This is a list of notable people who were either born in, or have lived in, the town of

South Shields South Shields () is a coastal town in South Tyneside, Tyne and Wear, England. It is on the south bank of the mouth of the River Tyne. Historically, it was known in Roman times as Arbeia, and as Caer Urfa by Early Middle Ages. According to the 20 ...

, Tyne & Wear, in the UK. It includes current and historical residents.

Art and architecture

* John Chambers, artist *

Sheila Graber Sheila Graber (born 1940) is a British animator, artist and Visiting Professor at the University of Sunderland. She animated the children's television series ''Paddington'', has taught in schools and universities, and has won numerous awards. Ea ...

, animator, born South Shields, made an outstanding animation about the river Tyne. * James Kirkup (1918-2009), poet *

Tish Murtha Patricia Anne "Tish" Murtha (14 March 1956 – 13 March 2013) was a British social documentary photographer best known for documenting marginalised communities, social realism and working class life in Newcastle upon Tyne and the North East of ...

, documentary photographer born in South Shields, best known for her work documenting marginalised communities, social realism and working class life in Newcastle upon Tyne and The

North East England North East England is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. The region has three current administrative levels below the region level in the region; combined authority, unitary authorit ...

. * Robert Olley born South Shields, painter of the Westoe Netty *

Alison Smithson Alison Margaret Smithson (22 June 1928 – 14 August 1993) and Peter Denham Smithson (18 September 1923 – 3 March 2003) were English architects who together formed an architectural partnership, and are often associated with the New Brutalis ...

, co-founder with husband

Peter Smithson Alison Margaret Smithson (22 June 1928 – 14 August 1993) and Peter Denham Smithson (18 September 1923 – 3 March 2003) were English architects who together formed an architectural partnership, and are often associated with the New Brutalism ...

New Brutalism Brutalist architecture is an architectural style that emerged during the 1950s in the United Kingdom, among the reconstruction projects of the post-war era. Brutalist buildings are characterised by minimalist constructions that showcase the ba ...

movement in architecture

Business

* John Barbour (1849–1918) clothier, inventor and manufacturer of the Barbour jacket

Entertainment

* Perrie Edwards and Jade Thirlwall from

Little Mix Little Mix are a British girl group, composed of group members Leigh-Anne Pinnock, Jade Thirlwall, and Perrie Edwards. Jesy Nelson was originally part of the group before she left in 2020. After becoming the first group to win the British ver ...

. * Charlie Drummond, a 2009 Big Brother contestant. * Sir Ridley Scott (born 1937) film director and producer. * Marnie Simpson, Reality Star. * Kane Avellano,

Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

for youngest person to circumnavigate the world by motorcycle (solo and unsupported) at the age of 23 in 2017.

Acting

Albert Burdon Albert Burdon (4 July 1900–13 April 1981) was a British actor and comedian, He was born in South Shields, County Durham.Richard Anthony Baker, ''Old Time Variety: an illustrated history'', Pen & Sword, 2011, , p.103 He started his career pla ...

(1900–1981), actor, comedian * Craig Conway (born 1975), actor starred in Our Friends in the North. * Ron Cook (born 1948), British television and theatre actor *

Eva Elwes Eva Elwes (born Gertrude Emma Cannon; 1876–1950) was an English actress and playwright who wrote over 50 plays between 1907 and 1938. Acting career Between 1896 and the late 1920s Elwes performed in a variety of plays and variety shows. She r ...

(1876–1950), actor, playwright and manager of Alexandra Theatre, South Shields *

Eric Idle Eric Idle (born 29 March 1943) is an English actor, comedian, musician and writer. Idle was a member of the British surreal comedy group Monty Python and the parody rock band The Rutles, and is the writer of the music and lyrics for the Broadwa ...

, part of the

Monty Python Monty Python (also collectively known as the Pythons) were a British comedy troupe who created the sketch comedy television show '' Monty Python's Flying Circus'', which first aired on the BBC in 1969. Forty-five episodes were made over four ...

team * George Irving (born 1954), actor in films and TV. (Anton Meyer in ''Holby City'') * Lindsay Kemp, dancer, actor, teacher, mime artist and choreographer *

Dale Meeks Dale Meeks (born 16 November 1975) is an English television and theatre actor. Acting career Dale Meeks is a Geordie actor best known for his role as Simon Meredith in the British TV drama ''Emmerdale''. and as the winner of ITV's Celebrity St ...

, actor from '' Emmerdale'' (Simon Meredith) * Leslie Randall (actor) *

Dame Flora Robson Dame Flora McKenzie Robson (28 March 19027 July 1984) was an English actress and star of the theatrical stage and cinema, particularly renowned for her performances in plays demanding dramatic and emotional intensity. Her range extended from q ...

(1902–1984), Oscar-nominated actress * Richard Short (born 1975), actor *

Edward Wilson Edward Wilson may refer to: *Ed Wilson (artist) (1925–1996), African American sculptor * Ed Wilson (baseball) (1875–?), American baseball player * Ed Wilson (singer) (1945–2010), Brazilian singer-songwriter *Ed Wilson, American television exe ...

, television actor (Billy Seaton in 'When the Boat Comes in') and director of the National Youth Theatre 1987-2004. * John Woodvine (born 1929) RSC actor

Broadcasting

* Connor Robinson, former UFC Presenter *

Anna Foster Anna Foster (born 1979) is an English radio news reporter and presenter, she presented the drivetime programme on 5 Live Monday to Friday. The daughter of a surveyor father (who also served as a magistrate) and a mother who worked as a nurse, ...

English radio news reporter and presenter, currently presenting the early evening programme 5 Live Drive with Tony Livesey on Wednesday to Friday.

Comedy

* Dave Sanderson aka Mr Food (comedy character on BBC Radio's Steve Wright In The Afternoon) * Steve Furst (born 1967), comedian * Sarah Millican (born 1975), stand-up comedian * Chris Ramsey (comedian) (born 1986), stand-up comedian * Rosie Ramsey (podcaster, writer, socialite)

Music

* Angelic Upstarts, punk band formed in South Shields in 1977. *

Jack Brymer John Alexander Brymer OBE (27 January 191515 September 2003) was an English clarinettist. ''The Times'' called him "the leading clarinettist of his generation, perhaps of the century". Goodwin, Noël"Jack B nimble, Jack B quick" ''The Times' ...

(1915–2003), eminent classical clarinetist *

Lulu James Lulu James is a British electronic and soul singer. Life and career James was born in Tanzania, descended from a Maasai tribe. She moved to the United Kingdom when she was six years old and settled in South Shields in North East England. She ...

, British soul artist. * Ernest Farrar (1885–1918), organist, composer *

Ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices ...

(born David Walls, 1964), founding member of The Wildhearts, a

hard rock Hard rock or heavy rock is a loosely defined subgenre of rock music typified by aggressive vocals and distorted electric guitars. Hard rock began in the mid-1960s with the garage, psychedelic and blues rock movements. Some of the earliest hard ...

and punk rock band; had success in the mid-'90s * Alex Kapranos, born in Gloucestershire but was brought up in South Shields, singer in the group Franz Ferdinand * Barry Lamb, experimental musician, composer was born in South Shields, 1963. *

Claire Rutter Claire Rutter (born 1972 in South Shields) is an English operatic soprano.Kutsch, Karl-Josef and Riemens, Leo (2004)"Rutter, Claire" ''Großes Sängerlexikon'' (4th edition), Vol. 4, p. 4070. Walter de Gruyter. Biography Claire Rutter studie ...

, operatic soprano *

Splinter (band) Splinter was an English two-man vocal group from South Shields, England, consisting of Bill Elliott (William Elliott) and Bobby Purvis (Robert J Purvis), who formed in the early 1970s. They were connected with ex-Beatle George Harrison, and had ...

* Kathy Stobart (born 1936), jazz saxophonist * Danny McCormack, founding member of The Wildhearts * Joe McElderry, winner of The X Factor in 2009. * Jade Thirlwall (born 1992), raised in Laygate, South Shields, part of four-piece

girl group A girl group is a music act featuring several female singers who generally harmonize together. The term "girl group" is also used in a narrower sense in the United States to denote the wave of American female pop music singing groups, many of who ...

, winner of the eighth series of X Factor UK. * Perrie Edwards (born 1993), part of four-piece

, winner of the eighth series of X Factor UK.

Military

* Richard Wallace Annand (1914–2004), first Victoria Cross recipient of the Second World War *

John Simpson Kirkpatrick John Kirkpatrick (enlisted as John Simpson; 6 July 1892 – 19 May 1915) was a stretcher bearer with the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance brigade during the Gallipoli campaign – the Allied attempt to capture Constantinople, ca ...

(1892–1915), hero of the Gallipoli campaign in WWI. * Henry Howey Robson (1894–1964), recipient of the Victoria Cross

Politics

Billy Blyton, Baron Blyton William Reid Blyton, Baron Blyton (2 May 1899 – 25 October 1987) was a British Labour Party politician who served as Member of Parliament (MP) for Houghton-le-Spring in the County of Durham from 1945 to 1964. Early life Born in Bowman Street ...

(1899–1987) of South Shields, Labour Party politician * Sir William Fox (1812–1893) four times Prime Minister of New Zealand * Harold Heslop (1898–1983) trade unionist and writer * John Erickson (1929–2002), professor of politics at Edinburgh. NATO adviser * John Gray (born 1948), philosopher, formerly professor of European Thought at the LSE in London. * Simon Lightwood, MP for Wakefield

Religion

* Oswine of Deira died (651 AD), Northumbrian King and Saint, legend states that he was born at Caer Urfa, site of the excavated Roman fort of Arbeia situated on the Lawe Top.

Science/medicine

* Leo Kinlen, professor of epidemiology at Oxford. *

Ernest Thompson Seton Ernest Thompson Seton (born Ernest Evan Thompson August 14, 1860 – October 23, 1946) was an English-born Canadian-American author, wildlife artist, founder of the Woodcraft Indians in 1902 (renamed Woodcraft League of America), and one of ...

(1860–1946), naturalist, writer and Chief Scout of the Boy Scouts of America *

Thomas Masterman Winterbottom Dr. Thomas Masterman Winterbottom (26 March 1766, in South Shields – 8 July 1859) was an English physician, philanthropist and abolitionist remembered for describing African trypanosomiasis and the associated Winterbottom's sign. Biography ...

(1766–1859), physician, abolitionist, Surgeon General of the

Sierra Leone Company The Sierra Leone Company was the corporate body involved in founding the second British colony in Africa on 11 March 1792 through the resettlement of Black Loyalists who had initially been settled in Nova Scotia (the Nova Scotian Settlers) after ...

, originator of Winterbottom's sign, and founder of South Tyneside College.

Sport

Football

Sam Bartram Samuel Bartram (22 January 1914 – 17 July 1981) was an English professional footballer and manager. He played as a goalkeeper and holds the record for most appearances for Charlton Athletic, his only club at the professional level. Career ...

(1914–1981), goalkeeper for Charlton Athletic 1934-1956 * Phil Brown (born 1959), former footballer, until 15 March 2010 manager of Hull City AFC *

Warney Cresswell Warneford Cresswell (5 November 1897 – 20 October 1973) was an English international footballer who was described as "The Prince of Full Backs" for his renowned tackling and positional skills in the right-back position. In a seventeen-year ca ...

, England footballer who played for Sunderland and Everton *

Malcolm Crosby Malcolm Crosby (born 4 July 1954) is an English former professional footballer and manager. He is currently working for Exeter City as the club’s Chief Scout under former Wigan Athletic manager Gary Caldwell. Playing career Born in South Shie ...

, (born 1954), former professional footballer and manager of Sunderland AFC (1991-1993). * Tom Curry, former

Newcastle United Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Newcastle upon Tyne, that plays in the Premier League – the top flight of English football. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End ...

footballer who died in the Munich air disaster *

Stanley Mortensen Stanley Harding Mortensen (26 May 1921 – 22 May 1991) was an English professional footballer, most famous for his part in the 1953 FA Cup Final (subsequently known as the "Matthews Final"), in which he became the only player ever to score a ha ...

(1921–1991), international footballer * Daniel Neil,

Sunderland AFC Sunderland Association Football Club (, ) is an English professional football club based in the city of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear. Formed in 1879, Sunderland play in the Championship, the second tier of English football. The club has won six t ...

footballer. * Liam Smith (born 1995), professional footballer. * Nick Pickering (born 1963), former

Sunderland F.C. Sunderland Association Football Club (, ) is an English professional football club based in the city of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear. Formed in 1879, Sunderland play in the Championship, the second tier of English football. The club has won six ...

player, won the FA Cup with Coventry City F.C. in 1987 * Adam Rundle (born 1984), Rotherham United player *

Steve Simonsen Steven Preben Arthur Simonsen (born 3 April 1979) is an English footballer who played as a goalkeeper. Born in South Shields, Tyne and Wear, he started his senior career at Tranmere Rovers before spells with Everton, Stoke City and Sheffield ...

(born 1979), footballer * Martyn Waghorn (born 1990), former Sunderland A.F.C. player, currently plays for Derby County in the championship

Other

* Chris Cook (born 1979) Olympic and Commonwealth swimmerMelbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games web site, Christopher Cook biography
, retrieved 17 December 2006 * Andrew Stoddart (1864–1915) Captain of England at rugby and cricket *

Sir Frank Williams Sir Francis Owen Garbett Williams (16 April 1942 – 28 November 2021) was a British businessman, racing car driver, and the founder of the Williams Grand Prix Engineering, Williams Formula One team. He was the team principal from its foundati ...

(1942-2021) Formula One team owner * David Wilson (born 1985) Rugby Union Player

Writers

* Elinor Brent-Dyer (1894–1969), author of the Chalet School stories *

Robert Colls Robert Colls is Professor of Cultural History at De Montfort University, Leicester. Before that he was Professor of English History at Leicester University. He is married with two adult children. Personal History He was born in 1949 in South Shi ...

, professor of English history at the University of Leicester * Catherine Cookson (1906–1998), novelist *

J. Thomas Looney John Thomas Looney (luni) (14 August 1870 – 17 January 1944) was an English school teacher who is notable for having originated the Oxfordian theory, which claims that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford (1550–1604) was the true author of S ...

(1870–1944), Comtean and Shakespeare authorship theorist. * Barry MacSweeney (1948–2000), poet * Avro Manhattan (1914–1990), writer * James Mitchell (1926–2002), TV script writer - ''Callan'', ''The Avengers'', etc. * Alan Myers (1933–2010), literary translator. *

Dorothy Samuelson-Sandvid Dorothy Samuelson-Sandvid (14 November 1902 – August 1984), known as Dorfy, was a noted dialect author and journalist who specialised in the Geordie dialect. Early life Born Dorothy Pilbin in 1902 to a Quaker family in George Scott Street, So ...

, also known as ' Dorfy,' born South Shields, a

Geordie Geordie () is a nickname for a person from the Tyneside area of North East England, and the dialect used by its inhabitants, also known in linguistics as Tyneside English or Newcastle English. There are different definitions of what constitut ...

dialect writer and author of 'A Basinful O' Geordie' * Francis Scarfe (1911–1986), poet and critic

Other

* William Downey, with his brother, pioneer photographer; royal photographers to Queen Victoria *

Lauren Luke Lauren Luke (born 8 December 1981) is an English YouTube personality who became known for creating make-up tutorials on Panacea81, one of the most popular channels during the early years of YouTube. Early life Luke was born in South Shields in ...

(born 1981), make-up artist/cosmetics, best known for her YouTube celebrity makeover tutorials. * Kevin Maguire, award-winning journalist * Eileen O'Shaughnessy, wife of

George Orwell Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to totalitar ...

Dolly Peel Dorothy Peel (1782–1857), better known as Dolly Peel, was a famous character in the Victorian era in South Shields, England, who acquired local legendary status. She is commemorated by a statue in the centre of the town. Life Peel was a fish ...

(1782–1857), fishwife, poet and legendary local character. * George Stout (1860–1944), philosopher * Lord Wright of Durley (1869–1964), Lord of Appeal * William Wouldhave (1751–1821), inventor of the first functional lifeboat

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:List Of South Shields People