Notable People

Southend-on-Sea

Mary Ellis - died on 3rd June 1609; a well known and much loved resident of Old Leigh who lived to the remarkable age of 119. Her tomb in a block shape with a plinth on top was used by the press gangs to sharpen their sabres prior to conscripting the young lads in the church congregation, it is thought the actions of these swords on the top of the tomb are still visible. Chester Moor Hall - b 9th December 1703 - b 17th March 1771, Leigh - was a British lawyer who produced the first achromatic lenses in 1729. He used the achromatic lens to build the first refracting telescope free from chromatic aberration (colour distortion). Robert Arthur Jones - b 20th November 1849 - A major benefactor of the town without whom we would not have now Priory Park among other green spaces. A jeweller by trade with his own prominent business in the High Street, who helped form the town as we know it today. Dr James Murie - b March 1832 - d 1925 something of a celebrity, as a well known explorer who had helped in the expedition to find the source of the Nile, came to live in Old Leigh in 1888. He went on to publish a notable report on the Thames Estuary's Fishing Industry. Florence Reeves - 17th February 1894 – 30th August 2005 was an English suffragette, civil servant and notable super-centenarian. Reeves was born in West Ham, one of 13 children, but lived the bulk of her life in Essex, principally in the area of Southend. Described in press reports of her death as "the oldest person in England" and the "oldest woman in the UK." Eric Kirkham Cole - b 1901 - d 1966 A key businessman for the town with his development of Ekco; in the 50's employing more than 5,000 people. Alan Sorrell - Born in Southend in b 1904 - d 1974 - An artist who would become known for his skilled depictions of archaeological subjects. He became a prolific publisher of key documents starting in 1961 with 'Roman Britain'. his drawings were also commissioned for a TV series called 'Who were the British'. Rev Benjamin Waugh - Founder of the NSPCC, who retired to Southend in 1905, living in Runwell Terrace, he was buried in Sutton Road Cemetery 1908. Peter Clemoes - Born in Southend b 20th January 1920 - d 16th March 1996; a noted British Historian who specialised in work around Anglo Saxon history. Frank Matcham - Died 1920 - A famous theatre architect who built the London Palladium among others, lived in Westcliff Parade. John Hodge - Born in Leigh-on-Sea 1929 - aerospace engineer. He worked for the Avro Arrow project in Canada; when it was cancelled in 1959, he became a member of NASA's Space Task Group. During his NASA career, he worked as a flight director and as a manager on the cancelled Space Station Freedom project. He also served as an administrator at the United States Department of Transportation. John Henry Burrows - d February 1935 - One of the town's early developers not only an early Mayor, but also running a publishers J. H. Burrows & sons which produced some of the town's newspapers including the Southend Standard and Southend Pictorial Telegraph. Born in Dublin, Mr Burrows was one of the first of many even today that did not originate from the town but remained to put their stamp on it. Sir Peter Cook - b 22th October 1936 - Renowned architect currently working on the London 2012 project Sir Charles Nicholson - b 27th April 1867 - 4th March 1949 - Southend's most significant architect, having lived at Porters, and designed a number of the town's churches Freddie Laker - b 6th August 1922 - d 9th February 2006 Set up business 1949 - Founder of Laker Airway in 1966 which went bankrupt in 1981. Well know at Southend Airport for his flight businesses. Evelyn Cline - First Southend Youth Mayor 1951-1953 - Evelyn's passion was for the people of Southend working tirelessly as a warden at Shoebury Youth Centre, and treasurer for St Bernard's School Old Girls. Evelyn was on hand in 2004 to award the new Youth Mayor the chain of office after a 30 year gap. Evelyn died on 16th October 2009. Angie Best - Born in Southend 26th July 1952 - Angie started life as a model and a Bunnie Girl but is best known due to her famous husband George. The widow of the footballing alcoholic and mother to Callum who also is making his way in the celebrity field. These days Angie can be found in Hollywood running her own jewellery business. Cliff Stanford - Trained accountant from Southend who developed Demon Internet one of the first internet service providers to individual users. Moving on to Redbus Investments. A big fan of Southend who shows his support by sponsoring the annual Easter Chess tournament in the town. Michael Woodford - Keymed Chief Executive Awarded MBE 2001 Phillip Miller, Awarded MBE 2003 - Owner of Adventure Island and local man born and bred, was awarded his MBE for his charitable work around the town. Sir Bernard Williams - b 21st September 1929 - d 10th June 2003 - Most brilliant and most important British moral philosopher of his time. Warwick Deeping - b 28th May 1877 - d 20th April 1950 - Born in Southend, Warwick Deeping went on to write some 60 books and had a tremendous following although he did shun the limelight. A memorial stone was placed in St John the Baptist Church graveyard. The underpass that once went from Victoira Circus to Southchurch Road was called 'The Deeping' in his memory.