Notable People
Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild (1839–1898) lived in Leighton House in the High Street (demolished in 1959 for the Co-op furniture store but now the site occupied by Wilkinsons) before building and moving to Waddesdon Manor. Children's writer Mary Norton (1903–1992) was raised in The Cedars on High Street and poet Philip O'Connor (1916–1998) was born in the town. Louise Dearman (born 1979), who played Glinda in the West End Production of Wicked, was brought up in Leighton Buzzard, attending Linslade Middle School and Cedars Upper School. Other famous residents of the town and nearby villages include Kriss Akabusi, Steve Askew, Nick Beggs, Frank Bruno, Alastair Cook, Darren Gough, Bob Monkhouse, and Dave Lee Travis. Double Olympic gold medallist Charlotte DuJardin was brought up in the town and attended Vandyke Upper School
The 1960s band The Barron Knights formed in Leighton Buzzard, as did the 1980s pop group Kajagoogoo, who had an international hit with 'Too Shy'.
Read more about this topic: Leighton Buzzard
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