Catford - Notable Locals

Notable Locals

• Sir Henry Cooper, British heavyweight boxer came from the area.
• Spike Milligan (1918–2002) the comedian and writer went to school at Catford's Brownhill Boys School and often visited the suburb where his aunt and uncle lived. He claimed to have lived in Catford and wrote about the area in his books and sketches. In reality he lived in nearby Honor Oak.
• Ben Elton the comedian and writer was born in Catford in 1959.
• Leslie Dwyer actor, was born in Catford .
• Ernest Christopher Dowson Poet and decadent lived and died in Catford. Dowson introduced the phrases 'Days of wine and roses' and 'Gone with the wind'.
• Anthony Jones the art photographer lives in the area.
• Andy McNab Former S.A.S serviceman and writer was born in Catford
• Maxwell Confait, Colin Lattimore, Ronal Leighton and Ahmet Salih. See The Murder of Maxwell Confait.
• Ethel Le Neve.
• Frank Pullen, the property developer and racehorse owner was born in Catford and opened the first of his shops on Catford Broadway.
• Cat Stevens lived in a flat above a Catford furniture shop in the early sixties
• Jem Karacan, Turkish international footballer
• Robin Trower, Guitarist, Procol Harum, and extensive solo career.
• Lucy Mangan columnist for The Guardian newspaper claims to have lived in Catford for thirty years.
• Jack Percival, professional footballer
• Jak Airport, guitarist of punk band X-Ray Spex and New Wave band Classix Nouveaux, was born and raised there.
• Jacqui McShee, folk singer and co-founder of Pentangle.