Swindonian
Encyclopedia
Swindon
is a large town in Wiltshire
, England
; its residents are called Swindonians and many have achieved notability throughout its history:
Swindon
Swindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
is a large town in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; its residents are called Swindonians and many have achieved notability throughout its history:
- Dean AshtonDean AshtonDean Ashton is a former English professional footballer. He made over 240 appearances as a forward in the Football League and Premier League for Crewe Alexandra, Norwich City and , and was also capped by England. He was highly praised as a talented centre forward, but had a career frustrated by...
- Premiership footballer playing for West Ham United. Born in Swindon - Ralph BatesRalph Bates (writer)Ralph Bates was an English novelist. He is best known for his writings on pre–Civil War Spain.-Life:Bates was born in Swindon, England in 1899 and as a teenager worked at the Great Western Railway factory...
- writer. - Mark A. BrennanMark A. BrennanMark Brennan is a Canadian landscape painter known for his work depicting Canadian National parks and wilderness areas.-Biography:...
- Canadian landscape painter, born in Swindon, 1968. - Julian ClaryJulian ClaryJulian Peter McDonald Clary is an English comedian and novelist, known for his deliberately stereotypical camp style, with a heavy reliance on innuendo and double entendre.-Early life and education:...
- comedian, formerly a resident of Rodbourne; but not born in Swindon. His family still lives in the area. - Tony CowardsTony CowardsTony Cowards is a British stand-up comedian and writer, currently living in the Cotswolds.-Background:Born in Ipswich in 1973, Cowards lived in Suffolk, until he moved to Ilford, Essex in 1985. After attending Ilford County High School, Tony went on to read Chemistry at the University of Salford,...
- comedian, originally born in Ipswich - Jamie CoxJamie Cox (boxer)Jamie Cox is an English professional boxer who competes in the Welterweight division and is a former Commonwealth Games gold medallist. He comes from Swindon and currently boxers for Frank Warrens Sports Network.. He is the reigning Commonwealth light middleweight champion.-Amateur career:Cox was...
- boxer. ABA light-welterweight champion. Won a gold medal for the England team at the 2006 Commonwealth Games2006 Commonwealth GamesThe 2006 Commonwealth Games were held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia between 15 March and 26 March 2006. It was the largest sporting event to be staged in Melbourne, eclipsing the 1956 Summer Olympics in terms of the number of teams competing, athletes competing, and events being held.The site...
in Melbourne, Australia. - Rick DaviesRick DaviesRick Davies is an English musician, best known as the founder and keyboardist of progressive rock band Supertramp...
- founder and member of the band SupertrampSupertrampSupertramp are a British rock band formed in 1969 under the name Daddy before renaming to Supertramp in early 1970. Though their music was initially categorised as progressive rock, they have since incorporated a combination of traditional rock and art rock into their music...
. - Diana DorsDiana DorsDiana Dors was an English actress, born Diana Mary Fluck in Swindon, Wiltshire. Considered the English equivalent of the blonde bombshells of Hollywood, Dors described herself as: "The only sex symbol Britain has produced since Lady Godiva."-Early life:Diana Mary Fluck was born in Swindon,...
- actress. - John FrancomeJohn FrancomeJohn Francome MBE is a former National Hunt Champion Jockey.Born in Swindon the son of a railway fireman, his family had no connection with the horse racing world. At sixteen years old he became apprentice to Lambourn trainer Fred Winter and so began his career as a jockey. He rode a total of...
- novelist, sports commentator and former jockey. - Justin HaywardJustin HaywardJustin Hayward is an English musician, best known as singer, songwriter and guitarist in the rock band The Moody Blues.Hayward was born in Dean Street, Swindon, Wiltshire, England...
- lead guitarist, vocalist and composer for The Moody BluesThe Moody BluesThe Moody Blues are an English rock band. Among their innovations was a fusion with classical music, most notably in their 1967 album Days of Future Passed....
. - John HelvinJohn HelvinJohn Helvin is an English artist, author and magician.- Life and career :Helvin was born in Swindon. His parents were Irish. Helvin legally changed his surname when he was old enough to do so. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities with Classical Studies.His career has been a varied one due to a...
- artist, author and magician. - David Hempleman-AdamsDavid Hempleman-AdamsDavid Kim Hempleman-Adams, LVO, OBE, CStJ, DL is a British adventurer.He is the first person in history to reach the Geographic and Magnetic North and South Poles as well as climb the highest peaks in all seven continents; the Adventurers' Grand Slam...
- explorer. - Nick HewerNick HewerNicholas Radbourn "Nick" Hewer is a British former public relations consultant turned television personality, who lives in Northamptonshire, England. He is probably best known for his role as Alan Sugar's advisor on the UK version of the popular BBC television show The Apprentice...
- public relations officer and businessman. One of Alan Sugars advisers on The Apprentice - David HowellDavid Howell (golfer)David Alexander Howell is an English professional golfer from Swindon. His career to date peaked in 2006, when he was ranked in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings for a short time....
- Ryder Cup golfer. Ranked 10th in the world http://www.owgr.com/rankings/default.sps - highest ranked English golfer, and also the highest ranked British golfer. - Richard JefferiesRichard JefferiesJohn Richard Jefferies was an English nature writer, noted for his depiction of English rural life in essays, books of natural history, and novels. His childhood on a small Wiltshire farm had a great influence on him and provides the background to all his major works of fiction...
- Victorian nature writer born at CoateCoate Water Country ParkCoate Water is a country park situated to the southeast of central Swindon, near Junction 15 of the M4. It takes its name from the main feature, a reservoir originally built to provide water for the Wilts and Berks Canal....
. - David Murray John - Swindon's town clerk 1938-1974 and a driving force behind Swindon's development and growth.
- Bob KilbyBob KilbyRobert Stanley "Bob" Kilby was a motorcycle speedway rider for the Swindon Robins, Oxford Rebels and Exeter Falcons. From the start of his career in 1964 to its end in 1983, he rode some 2,226 times over 556 meetings, and amassed a total of 4,192 points. He was a member of the Robins' British...
- speedway rider. - Mark LamarrMark LamarrMark Lamarr is an English comedian, radio DJ and television presenter.-Early life:Lamarr was born in the Park South area of Swindon and has three elder sisters. His father is Irish...
- TV presenter, comedian, and radio DJ. Grew up in Park South. - Jon LewisJon LewisJonathan "Jon" Lewis is an English cricketer. He was brought up in Swindon where he went to Churchfields School and Swindon College. He played for Swindon CC and, in Minor Counties cricket, for Wiltshire County Cricket Club in 1993. He joined Northamptonshire in 1994 and played for its Second XI...
- England and Gloucestershire cricketer. - Angel LongAngel Long__notoc__Angel Long is a British pornographic actress and nude model. She has been described as one of Britain's most popular porn stars.-Career:...
- adult movie actress. - Melinda MessengerMelinda MessengerMelinda Jayne Messenger is an English ex-glamour model, Page 3 Girl and a former presenter on the magazine programme Live from Studio Five. She is currently co-broadcaster of the reality show Cowboy Builders.-Biography:...
- former glamour model and television presenter. Born in Swindon. - Antony MicallefAntony MicallefAntony Micallef , English contemporary artist and painter.Internationally acclaimed artist Antony Micallef appeared on the art scene in 2000, winning second prize in the BP Portrait Award competition. Since then his mix of political imagery fused with contemporary expressionism has won him world...
- artist. - Levi Lapper MorseLevi Lapper MorseLevi Lapper Morse was an English grocer and draper and Liberal Party politician.-Family and education:Morse was the son of Charles Morse from Stratton St Margaret, near Swindon in Wiltshire. He was educated at the High School, Swindon. He married Winifred, daughter of Isaac Humphries of Broad...
- English grocer and draper and Liberal PartyLiberal Party (UK)The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
politician. - Alice Offley - Singer, songwriter and pianist, also known as MEOW and as an ex-member of The Mentalists.
- Gilbert O'SullivanGilbert O'SullivanGilbert O'Sullivan is an Irish-English singer-songwriter, best known for his early 1970s hits "Alone Again ", "Clair" and "Get Down". The music magazine, Record Mirror, voted him the No...
- Irish born, Swindon raised, singer/songwriter. - Billie PiperBillie PiperBillie Paul Piper is an English singer and actress.She began her career in the late 1990s as a pop singer and then switched to acting. She started in acting and dancing and was talent spotted at the Sylvia Young stage school by Smash Hits magazine who wanted a "face" for their magazine...
- actress and former pop singer, who played Rose in the 2005/2006 seasons and the 2008 season final of BBC Sci-Fi TV programme Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
. - Jon Richardson - comedian
- Don RogersDon Rogers (footballer)Donald Rogers is an English former footballer who has often been seen as the most exciting player to pull on a Swindon Town shirt; his principal rival in this respect being Harold Fleming...
- Widely acknowledged as Swindon Town's greatest footballer owns a sports shop in Swindon. - Maria RubiaMaria RubiaMaria Rubia , is an English model, actress, TV presenter and singer-songwriter. She debuted as the vocalist on the Fragma's dance song, "Everytime You Need Me", which stayed in the UK Singles Chart for eleven weeks, and sales thereof earned her a silver disc.-Life:Born in England, Rubia moved with...
- UK-born model, actress and singer. - Rachel ShelleyRachel ShelleyRachel Shelley is an English actress and model. She was born in Swindon. , Los Angeles Daily News and graduated from Sheffield University with a B.A...
- actress (The L Word, Ghost Whisperer), born in Swindon. - Tim SmithTim Smith (DJ)Tim Smith is an English broadcaster and radio personality in the U.K. He started out on university radio whilst studying in York. In 1984 he worked for several stations including BBC Radio York and BBC Radio Shropshire...
- Radio 2BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
broadcaster and co-presenter of Radio 2's "Steve Wright in the Afternoon" Show. - Ben ThatcherBen ThatcherBenjamin David "Ben" Thatcher is a professional association football player, who is currently a free agent...
- football player in the Coca-Cola Championship with Ipswich Town F.C. - Mark G. ThomasMark G. ThomasMark G. Thomas is a human evolutionary geneticist, Professor of Evolutionary Genetics at the Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment at University College London...
- scientist. - Alfred WilliamsAlfred WilliamsAlfred Williams is a former American football player. He was a linebacker and defensive end for the Cincinnati Bengals, San Francisco 49ers and the Denver Broncos. He finished his career with the New Orleans Saints.-College:...
- hammerman at the GWR works 1892-1914, author, poet and collector of folk songs. - Tom WisdomTom WisdomTom Wisdom is an English actor of theatre, film and television. His film roles includes the downtrodden hero of Danny Patrick's Hey Mr DJ and Astinos in 300 , based on Frank Miller's graphic novel about the Battle of Thermopylae.-Personal life:Wisdom was born in Swindon, Wiltshire, England...
- actor (300300 (film)300 is a 2007 American fantasy action film based on the 1998 comic series of the same name by Frank Miller. It is a fictionalized retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae. The film was directed by Zack Snyder, while Miller served as executive producer and consultant...
, The Boat That RockedThe Boat That RockedThe Boat That Rocked is a 2009 British comedy film written and directed by Richard Curtis, with pirate radio in the United Kingdom during the 1960s as its setting. The film has an ensemble cast featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Bill Nighy, Rhys Ifans, Nick Frost, and Kenneth Branagh...
) - XTCXTCXTC were a New Wave band from Swindon, England, active between 1976 and 2005. The band enjoyed some chart success, including the UK and Canadian hits "Making Plans for Nigel" and "Senses Working Overtime" , but are perhaps even better known for their long-standing critical success.- Early years:...
, pop rockPop rockPop rock is a music genre which mixes a catchy pop style and light lyrics in its guitar-based rock songs. There are varying definitions of the term, ranging from a slower and mellower form of rock music to a subgenre of pop music...
band from Swindon.- Dave Gregory - lead guitarist from 1979 to 1999. Born in Swindon.
- Colin MouldingColin MouldingColin Ivor Moulding is a bassist, songwriter and vocalist. He is a founding member of the band XTC. Though less prolific than bandmate Andy Partridge, Moulding wrote many of the group's most popular songs, including their first three UK hit singles: "Life Begins At The Hop", "Making Plans For...
- founding member, second songwriter, vocalist, and bassist for the band. Born in Swindon. - Andy PartridgeAndy PartridgeAndrew John "Andy" Partridge is an English singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has been known as Sir John Johns and Melchior and rose to fame as a founding member, guitarist and chief songwriter of the pop/new wave band, XTC. He lives in Swindon, Wiltshire, where he was raised.Partridge also...
- founding member, guitarist and chief songwriter. Born in Malta. Raised in Swindon, where he lives.
- Thaila ZucchiThaila ZucchiThaila Lucia Zucchi is a British singer and actress, trained at The Arts Educational School, London. She began her career as a member of the British band allSTARS* before transitioning into acting, appearing in Big Brother 8 in the UK, where she played the part of fake Australian housemate...
- Italian/British singer and actress, starred in Balls of SteelBalls of Steel (TV series)Balls of Steel is a Channel 4 comedy series developed by Objective Productions and hosted by Mark Dolan, his special guests would perform stunts and hold their nerve during hidden camera set-ups in the presence of celebrities or the British public....
.