List of people from St Helens, Merseyside

The following is a list of people from St Helens, Merseyside in northern England, United Kingdom.

Notable families

Beechams

Main article: Beecham (pharmaceutical company)

The Beecham dynasty is one of the most notable families to be associated with St. Helens. Thomas Beecham opened his first factory, in St. Helens, 16 years after selling his products from a small premises in nearby Wigan. ^[1]

His son Joseph Beecham built up the business and promoted classical music in the town. Conductor Sir Thomas Beecham, son of Joseph, was born in St Helens.

Pilkingtons

A liveried Pilkingtons trailer

Main article: Pilkington

The Pilkington dynasty is another notable family associated with St. Helens having founded the largest glass manufacturer in the United Kingdom as well as inventing the float glass process which was subsequently licensed for use by other glass manufacturers.

Authors

• Joan Abse, author and art historian
• Trisha Ashley, Best-selling romance author.
• Carole Matthews, Author of 33 bestselling books.
• Una McCormack, Best-selling science fiction author and lecturer in creative writing.

Entertainment

• Bernie Clifton, comedian and entertainer
• Tim Follin, video game music composer
• George Groves is credited with being Hollywood's first "sound man", as he was the recording engineer on the seminal Al Jolson picture, The Jazz Singer (1927), as well as many other early talkies
• Lewis Hancox, filmmaker and graphic novelist ^[2]
• Sue Johnston, actress, raised in Prescot
• Andrew Langtree, actor
• Michael Parr, actor
• Emma Rigby, actress
• Johnny Vegas, actor, comedian and presenter
• David Yates, feature film director who is credited with the final four Harry Potter films, was raised in Rainhill (a village in the Borough of St Helens)
• Pauline Yates, actress ^[3]

Singers and musicians

• Jacqueline Abbott, singer with The Beautiful South
• Rick Astley, vocalist from Newton-le-Willows
• Peter Edward Clarke, (better known by his stage name "Budgie", a well known drummer with, among others, The Slits, Siouxsie and The Banshees and The Creatures);
• The Lancashire Hotpots, comedy folk band
• Jeffrey Walker, bassist and lead vocalist of Carcass

Politics

• Thérèse Coffey: Member of Parliament, from Billinge, a village in the Borough of St Helens.
• Richard Pilkington, Member of Parliament for Newton from 1899 until 1906
• Richard Pilkington, Member of Parliament for Widnes (1935 to 1945) and Poole (1951 to 1964)
• Richard Seddon, Prime Minister of New Zealand, from Eccleston, a village in the Borough of St. Helens and the country's longest-serving prime minister to date, holding the office from 1893 until 1906.
• James Sexton, Member of Parliament for St Helens from 1918 to 1931
• Liz Twist, Labour MP Blaydon

Other

• Rodney John Allam, chemical engineer
• Ann Barnes, former police commissioner for Kent
• David Bernstein, chairman of British Red Cross
• John William Draper, scientist
• Dorothy Catherine Draper, artist
• Liam Hackett, Activist, entrepreneur and author
• Carol Kefford, nurse
• Peter Moore, serial killer
• John Rylands, Victorian philanthropist
• Sir Edmund Vestey, 1st Baronet, food mogul
• William Vestey, 1st Baron Vestey, shipping magnate
• James Waterworth, Catholic missionary priest

Sport

Rugby league

St Helens is particularly known for producing many professional rugby league players, many have played for St. Helens.

• Lee Briers, has represented Great Britain and Wales
• Keiron Cunningham, has represented Great Britain and Wales
• Eric Fraser, has represented Great Britain
• Ray French, has represented England
• Steve Ganson, referee
• Kurt Haggerty, has represented Ireland
• Neil Harmon
• David Hull
• Les Jones
• Tim Jonkers
• Frank Lee
• Scott Moore
• Alex Murphy
• James Roby
• Mike Roby
• Adam Swift
• Luke Thompson
• Paul Wellens

Football

• Alan A'Court, England international.
• Jack Bamber, England international.
• Conor Coady, England international.
• John Connelly: , England 1966 World Cup winner.
• Alex Finney, part of the FA Cup winning Bolton Wanderers side to play in the White Horse Final at Wembley Stadium.
• Neil Fisher
• Bill Foulkes, full-back for Manchester United between 1952 and 1970 and was a survivor of the Munich air disaster in 1958. ^[4]
• Chris Foy, referee
• Kellie-Ann Leyland
• Tommy Lucas, England international
• Bill Luckett
• David Mercer, England international
• Lily Parr
• Ray Ranson
• Hubert Redwood
• Nathan Sheron
• Mark Winstanley

Motor sport

• Geoff Duke, multiple Isle of Man TT winner and motorcycle Grand Prix road racing world champion
• Colin Hardman, sidecar racer. Winner of the 1989 Isle of Man TT Sidecar Race 'A'
• Andy Middlehurst
• Richie Worrall, speedway rider
• Steve Worrall, speedway rider

Darts

• Stephen Bunting
• Dave Chisnall
• Michael Smith, 2022 Grand Slam of Darts and 2023 PDC World Championship winner.
• Alan Tabern

Cricket

• Mike Beddow
• Keith Harris, List A cricketer
• Gerard Houlton
• Geoff Hunter
• John Lyon
• William Richardson
• David Russell, first-class and List A cricketer
• Ken Shuttleworth, cricketer who has represented England
• Leo Watson, New Zealand first class cricketer

Other

• Alan Ashcroft, rugby union, has represented England and the British and Irish Lions
• Dan Highcock, wheelchair basketball player
• Tommy Horton, golfer
• Rachael Letsche, trampolinist ^[5]
• Martin Murray, boxer
• Charles Pilkington (1850-1918), English alpinist and colliery engineer
• Gary Stretch, boxer, actor

References

1. ""Best for me, best for you" - a history of Beecham's Pills 1842–1998" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 March 2010. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
2. "Lewis happy challenging perceptions". St Helens the reporter. 14 October 2013. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
3. Tait, Simon and Nobbs, David (27 January 2015). "Pauline Yates obituary". The Guardian . Retrieved 30 October 2025.
4. Kilmurray, Andrew, ed. (6 February 2008). "Busby Babe Bill Foulkes joins Munich tribute". St Helens Star. Retrieved 28 November 2015.
5. "Britain's Rachael Letsche takes gold in World Tumbling Championship". The Guardian. 11 November 2014. Retrieved 26 November 2025.

External links

Media related to People of St Helens, Merseyside at Wikimedia Commons