Seriously Famous

Frédéric Chopin

Composer. Born Zelazowa Wola, Poland of a French emigrant father and Polish mother. Left Poland aged 20, never to return. Despite his long romantic liaison with novelist George Sand (Aurore Dudevan...

Person, Music / songs, Seriously Famous, France, Poland

Agatha Christie

Detective novelist and playwright.  Born in Torquay, into a well-off family, where a bust has been erected, as Agatha Miller.  Married Archie Christie in 1914.  In WW1 she trained and worked in a p...

Person, Cinema, Literature, Seriously Famous, TV & Radio

Winston Churchill

Prime Minister 1940 - 45 and 1951 - 55. Born Blenheim Palace, near Woodstock, Oxford, into an aristocratic family. His father was the son of the Duke of Marlborough, and his mother was born in Broo...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Seriously Famous

Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Poet and critic. Born and brought up in Ottery St Mary, Devon. Pupil at Christ's Hospital, 1781-91, where he became friends with Charles Lamb. Died London. Buried in the chapel of Highgate School....

Person, Literature, Poetry, Seriously Famous

Christopher Columbus

Explorer. Born in the Republic of Genoa (his birth date is approximate). From 1492 to 1504, he made four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean under the auspices of the monarchs of Spain. These voyages...

Person, Exploring, Race Issues, Seriously Famous, Caribbean Islands, Cuba, Italy, Spain, USA

Communist Manifesto

Media, Politics & Administration, Seriously Famous

John Constable

Painter. Born in East Bergholt, on the Essex/Suffolk border. From 1819 Constable spent much of his time in Hampstead and many of his finest paintings are of Hampstead landscapes. He died in Fitzrov...

Person, Art, Seriously Famous

Captain James Cook

Maritime explorer and cartographer. Born near Middlesbrough. The first to map Newfoundland, explored around Australia and the Hawaiian Islands and made the first circumnavigation of New Zealand. K...

Person, Exploring, Seriously Famous, Arctic & Antarctic, Australia, Canada, Hawaii, New Zealand

Peter Cook

Comedian, satirist and "only twin". Born Torquay. Founded and owned 'The Establishment Club', 1961 - 64. Died in the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead.

Person, Humour, Seriously Famous

Ronnie Corbett

Actor and comedian. Born Ronald Balfour Corbett in Edinburgh. His career started in the theatre, particularly in cabaret with Danny La Rue. He came to national fame in BBC television's sketch show ...

Person, Cinema, Seriously Famous, Theatre, TV & Radio, Scotland