Bradford - Bradfordians

Bradfordians

Only a few particularly notable names are listed here.

Among Bradford born people who made significant contributions to the arts were David Hockney, painter, draughtsman, printmaker, stage designer and photographer, who was born in the city and educated at Bradford Grammar School. Frederick Delius (1862–1934) was a composer born to a family of German descent in the city and J.B. Priestley (1894–1984) was a novelist and playwright. Sir William Rothenstein was a painter, draughtsman and writer on art who was principal of the Royal College of Art from 1920–35. In the field of science and medicine, Friederich Wilhelm Eurich (1867–1945), professor of forensic medicine and bacteriologist, did much to conquer anthrax in the wool trade. Sir Edward Appleton (1892–1965), discoverer of the ionosphere was a Nobel Prize winner. Professor Robert Turner (1923–1990) was a pathologist who came to Bradford from Belfast, and pioneered the use of chemotherapy in the treatment of cancer at the Bradford Royal Infirmary. Bradford was the home of Pablo Fanque, the popular black Victorian circus owner and performer, whose poster advertisement inspired John Lennon to write The Beatles' Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! The 1861 census found Fanque and his family living in The London Hotel in the now-vanished Bermondsey neighborhood of Bradford. Fanque's circus also performed in Bradford around this time (and earlier in 1854), and is reported to have regularly visited nearby Clayton during this period.

A social reformer who campaigned against child labour, Richard Oastler (1789–1861), is commemorated by a statue in Northgate. W.E. Forster (1818–1886), was MP for Bradford and, commemorated by statue, is the namesake of Forster Square.

In recent pop culture the former participant of The X Factor, Zayn Malik, member of successful boy band One Direction, was born and raised in Bradford.

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