List of people from Plymouth

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People from the English city of Plymouth are known as Plymothians, or less formally as Janners. [1] The definition of Janner is described as a person from Devon, deriving from Cousin Jan (the Devon form of John), but more particularly in naval circles anyone from the Plymouth area. [2] The Elizabethan navigator and slave trader, Sir Francis Drake was born in nearby town of Tavistock and was the mayor of Plymouth. [3] He was the first Englishman to circumnavigate the world and was known by the Spanish as El Draco meaning "The Dragon" after he raided many of their ships. [4] He died of dysentery in 1596 off the coast of Panama. [5] In 2002 a mission to recover his body and bring it to Plymouth was allowed by the Ministry of Defence. [6] Antarctic explorers Robert Falcon Scott and Frank Bickerton both lived in the city. [7] [8]

Contents

Many artists have originated in Plymouth. Joshua Reynolds, the famous 18th-century portrait painter and the first president of the Royal Academy was born in Plympton, and more recently artists have included Beryl Cook whose paintings depict the culture of Plymouth [9] and Robert Lenkiewicz, whose paintings looked at themes such as: vagrancy, sexual behaviour and suicide, lived in the city from the 1960s until his death in 2002. [10] In addition, George Passmore of Turner Prize winning duo Gilbert & George was born in the city. [11] Famous politicians Michael Foot and David Owen are from Plymouth and notable athletes include swimmer Sharron Davies, [12] diver Tom Daley, [13] dancer Wayne Sleep, [14] and footballer Trevor Francis. [15] Other past residents include composer Ron Goodwin, [16] and journalist Angela Rippon. [17]

People

ImageNameBornDiedNotabilityNotes
John Hawkins.JPG Sir John Hawkins 15321595Naval commander and administrator, merchant, navigator, shipbuilder and privateerBorn 1532 Plymouth, died 12 November 1596 at sea off Puerto Rico
1590 or later Marcus Gheeraerts, Sir Francis Drake Buckland Abbey, Devon.jpg Sir Francis Drake 15401596First English person to circumnavigate the worldBorn in Tavistock and was the mayor of Plymouth. He died of dysentery off the coast of Panama and was slipped overboard inside a lead casket. [18]
William Cookworthy.jpg William Cookworthy 17051780 Pharmacist/Industrialist Born in Kingsbridge, Devon. Pioneered porcelain manufacture in Plymouth. [19] [20]
Major-General Sir George Arthur.jpg Sir George Arthur, 1st Baronet17841854Colonial governorSpent most of his time in British colonies. [21]
WilliamBligh.jpeg William Bligh 17541817Naval Officer and Colonial AdministratorBorn in Plymouth baptised in St Andrew's Church
(no known portrait)
William Elford Leach 17911836Naturalist at the British MuseumVirtually solely responsible for the modernisation of British zoology in the early 19th century, which laid the foundations for Charles Darwin.
Jonathan Nash Hearder 18091876 Electrical engineer Born and died in Plymouth. Notable for the development of the induction coil. [22]
Graham Gore Franklin 1845.jpg Graham Gore c1809after June 1847Naval officer and polar explorerLost during the Franklin Expedition to find the Northwest Passage
William Henry Wills.jpg William Henry Wills 18101880Journalist and newspaper editorClose friend of Charles Dickens, Wills was the subeditor of Household Words and All the Year Round
Robert Julian Scott 18611930Emeritus Professor of Engineering, Canterbury University, New ZealandNotable for the creation of New Zealand's first indigenous steam buggy in 1881 and the development of Canterbury University's school of engineering. Cousin of Robert Falcon Scott.
Scott of the Antarctic crop.jpg Robert Falcon Scott 18681912 Antarctic explorerDied in central Antarctica. His body was found eight months later. [7]
Isaac Foot 18801960President of the Liberal Party He was president in 1947. [23]
Frank Bickerton 18891954 Antarctic explorerMoved to Plymouth at the age of six and lived there until 1920. [8]
Robert Victor Walling 18901976Soldier, journalist, and poetBorn and educated in Plymouth. In peacetime he worked as a journalist with Plymouth-based newspaper The Western Daily Mercury. He was also a member of Gorseth Kernow. [24]
Joe Symonds 18941953BoxerBorn in Plymouth, Symonds held the British, European and IBU World flyweight boxing titles in the 1910s.
Stanley Bate 19111959Composer and pianistBorn in the Milehouse suburb of Plymouth, Bate composed concertos and symphonies. He received more recognition internationally than at home. [25]
Michael Foot 19132010Leader of the Labour Party Son of Isaac Foot. [26]
Richard Greene 19181985Film and television actorBorn in Plymouth died in Norfolk aged 66. A Matinée idol appearing in over 40 films, he is perhaps best known for his role in the TV series The Adventures of Robin Hood.
Duncan Scott-Ford 19211942 Merchant seaman Hung during World War II for treachery to the Germans. [27]
Ron Goodwin 19252003ComposerBorn in Plymouth
Beryl Cook 19262008Comical artistBorn in Epsom, Surrey. [9]
Bob Downes 1937AliveAvant-garde jazz musicianBorn in Plymouth 22 July 1937
Len Heard1942AliveProfessional darts playerBorn in Plymouth 18 January 1942
Chris Dawson accepts his Ernst & Young awards.jpg Chris Dawson 1952AliveBusinessman and founder of the retail chain The RangeBorn in Plymouth 15 February 1952
Giles Tremlett.jpg Giles Tremlett 1962Alive Journalist/Author Born in Plymouth, Giles Tremlett is a historian, author and journalist known for his publications regarding Spain.

This is Mark Holden's actor headshot.jpg

Mark Holden 21 September 1962 (age 62)Alive Canadian actor and producerBorn in Plymouth on 21 September 1962
Lewis Pugh 5 December 1969 (age 55)AliveFirst person to undertake a long distance swim in every ocean of the world.
Liam Mooney 18 May 1972 (age 52)AliveEntrepreneurBorn in Gosport, Hampshire
Lisa Cross 4 April 1978 (age 46)AliveIFBB professional bodybuilderBorn in Rochdale, Greater Manchester
Laura James 25 January 1987 (age 37)AliveProfessional wrestlerWrestled for Impact Wrestling and Dramatic Dream Team; former 5-time DDT Ironman Heavymetalweight Champion. Also appeared in the Netflix series GLOW. Married to American professional wrestler Joey Ryan.
Kate Nesbitt 21 April 1988 (age 36)Alive Medical Assistant in the Royal NavyRaised in Whitleigh, the first female recipient of the Military Cross in the Royal Navy, for bravery during the War in Afghanistan in March 2009. [28]
Tom Daley (diver), October 2008.jpg Tom Daley 21 May 1994 (age 30)AliveOlympic diver BBC Sports Personality of the Year Young Personality in 2007. [29]
Ruta Meilutyte portrait.jpg Rūta Meilutytė 19 March 1997 (age 27)AliveOlympic swimmerWon gold in the 100 meter breaststroke at the 2012 Summer Olympics, in London. [30] Meilutyté is also the world record holder in the 100 breaststroke (short course), and the 50, and 100 meter breaststroke (long course)
Florence Given 19 November 1999

(age 20)

AliveAuthor and social activistFlorence Given is a British feminist queer illustrator and social activist, born in Plymouth and now based in London. She wrote Women Don't Owe You Pretty and is known for her popular slogan designs which address social issues surrounding sexuality.
Ralph Bagnold 3 April 189628 May 1990Explorer of North Africa and soldierBorn in Devonport

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Devon</span> County of England

Devon is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west. The city of Plymouth is the largest settlement, and the city of Exeter is the county town.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francis Drake</span> English sailor and privateer (c. 1540 – 1596)

Sir Francis Drake was an English explorer and privateer best known for his circumnavigation of the world in a single expedition between 1577 and 1580. This was the first English circumnavigation, and second circumnavigation overall. He is also known for participating in the early English slaving voyages of his cousin, Sir John Hawkins, and John Lovell. Having started as a simple seaman, in 1588 he was part of the fight against the Spanish Armada as a vice-admiral.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Plymouth</span> City and unitary authority in England

Plymouth is a port city and unitary authority in Devon, South West England. It is located on Devon's south coast between the rivers Plym and Tamar, about 36 miles (58 km) southwest of Exeter and 193 miles (311 km) southwest of London. It is the most populous city in Devon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kingsbridge</span> Market town in the South Hams district of Devon, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tavistock</span> Town in Devon, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Plymouth</span> Public university in Plymouth, England

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Janner is an English regional nickname associated with Plymouth both as a noun and as an adjective for the local accent and dialect. In 1987 Cyril Tawney, in his book Grey Funnel Lines, described its meaning as "a person from Devon", deriving from Cousin Jan, but "more particularly in naval circles anyone from the Plymouth area". The term was also used for members of the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">William Cookworthy</span>

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Hele's School, formerly Plympton Grammar School, is a co-educational Academy school and Sixth Form in the Plympton district of Plymouth, England, 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Plymouth city centre. Until 31 March 2011, Hele’s was a community school funded by the Local Education Authority (LEA), which is Plymouth City Council. From 1 April 2011, Hele's became an Academy, which among other things gives the school financial and educational independence. The school has a voluntary Combined Cadet Force with Navy, Army and RAF sections. Cadets in the CCF are given the option to take part in the annual Ten Tors Challenge on Dartmoor.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Plymouth</span> History of the city in Devon, England

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Pollexfen</span>

Sir Henry Pollexfen of Nutwell in the parish of Woodbury, Devon, was Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas Edmondes</span> English diplomat and politician

Sir Thomas Edmonds was an English diplomat and politician who served under three successive monarchs, Queen Elizabeth I, Kings James I and Charles I, and occupied the office of Treasurer of the Royal Household from 1618 to 1639.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Nash Hearder</span>

Jonathan Nash Hearder was a British electrical engineer, inventor, and educator. He is best known for his work in developing alternative experimental procedures for use by the blind and vision impaired, and for his early innovation in the field of induction coils.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lewis Stukley</span>

Sir Lewis Stucley (1574–1620) lord of the manor of Affeton in Devon, was Vice-Admiral of Devonshire. He was guardian of Thomas Rolfe, and a main opponent of Sir Walter Raleigh in his last days. Stucley's reputation is equivocal; popular opinion at the time idealised Raleigh, and to the public he was Sir "Judas" Stucley.

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Plymouth, Devon, England.

References

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