Harpenden - Notable Residents

Notable Residents

• Nan Asquith, the pen name of Nancy Evelyn Pattinson, the author of 20 or so romantic novels, settled in Harpenden after the war and stayed there until her shortly before her death in the seventies.
• Julian Bliss, international clarinettist and child prodigy was born and raised in Harpenden.
• Steve Borthwick – who is the current Saracens rugby captain lives in Harpenden.
• Ken Brown, who played in the Ryder Cup and is now a commentator for major golf competitions such as the British Open
• Craig Charles, comedian and actor in Red Dwarf and Coronation Street and host of the Funk and Soul Show and Robot Wars.
• Ralph Chubb, poet, artist and printer was born here in 1892.
• Donald Coxeter, 20th century geometer attended St. George's School.
• Matt Dickinson, Everest mountaineer, author, scriptwriter and director.
• Lee Dixon, former Arsenal footballer.
• Ferdinand Walsin Esterhazy, involved in the Dreyfus affair lived in Milton Road, after his flight from France until his death in 1923. He is buried in St Nicholas' churchyard.
• Siobhan Fahey, singer in Bananarama lived in Harpenden while she was 14 – 16. She attended Sir John Lawes School for those 2 years.
• Andy Farrell, Saracens and England Rugby player.
• Owen Farrell, rugby player for Saracens and a former member of St Georges School.
• Ronald Fisher, a statistician who almost single-handedly created the foundations for modern statistical science. worked at Rothamsted Experimental Station.
• Miles Golding, classical musician and violinist of Split Enz.
• Martin Gore from the band Depeche Mode.
• Chris Grigg, businessman, Chief Executive of British Land, lives in Harpenden
• Richard Herring, Comedian and podcaster, living in Harpenden while London home is renovated.
• George Hogg, British journalist who rescued 50 orphaned children in China during the Japanese occupation.
• Frank Ifield, Australian singer and yodeller lived in Harpenden.
• Guy Johnston, cello soloist and winner of BBC Young Musician of the Year in 2000.
• Stanley Kubrick, filmmaker, lived and died in nearby Childwickbury Manor.
• Henry Lawson, Australian writer, lived in 'Spring Villa', Cowper Rd, Harpenden from July–September, 1900.
• Andy Linighan, former Arsenal footballer.
• Eric Morecambe, comedian, lived in Harpenden, close to his beloved Luton Town FC. His funeral and burial took place in St. Nicholas Church. The Public Halls are named after him.
• Albert Moses, an actor who starred in Mind Your Language playing Punjabi student Ranjeet Singh and a number of James Bond films.
• John Motson, Football commentator.
• Tim Rice, the composer, attended Aldwickbury School.
• Raphael Salaman, collector of, and writer on, trade tools, particularly woodworking and leatherworking.
• James Saunders, Oliver Hume & Simon Hume, the three members of the BPC.
• Christopher Strauli, actor, who starred in Only When I Laugh and Full House was born in Harpenden.
• Dame Ellen Terry, actress 1847–1928, who lived in Harpenden from 1868 to 1874.
• Sir John Wittewronge, owned and lived at Rothamsted Manor, where in the seventeenth century he kept a weather and gardening diary which has very early records of rain, temperature and winds.
• Ashley Young, Manchester United and England International football player.
• Richard Youngs alternative musician, grew up in the town and recorded several albums there, especially Lake and Advent.