sprinter - John RuskinJohn RuskinJohn Ruskin was the leading English art critic of the Victorian era, also an art patron, draughtsman, watercolourist, a prominent social thinker and philanthropist. He wrote on subjects ranging from geology to architecture, myth to ornithology, literature to education, and botany to political...
(1819–1900) Art critic and social theorist spent much of childhood in Croydon at his mother's family home and visited often as an adult. His parents are buried in ShirleyShirley, LondonShirley is a place in the London Borough of Croydon, England. It is a suburban development situated 10 miles south south-east of Charing Cross.-Description:...
. - Bridget RileyBridget RileyBridget Louise Riley CH CBE is an English painter who is one of the foremost proponents of Op art.-Early life:...
(1931-), an English painter who is one of the foremost proponents of op art, born in Norbury
S
- Peter SarstedtPeter SarstedtPeter Eardley Sarstedt is an Anglo-Indian singer-songwriter.-Career:Sarstedt was born in India and attended Victoria Boys' School in Kurseong, in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. His family relocated to England in 1954...
(1942-), singer, winner of Ivor Novello Award – resident - Kellie ShirleyKellie ShirleyKellie Shirley is a British actress. She is mostly known the role of Carly Wicks in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders up until 2008...
, EastEndersEastEndersEastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
actress - Bernard SpearBernard SpearBernard Spear was an English actor.He was born to a Polish father and Russian mother.Spears starred in the BAFTA TV Award-winning television play Bar Mitzvah Boy, and also appeared in the films Bedazzled and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang...
(1919–2003), actor (Yentob) - William Ford Robertson Stanley (1829–1909), inventor, collector, manufacturer scientific instruments and philanthropist, lived in Croydon, and founded and designed the halls and technical school known as the Stanley Halls, 12 South Norwood Hill, South NorwoodSouth NorwoodSouth Norwood is an urban town and in south London, England, in the London Borough of Croydon. It is a suburban development 7.8 miles south-east of Charing Cross. South Norwood is an electoral with a resident population in 2001 of just over 14,000...
. - Dan StevensDan StevensDaniel Jonathan Stevens is a British actor.-Education:Stevens was educated at Tonbridge School, an independent school in the market town of Tonbridge in Kent, in South East England, followed by Emmanuel College, Cambridge, where he read English...
actor - Danny Schwarz (model)Danny Schwarz (model)Danny Schwarz is a British male model-Career:Danny signed with Premier Model Management in 2008,He has appeared in numerous campaigns and catwalk shows for brands such as D&G,Pepe Jeans, Missoni,Armani jeans and Colcci. He also shot a campaign with Brazilian model Gisele Bündchen and has worked...
model
T
- Samuel Coleridge Taylor (1875–1912), Composer lived at 30 Dagnall Park, SelhurstSelhurstSelhurst is a suburban development in the London Borough of Croydon south-south-east of Charing Cross. A relatively small area, Selhurst is bounded by South Norwood, Croydon and Thornton Heath and, like nearby Broad Green, has lost its distinct identity from these larger neighbours in recent years...
. Black composer noted for his cantatas including The Song of Hiawatha trilogy. - Sam Taylor-WoodSam Taylor-WoodSamantha "Sam" Taylor-Wood OBE , born Samantha Taylor, is an English filmmaker, photographer, and visual artist. Her directorial feature film debut came in 2009 with Nowhere Boy, a film based on the childhood experiences of The Beatles songwriter and singer John Lennon...
(born 1967), artist, was born in Croydon
W
- Alfred Russel WallaceAlfred Russel WallaceAlfred Russel Wallace, OM, FRS was a British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist and biologist...
(1823–1913), Naturalist lived at 44 St Peter's Road, Croydon. He independently proposed a theory of evolution by natural selection and prompted Charles DarwinCharles DarwinCharles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
to reveal his own unpublished theory sooner than he had intended. - John WhitgiftJohn WhitgiftJohn Whitgift was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1583 to his death. Noted for his hospitality, he was somewhat ostentatious in his habits, sometimes visiting Canterbury and other towns attended by a retinue of 800 horsemen...
(ca. 1530–1604), Archbishop of CanterburyArchbishop of CanterburyThe Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
is buried in the Parish Church of St John the Baptist. Several other Archbishops are buried in the Parish Church or St Mary's in AddingtonAddington, LondonAddington is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Croydon. It is situated south south-east of Charing Cross.-History:...
. - Rickie Haywood WilliamsRickie Haywood WilliamsRickie Haywood Williams, , is a radio DJ and television presenter from Croydon, England.-Early life:He attended the Riddlesdown High School in Riddlesdown. At 16 he attended the BRIT School, gaining an A level in Media and a BTEC in broadcast journalism...
(1982-), TV and radio presenter currently working for MTVMTVMTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
and Kiss 100 LondonKiss 100 LondonKiss is a UK radio station broadcasting on FM and Digital Radio, specialising in hip hop, R&B, urban and electronic dance music. It also broadcasts on DAB Digital Radio around the UK & nationally on Freeview, Sky and TalkTalk TV... - Amy WinehouseAmy WinehouseAmy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
(1983–2011), singer who attended Brit SchoolBRIT SchoolThe London School for Performing Arts & Technology is a British school located in Selhurst, Croydon, in London, England, with a mandate to provide education and vocational training for the performing arts, media, art and design and the technologies that make performance possible...
, Croydon - Wilfred WoodWilfred Wood (bishop)Wilfred Denniston Wood, KA was Bishop of Croydon from 1985 to 2003, the first black bishop in the Church of England. He came second in the 100 Great Black Britons list in 2004.-Life:...
served as Bishop of CroydonBishop of CroydonThe Bishop of Croydon is an episcopal title used by a suffragan bishop of the Church of England Diocese of Southwark, in the Province of Canterbury, England....
1985–2002, the first black Church of EnglandChurch of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
bishop. - Edward WoodwardEdward WoodwardEdward Albert Arthur Woodward, OBE was an English stage and screen actor and singer. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art , Woodward began his career on stage, and throughout his career he appeared in productions in both the West End in London and on Broadway in New York...
(1930–2009), born in Croydon, actor - Ian WrightIan WrightIan Edward Wright, MBE is a retired English footballer turned television and radio personality.Wright enjoyed success with London clubs Crystal Palace and Arsenal, spending six years with the former and seven years with the latter. With Arsenal he has lifted the Premier League title and both major...
MBE, former Crystal PalaceCrystal Palace F.C.Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
, ArsenalArsenal F.C.Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
and England football team footballer lives in ShirleyShirley, LondonShirley is a place in the London Borough of Croydon, England. It is a suburban development situated 10 miles south south-east of Charing Cross.-Description:...
. - Matthew Wright, British Journalist and Television Presenter born and resides in Croydon.
- Tom WrightTom Wright (British architect)Tom Wright is a British architect. His most famous design is the Burj Al Arab in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Born in Croydon, a town in Greater London, United Kingdom on 18 September 1957, Wright studied at the Royal Russell School and then later at the Kingston University School of Architecture...
(1957-), architect of Burj Al Arab
Z
- Émile ZolaÉmile ZolaÉmile François Zola was a French writer, the most important exemplar of the literary school of naturalism and an important contributor to the development of theatrical naturalism...
(1840–1902), French novelist lived at The Queen's Hotel, 122 Church Road, Upper NorwoodUpper NorwoodUpper Norwood is an elevated area in south London, England within the postcode SE19. It is a residential district largely in the London Borough of Croydon although some parts extend into the London Borough of Lambeth, London Borough of Southwark and the London Borough of Bromley. Upper Norwood...
1898–1899.
In fiction
- Sarah Jane SmithSarah Jane SmithSarah Jane Smith is a fictional character played by Elisabeth Sladen in the long-running British BBC Television science-fiction series Doctor Who and its spin-offs K-9 and Company and The Sarah Jane Adventures....
, the popular fictional companion of the ThirdThird DoctorThe Third Doctor is the third incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC television science-fiction series Doctor Who. He was portrayed by actor Jon Pertwee....
and FourthFourth DoctorThe Fourth Doctor is the fourth incarnation of the protagonist of the long-running BBC British television science-fiction series Doctor Who....
Doctors in the British science fiction television series Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior... - Jeremy "Jez" Osbourne and Mark Corrigan, the fictional protagonists from the Channel 4Channel 4Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
sitcom Peep ShowPeep Show (TV series)Peep Show is a British sitcom starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb. The television programme is written by Jesse Armstrong and Sam Bain, with additional material by Mitchell and Webb themselves, amongst others. It has been broadcast on Channel 4 since 2003. The show's seventh series makes it...
live in a flat in Croydon. - Captain Kevin DarlingKevin DarlingDarling is the name of several fictional characters played by Tim McInnerny in the British mock-historical sitcom Blackadder. Introduced in its fourth iteration, Blackadder Goes Forth, Captain Kevin Darling is main character Captain Edmund Blackadder 's intellectual peer and bitter rival; while...
from the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
sitcom Blackadder Goes ForthBlackadder Goes ForthBlackadder Goes Forth is the fourth and final series of the BBC situation comedy Blackadder, written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, which aired from 28 September to 2 November 1989 on BBC One....
lived in Croydon with his girlfriend Doris. Darling was also a wicket keeperWicket-keeperThe wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
for the Croydon Gentlemen cricketCricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
team. - Philip Smith from the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
sitcom Rising DampRising DampRising Damp is a television sitcom produced by Yorkshire Television for ITV, first broadcast from 1974 to 1978. It was adapted for television by Eric Chappell from his well-received 1971 stage play, The Banana Box The series was the highest-ranking ITV sitcom on the 100 Best Sitcoms poll run in...
is a second generation African immigrant from Croydon (although for most of the series he claims to be the son of an African tribal King). - Terry and JuneTerry and JuneTerry and June is a British sitcom that was broadcast on BBC1 from 1979 to 1987. The programme is largely a continuation of Happy Ever After, and stars Terry Scott and June Whitfield as a middle-class suburban couple, Terry and June Medford...
, the protagonists of the BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
sitcom of the same name, lived in Purley, a suburb of Croydon.