Reading's Great People

Other Great People of Reading

The new Dictionary of National Biography (DNB) contains over three hundred people connected to Reading in one way or another. A selection of some of these others is briefly detailed below.

There are also other notable figures linked to Reading that did not make it into the DNB. If there is someone else famous not listed below, that you can think of connected to Reading that you wish to tell us about you can just fill in the contact form. Remember though they must have died before December 31st, 2000 and must have been born, lived or be strongly connected to Reading. Any good suggestions will be put up on the library website. See what other people have suggested so far below.

OTHER FAMOUS PEOPLE CONNECTED TO READING FROM THE DNB

These are all in the Dictionary of National Biography so you can read their entries there either in the Central Library in book form or online from a terminal in any Reading library.

• Addington, Dr Anthony (1713-1790), Reading physician, whose famous patients included William Pitt the Elder and George III during his madness. The father of Viscount Sidmouth. Biography of Dr Anthony Addington from Royal Berkshire History
• Alcock, John (1715-1806), organist and composer. Organist in St Laurence's Church, Reading 1742-50. Biography of John Alcock from Lichfield Cathedral Choir
• Alexander, Sir George [real name George Alexander Gibb Samson] (1858-1918), actor and theatre manager. Born in Reading, worked with Oscar Wilde to put on many of his most successful plays. Biography of Sir George Alexander from University of Rochester
• Allen, Sir Hugh Percy (1869-1946), university professor and conductor. Born in Reading where he developed his love of music, one of the most prolific conductors of the twentieth century.
• Andrewes, Sir Frederick William (1859-1932), pathologist and bacteriologist. Born and educated in Reading, a son of a former mayor. Became a noted physician at St Bartholomew's hospital in London.
• Aston, Sir Arthur (1593-1649), Royalist Governor of Reading during the Siege in April, 1643. He died in the siege of Drogedea, Ireland where he was beaten to death with his wooden leg.
• Austen, Jane (1775-1817), author. Spent a year and a half at Reading Abbey School.See Sarah Hackett's entry below Biography of Jane Austen from Royal Berkshire History
• Bader, Sir Douglas (1910-1982), air force officer. Following an air crash in 1931 he was taken to the Royal Berkshire Hospital, where both legs were amputated. He later took his first steps on his tin legs in Reading.
• Balfour, Lady Evelyn Barbara [Eve] (1898-1990), founder of the Soil Association and promoter of organic farming. She studied at Reading University in 1915 for a diploma in Agriculture.
• Barrington, Kenneth Frank [Ken] (1930-1981), cricketer. Born in Reading and attended Wilson Central School and Katesgrove secondary school in Reading. Biography and Statistics of Kenneth Barrington from Cricinfo
• Boulting, John (1913-1985), film producer and director. Educated at Reading School.
• Bridges, Monica [née Waterhouse] (1863-1949). The wife of Robert Bridges, the author, she was brought up at Fox Hill, Whiteknights.
• Burgh, William George de (1866-1943), Classicist. From 1896 he was lecturer in Greek and Latin in the University Extension College at Reading, and played an important part in making it a University. 
• Butler, Christopher (1902-1986), Roman Catholic bishop and theologian from Reading
• Butler, Sir Clifford Charles (1922-1999), physicist. Born in Reading and educated at Reading School and Reading University. The joint discoverer of hyperons and K-meson particles.
• Cadogan, William, Earl Cadogan, (1672-1726) Irish Commander-in-Chief of the British Army. Marlborough's chief subordinate as Quartermaster-General in the War of the Spanish Succession (1702-11). His chief seat was at Caversham Park. Biography of William Cadogan at the Royal Berkshire history Website
• Cameron [née Butt], Lucy Lyttelton [known as Mrs Cameron] (1781-1858), popular Victorian children's author. She attended the Abbey school from 1792-7.
• Cennick, John (1718-1755), evangelical lay preacher, hymnwriter and Moravian minister, born and brought up in Reading.
• Chapman, Percy (1900-1961), Captain from Reading of the victorious England 1926 Ashes team. Biography and Statistics of Percy Chapman from Cricinfo
• Childs, William Macbride (1869-1939), academic administrator and historian, chief founder of Reading University.
• Clarke, Colonel Alexander Ross (1828-1914), geodesist. Born in Reading he was chief mathematical and scientific adviser to the Ordanance Survey for 25 years. Created the term “Geodesy" and was a vital figure in developing scientific mapping. Brief Biography of Colonel Alexander Ross Clarke
• Coates, Rev. Charles (1746-1813). Historian and chaplain to the Prince Regent. Born and lived in Reading, he wrote the first detailed history of Reading 
• Cogan, Alma Angela Cohen (1932-1966), Popular singer in the fifties. Lived in Reading as a child. She made her début at a charity concert in Reading aged ten. Brief Biography 
• Curtis, Thomas (d. 1712) Early Quaker leader from wealthy background. Lived in Reading, and brought George Fox to the town. Imprisoned for his beliefs. 
• Druce, (John) Gerald Frederick (1894-1950), chemist and schoolmaster. Discovered the element Rhenium in 1925. Educated at Kendrick School and Reading University college. Information on Rhenium  
• Dunbar [married name Folley], Evelyn Mary (1906-1960), painter and illustrator. Born in Reading. 
• Essex, Henry of (d. after 1163), baron. King’s standard bearer accused of abandoning the standard in a battle against the Welsh. Trying to clear his name he was defeated in the trial by combat which took place on a island in the Thames by Caversham bridge. Henry recovered from his wounds and spent the rest of his life as a monk in Reading Abbey. 
• Everard, William (1602?-1651?), Digger or True Leveller. A leading political and religious radical during the civil wars, who was brought up in Reading.Information on the Diggers 
• Fowler, Rev. Christopher (1613-1677), Puritan Vicar of St Mary’s. Ejected at the Restoration. 
• Giles, William (1872-1939), leading exponent of the colour print, born and brought up in Reading. 
• Hackett, Sarah [formerly Esther; known as Mrs La Tournelle] Eccentric cork-legged schoolmistress from the Abbey school who taught Jane Austen, amongst others. She used a French name, but probably had a poor grasp of the language French. An Article on Mrs La Tournelle can be found here
• Halstead, (Lambert) Beverly (1933-1991), palaeontologist. Arrived at Reading University in 1963 and lived a colourful and controversial life as well as aking a significant contribution to his field. 
• Havell, William (1782-1857), watercolour landscape painter. The most successful of a family of Reading artists who get a joint entry in the DNB. 
• Hide, Mary Edith [Molly] (1913-1995), pioneering women’s cricketer and farmer. First woman to gain a diploma in agriculture from Reading University. Captain of the England Cricket team for 17 years. Biography and Statistics of Mary Edith Hide from Cricinfo 
• Hinton, John Howard (1791-1873), Baptist minister and theologian. Important Baptist leader who ministered in Reading. Founder of Carey Street Baptist chapel. 
• Hugh [Hugues d'Amiens] (d. 1164), first abbot of Reading (1123-30) and archbishop of Rouen. Brought from France along with many other monks by Henry I to ensure that the new abbey lived up to the strict principles of the Clunic order. 
• Huxley [née Grant], Elspeth Josceline (1907-1997), author and journalist. Wrote The Flame Trees of Thika (1959) and studied for diploma in agriculture at Reading University. 
• Joel, Solomon Barnato [Solly Joel] (1865-1931), millionaire financier and diamond merchant. Owner of Maiden Erleigh estate from 1903. He donated land to Reading Council which now forms Sol Joel Park in Wokingham Road in 1927. Solly Joel in Earley
• Jones, Kathleen Letitia Lloyd (1898-1978), Welsh garden designer and nurserywoman who studied at Reading University. 
• Kent, Frances (d. 1685), midwife and persecuted Quaker from Reading. Reputed to be the best midwife in England, she suffered imprisonment for her beliefs. 
• Latter, Mary (bap. 1722, d. 1777), author and poetess. Lived in Reading for many years till her death. 
• Lee, Laurie (1914-1997), writer, briefly attended Reading University. 
• Lemprière, John (c.1765-1824), classical scholar. Published his famous dictionary while teaching at Reading School. 
• Le Noir [née Smart], Elizabeth Anne (1754-1841), poet and novelist. Joint owner of the Reading Mercury, she married one of the aristocratic French refugees that settled in Reading. She was the stepdaughter of John Newbury. 
• Liakhoff, Nicolai (1897-1962), pioneer of guide dog training. Retired to Caversham. 
• Marten, Henry (1601/2-1680), regicide, Parliamentarian Governor of Reading briefly early in the Civil War. 
• Martyn, Caroline Eliza Derecourt (1867-1896), Christian socialist. Developed radical ideas while teaching at a board school in Reading. On her death in 1896 Keir Hardie wrote that she was the leading socialist of her day, with ‘a power of intellect and moral-force’ that was unmatched. 
• May, Peter Barker Howard (1929-1994), cricketer. Born and educated in Reading, one of England's finest batsmen of the second half of the twentieth century. Biography and Statistics of Peter May from Cricinfo 
• Merrick, James (1720-1769), biblical and classical scholar and translator. Born in Reading, he attended Reading school and lived in the town. He was author of a metrical version of the Psalms (1765) very popular in its day. 
• Milton, Sir Christopher (1615-1693), judge. Younger brother of the poet John Milton, lived in Reading with his wife and father, John Milton, the composer also in the DNB, from around 1640 to 1643 when they left Reading after the siege in April. He had Royalist sympathies and may have fought in defence of the town as he was on the muster role. 
• Moore, Sir Francis (1559-1621), lawyer and politician, M.P for Reading, 1597, 1601, 1604, and 1614. Attended Reading School. 
• Negus, Arthur George (1903-1985), antiques expert, from Reading, educated at Reading School.
• Owen, Wilfred (1893-1918), First World War poet. Briefly attended Reading University College. 
• Palmer, George William (1851-1913), biscuit manufacturer and benefactor. Son of George Palmer, became Mayor of Reading and also Liberal MP for Reading and was noted for his great generosity. His donations ensured that Reading University could be established. 
• Palmer, Julins/Julius (1532-1556), protestant martyr, burned at Newbury in Queen Mary’s Reign. Teacher at Reading School. Read details of Palmer’s trial and Martyrdom in an online edition of Foxes’ Book of Martyrs (1583)
• Phipps, Sir Constantine (1656-1723), lord chancellor of Ireland, born in Reading. 
• Pordage, Rev. Dr.John (1607-1681), Civil War religious radical and physician. Vicar of St Lawrence. Biography of Rev. Pordage at the Royal Berkshire History website 
• Poulton [later Poulton-Palmer], Ronald William (1889-1915), talented rugby player who played 17 times for England and also was Captain of the team four times. He was tragically killed in action in the First World War. He was related to the Palmers through his mother and worked in the biscuit firm. 
• Reed, Austin Leonard (1873-1954), tailor and retailer. Founder of Austin Reed, from Reading. 
• Sheepshanks, Rev. Richard (1794-1855), astronomer, and creator of the standard Imperial measures. Lived in Reading from 1844. 
• Simeon, Sir John, first baronet (1755/6-1824), lawyer and politician. Brother of Charles he was born in Reading. He was Recorder of Reading from 1179-1809 and MP for Reading from 1797-1802 and 1806-18. The Simeon Monument in the Market place was paid for by his brother Edward in 1804, possibly as an attempt to help win him back the seat again. It was designed by Sir John Soane. Find out more on the monument from Reading Museum
• Smith, Robert Archibald (1780-1829), composer and collector of Scottish folksongs. Biography of Robert Smith 
• Soane, Sir John (1753-1837), architect of the Bank of England. Born near Reading, where his father was employed as a bricklayer and where he was educated. He designed the Simeon monument in Reading see Sir John Simeon for more details. Biography of Soane at Great Buildings website 
• Stenton [née Parsons], Doris Mary, Lady Stenton (1894-1971), medieval historian. Born and brought up in Reading she attended Abbey School, and the university where she became a senior lecturer and met her husband. 
• Stenton, Sir Frank Merry (1880-1967), historian and Vice-Chancellor of Reading University where he worked from 1908. Husband of Doris, above. 
• Stiles, Walter (1886-1966), plant physiologist, Professor of Botany at Reading University from 1919-29. 
• Sutton, John (1777-1863), corn dealer and seedsman. Original founder of the firm. 
• Sutton, Martin John (1850-1913), scientific agriculturist. Son of Martin Hope Sutton. As well as successfully running the firm he became noted for his scientific contributions to agriculture. Also Mayor of Reading. 
• Taylor, Elizabeth (1912-1975), novelist, born and educated in Reading at the Abbey School. Biography of Elizabeth Taylor at the Virago press website 
• Trewavas, Dr Ethelwynn (1900-1993), ichthyologist, over a dozen species of fish were named after her. Educated in Reading University college and retired to Tilehurst. 
• White, Sir Thomas (1495-1567), Lord Mayor of London and founder of St John's College, Oxford who was probably born in Reading and was educated there. Through two scholarships he established for Reading School, St John’s has a long standing connection to the town. Laud and Kendrick were both educated there. Biography  of Sir Thomas White at the Royal Berkshire History website 

Other Famous Reading People

There are also other notable figures linked to Reading that did not make it into the Dictionary of National Biography.

• Bridges, Robert (1937-1988), Actor From Reading appeared in Virgin Soldiers (1969) and numerous stage productions. Uncle of Kate Winslet. 
• Sydenham, Joseph Edward (1845-1913). Jeweller and Founder of Reading Football Club. Biography of Joseph Sydenham

Suggestions of People from the Public

Ayrton Senna (1960-94). Peter Robinson suggested the Brazilian Formula One racing driver who had a house on The Potteries Estate, Tilehurst while driving for Williams-Renault team in 1994, before his tragic death in May. There is now an Ayrton Senna Close, nearby which has speedbumps. http://www.ddavid.com/formula1/ayrton-senna.htm