List of people from the Metropolitan Borough of Wigan

This is a list of people from Wigan, in North West England. The demonym of Wigan is Wiganer; however, this list may include people from the wider Metropolitan Borough of Wigan—from Ashton-in-Makerfield, Hindley, Ince-in-Makerfield, Atherton, Leigh, Tyldesley, and other areas in the borough. This list is arranged alphabetically by surname:

Table of contents: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z See also • References

A

• Andy Ainscow (born 1968), former footballer^[1]
• James Anderton, former chief constable of Greater Manchester Police^[2]
• Richard Ashcroft, lead singer of The Verve, born in Billinge^[3]
• Chris Ashton, England rugby league and rugby union international, born in Wigan^[4]
• Bill Ashurst, rugby league footballer of the 1960s and 1970s for Great Britain, Lancashire, Wigan, Penrith Panthers, Wakefield Trinity, and Runcorn Highfield, born in Wigan^[5]

B

• Alan R. Battersby, (born 1925) is a FRS and organic chemist known for his work on the genetic blueprint, structure, and synthetic pathway of Cyanocobalamin.^[6]
• Tom Billington, professional wrestler under the ring name 'Dynamite Kid', one half of tag-team 'The British Bulldogs' with Davey Boy Smith, born in Golborne^[7]
• Margery Booth, opera singer and World War II spy, born in Wigan^[8]
• Thomas Burke, international operatic tenor; born in Leigh in 1890 and attended St Joseph's School in Leigh; the Leigh Wetherspoon's pub is named after him^[9]
• Kay Burley, presenter and newsreader on Sky News, born in Wigan^{[citation needed]}
• James Burton, built several early cotton mills in Hindsford and Tyldesley, born in Clitheroe^[10]

C

• Duncan Cleworth, born in Leigh and a member of Tyldesley Swimming Club competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal.^[11]

D

• Kathleen Mary Drew-Baker (1901–1957), psychologist, born in Leigh^[12]
• Kathryn Drysdale, actress

E

• Edith Edmonds, artist^[13]
• Shaun Edwards, rugby league player and coach of London Wasps rugby union coach; Wales national rugby union team defence coach^[14]
• Greg Ellis, actor and voiceover artist^{[citation needed]}
• Edward Entwistle, driver of Stephenson's Rocket^[15]

F

• Georgie Fame, real name Clive Powell, R&B singer and keyboard player, born in Leigh^[16]
• Joseph Farington (1747–1821), watercolour artist, diarist and Royal Academician was born in Leigh where his father was the vicar.^[17]
• Andrew Farrell, former international rugby player of both codes, born and raised in Wigan^[18] and current head coach of the Ireland rugby union team
• Brian Finch, Wigan-born script-writer who contributed 151 episodes of Coronation Street over a period of 12 years^[19]
• Henry Finch (1633–1704), Presbyterian minister ejected from Church of England, born in Standish^[20]
• Phil Fletcher, puppeteer ^[21]
• George Formby, Jr., comedian, ukulele player and actor^[22]

G

• Joe Gormley, former president of the National Union of Mineworkers^[23]
• Andy Gregory, former Wigan rugby league player, born in Ince in Makerfield, now lives in Ashton in Makerfield.^[24]
• Mike Gregory, former Great Britain national rugby league team and Warrington Wolves captain, former Wigan Warriors coach, born in Wigan^[25]
• John Elisha Grimshaw, recipient of the Victoria Cross, of "6 VCs before breakfast" fame^[26]

H

• Roger Hampson (1925–1996), artist, printmaker and teacher, born in Tyldesley^[27]
• Keith Harris, music industry consultant & artist manager (Stevie Wonder), former chair of UK Music's Diversity & Equality Taskforce, grew up in Wigan.^[28]
• Thomas Highs (1718–1803), inventor of cotton spinning machinery, born in Leigh^[29]
• James Hilton, author of Goodbye, Mr Chips, born in Leigh^[30]
• Arthur John Hope (1875–1960), architect and partner in Bradshaw Gass & Hope, was born and lived in Atherton^[31]

I

• James Lawrence Isherwood, prolific impressionist/expressionist painter^[32]
• Robert Isherwood, born in Tyldesley in 1845, was the local miners' agent and treasurer of the Lancashire and Cheshire Miners' Federation between 1881 and his death in1905.^[33]

K

• Shaun Keaveny, born in Leigh, broadcast his BBC 6 Music breakfast show live from Leigh Library on 11 February 2011^[34]
• Thomas Kershaw (1819–1898), pioneer in creating imitation marble, born in Standish^[35]
• Roy Kinnear (1934–1988), comedy actor, born in Wigan^[36]
• Victoria Knowles (born 1976), author of bestselling book The PA^[37]

L

• Eric Roberts Laithwaite (1921–1997), engineer, known for his development of the linear induction motor and Maglev rail system^[38]
• John Lennard-Jones (1894–1954), born in Leigh and attended Leigh Grammar School. He was a physicist and Fellow of the Royal Society.^[39]
• Limahl, real name Christopher Hamill, pop rock/dance vocalist, lead singer of Kajagoogoo
• James Lindsay, 24th Earl of Crawford (1783–1869), Earl of Balcarres, built Haigh Hall^[40]
• Luke Lowe (1889–?), Wigan-born football player. He briefly played in the Football League Second Division.^[41]

M

• Paul Mason (born 1960), journalist and broadcaster, born in Leigh.^[42]
• Jennifer Moss (1942-2006), actress best known for playing Lucille Hewitt in Coronation Street.
• Ian Murphy (born 1963), artist and art educator

N

• Walter Napier (1875–?), English professional footballer^[41]
• Fred Norris (1921–2006) who worked underground at Cleworth Hall Colliery in Tyldesley competed in the 1952 Helsinki and 1956 Melbourne Olympics.^[43]

O

• Edward Ormerod, mining engineer at Gibfield Colliery; invented the Ormerod detaching hook, an important mining safety device^[44]

P

• Mary Pownall (1862–1937), sculptor, was the daughter of James Pownall the silk manufacturer. She was born and raised in Leigh.^[45]
• James Caldwell Prestwich (1852–1940), architect, born in Atherton, who designed many of Leigh's buildings including the town hall.^[46]

R

• Frank Randle, comedian,^[47] born in Aspull
• Ted Ray, comedian^[48]
• John Roby, folklorist^[49]

S

• Pete Shelley (1955–2018), born Peter Campbell McNeish in Leigh, singer, songwriter and guitarist with the Buzzcocks.^[50]
• Nigel Short, chess grandmaster, grew up in Atherton and attended St Philip's School^[51]
• Davey Boy Smith, professional wrestler for the WWF and WCW as The British Bulldog^[52]
• Danny Sonner, Wigan-born association football player who has represented Northern Ireland national football team^[53]
• John Stopford, Baron Stopford of Fallowfield, physician and anatomist, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manchester^[54]

T

• George Taylor, born in Wigan, footballer^[55]
• Georgia Taylor, actress best known for playing Toyah Battersby in Coronation Street
• Ella Toone, born in Wigan, footballer for England
• Addin Tyldesley who was born in Tyldesley and a member of the town's swimming and water polo club, competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.^[56]
• Elizabeth Tyldesley, (1585–1654) the daughter of Thomas Tyldesley of Morleys Hall, Astley, was a 17th-century abbess at the Poor Clare Convent at Gravelines.^[57]
• Thomas Tyldesley, died in the Battle of Wigan Lane^[58]

W

• Charles Walmesley (1722–1797), Roman Catholic Titular Bishop of Rama; born in Langtree^[20]
• Dave Whelan, businessman nicknamed "Mr Wigan", founder of JJB Sports, former owner of Wigan Athletic, and former owner of Wigan Warriors^[59][60]
• Katie White, member of The Ting Tings, born and brought up in Lowton^[61]
• Danny Wilson, Wigan-born association football player and manager^[62]
• Gerrard Winstanley, founder of the 17th-century Diggers, born in Wigan.^[63]
• James Wood (1672–1759), Presbyterian minister of the first Atherton and Chowbent Chapels, led a force that successfully defended the bridge over the River Ribble at Walton le Dale in the Battle of Preston in 1715.^[64]
• Thomas Woodcock, recipient of the Victoria Cross, born in Wigan^[65]
• Caleb Wright (1810–1898), Member of Parliament and mill owner who built Barnfield Mills in Tyldesley^[66]

See also

• Hacker T. Dog, fictional dog from Wigan
• List of people from Greater Manchester

References

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Bibliography