List of people from Croydon

This is a list about individuals associated with the London Borough of Croydon in England. This means they were either born in the districts of Croydon, or have dwelt within the borders of the modern borough. These people include:-

* Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury (1883-1896) lived at Addington Palace. Invented Christmas tradition of Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols.
* Feroz Abbasi, arrested in Afghanistan in 2001 and detained at Guantanamo Bay, lived in Shirley and attended school in Croydon.
* Dame Peggy Ashcroft (1907–1991), Actress was born in Croydon and lived in George Street as a child. She is honoured in the naming of the Ashcroft Theatre, part of the Fairfield Halls. She was a school friend of architect Jane Drew.
* Cicely Mary Barker (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.
* Allan Ahlberg (1938-), children's writer (Penguin)
* Matthew Wright, British Journalist and Television Presenter born and resides in Croydon.
* Havelock Ellis (1859-1939), Victorian sexologist
* Ian Frazer, poker player
* Katie Melua, singer, songwriter, musician who went to the Brit School for Performing Arts at Selhurst, Croydon
* Kate Nash (1987-) singer/songwriter born July 6 1987. Attended Brit School, Croydon
* Luke Pritchard, lead singer of The Kooks, attended the Brit School, Croydon
* Amy Winehouse, singer who attended Brit School, Croydon
* Roy Hodgson, football manager and former player, born in Croydon
* Lucy Porter, comedienne was raised in Croydon.
* Ronnie Corbett, the comic actor lived for many years in Shirley, Croydon
* Frederick George Creed (1871–1957), Electrical engineer and inventor of the Teleprinter lived and died at 20 Outram Road, Addiscombe.
* The original members of rock group The Damned grew up in Croydon.
* Desmond Dekker (1941-2006) Legendary Ska musician lived in Thornton Heath.
* Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) author and creator of Sherlock Holmes, lived at 12 Tennison Road, South Norwood 1891-1894.
* Jane Drew (1911-1996), architect and town planner, was born at 8 Parchmore Road, Thornton Heath. She went to Croydon High School and was a school friend of Dame Peggy Ashcroft.
* Will Hay (1888–1949), Comic actor lived at 45 The Chase, Norbury 1927-1934.
* Sir Francis Bond Head (1793-1875), soldier, traveller, author and Lieut. Governor of Upper Canada (1836-1838), had his home at Duppas Hill, Croydon
* Luol Deng (1985-), basketball player for the Chicago Bulls and Great Britain raised in South Norwood
* Rickie Haywood Williams (1982-), TV and radio presenter currently working for MTV and Kiss 100 London
* John Horniman (1803–1893) and Frederick John Horniman (1835–1906), tea merchants, collectors and public benefactors, lived at Coombe Cliff, Coombe Road, Croydon
* Roy Hudd Comedian was born in Croydon in 1936. [GRO: JUN 1936 2a 883 CROYDON - Roy Hudd, mmn = Barham]
* D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930) Author lived at 12 Colworth Road, Addiscombe, 1908-1912 whilst a teacher at Davidson Road School.
* Mark Butcher (1972-), in Croydon - Surrey and England cricketer
* Martin Clunes (1961-), actor - resident
* Steve Kember (1948-), in Croydon, footballer
* Captain Sensible (1954-), musician
* Malcolm Muggeridge (1903–1990), journalist, author, and satirist
* Jamie Reid (1947-), situationist, artist, graphic designer
* Sir David Lean (1908–1991), Film director was born in Croydon on 25 March1908.
* Kirsty MacColl, the late singer and songwriter was born and grew up in Croydon
* Miles Malleson (1888–1969) Actor and dramatist was born in Croydon.
* Kate Moss Supermodel was born in Croydon on 16 January 1974.
* Malcolm Muggeridge (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 School in the 1920s.
* John Ruskin (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 Shirley.
* Sarah Jane Smith, the popular fictional companion of the Third and Fourth Doctors in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who
* 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 Norwood.
* Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913), naturalist, co-discoverer of the theory of evolution
* Cicely Mary Barker (1895-1973), artist, lifelong resident
* Jeff Beck (1944-), guitarist
* Keith Berry (1973-), musician & composer
* Dane Bowers (1979-), singer
* Sue Perkins (1969-), comedienne, writer, performer
* Kellie Shirley, EastEnders actress
* Peter Sarstedt (1942-), singer, winner of Ivor Novello Award - resident
* Edward Woodward (1930-), born in Croydon, actor
* Samuel Coleridge Taylor (1875–1912), Composer lived at 30 Dagnall Park, Selhurst. Black composer noted for his cantatas including The Song of Hiawatha trilogy.
* Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913), Naturalist lived at 44 St Peter's Road, Croydon. He independently proposed a theory of evolution by natural selection and prompted Charles Darwin to reveal his own unpublished theory sooner than he had intended.
* John Whitgift (ca. 1530–1604), Archbishop of Canterbury 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 Addington.
* Ian Wright MBE, former Crystal Palace, Arsenal and England football team footballer lives in Shirley.
* Nigel Reo-Coker, current English midfielder, born in Thornton Heath who is playing for Aston Villa and formerly of Wimbledon F.C. and West Ham United.
* Carlton Cole,born in Croydon who is playing for West Ham United and formerley of Chelsea F.C.
* Wilfred Wood served as Bishop of Croydon 1985-2002, the first black Church of England bishop.
* Émile Zola (1840–1902), French novelist lived at The Queen's Hotel, 122 Church Road, Upper Norwood 1898-1899.
* Derren Brown, illusionist, was born and brought up in Purley.
* Tom Wright (1957-), architect of Burj Al Arab
* Duke McKenzie (1963-), world champion boxer
* Tasha Danvers-Smith (1977-), champion hurdler
* Charles Burgess Fry (1872-1956), polymath - sportsman, politician, teacher, writer, editor, publisher
* Martyn Rooney (1987-), international sprinter
* Donna Fraser (1972-), international athlete
* Neil Fraser (1955-), dub musician/producer (AKA Mad Professor)
* Chris Reed (1983-), Grime DJ/producer (AKA Plastician)
* Jeannie Baker (1940-), artist, author, designer and animator
* Simon Prebble (1942-), actor/narrator
* Bernard Spear (1919-2003), actor (Yentob)
* James Booth (1927-2005), actor (Zulu)
* Deryck Guyler (1914-1999), actor
* Derek Bentley (1933-1953), victim of injustice
* Tracey Emin (1963-), artist
* Joseph Holbrooke (1822-1876), composer of stage, choral, and orchestral music
* Graham Moodie (1981-), olympic hockey player
* Matthew Fisher (1946-), musician, Procol Harum, Composer of Whiter Shade of Pale

References