Among those who were born in the London Borough of Croydon, or have dwelt within the borders of the modern borough are ''(alphabetical order)'':

A

Feroz Abbasi Feroz Abbasi is one of nine British men who were held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba. He was repatriated in 2005 and released by the British government the next day. He was released from det ...

, arrested in

Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...

in 2001 and detained at Guantanamo Bay; lived in Shirley and attended school in Croydon * Adegbenga Adejumo (1987–), Croydon born dubstep producer known as Benga * Allan Ahlberg (1938–), children's writer (Penguin) *

Waheed Alli Waheed Alli, Baron Alli (born 16 November 1964) is a British media entrepreneur and politician. He is the co-creator of the television series '' Survivor'' and has held executive positions at several television production companies including the ...

(1964–), born and raised in the north of Croydon; multimillionaire media entrepreneur and politician; co-founder of Planet 24 TV production company; MD at Carlton Television; currently chairman of ASOS.com and Chorion Ltd.; a Labour peer; one of very few openly gay Muslim politicians in the world *

Aaron Wan-Bissaka Aaron Wan-Bissaka (born 26 November 1997) is an English professional footballer who plays as a right-back for club Manchester United. Wan-Bissaka began his career with Crystal Palace and was named as the club's Player of the Year for the 2018� ...

, Professional Football player who plays for Premier League club

Manchester United Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...

born in Croydon *

Dame Peggy Ashcroft Dame Edith Margaret Emily Ashcroft (22 December 1907 – 14 June 1991), known professionally as Peggy Ashcroft, was an English actress whose career spanned more than 60 years. Born to a comfortable middle-class family, Ashcroft was deter ...

(1907–1991), actress, born in Croydon and lived in George Street as a child; honoured in the naming of the Ashcroft Theatre, part of the

Fairfield Halls Fairfield Halls is an arts, entertainment and conference centre in Croydon, London, England, which opened in 1962 and contains a theatre and gallery, and a large concert hall regularly used for BBC television, radio and orchestral recordings. Fa ...

; was a school friend of architect Jane Drew * Lionel Atwill (1885-1946), stage and screen actor, was born in Croydon

B

Jeannie Baker Jeannie Baker is an English-born Australian children's picture book author and artist, known for her collage illustrations and her concern for the natural environment. Her books have won many awards. Biography Baker was born in London, Englan ...

(1940–), artist, author, designer and animator *

Cicely Mary Barker Cicely Mary Barker (28 June 1895 – 16 February 1973) was an English illustrator best known for a series of fantasy illustrations depicting fairies and flowers. Barker's art education began in girlhood with correspondence courses and instructi ...

(1895–1973), illustrator and artist; created the famous Flower Fairies books; born in Croydon and lived locally; studied at the Croydon School of Art * Jon Benjamin (1964–), Chief Executive of the

Board of Deputies of British Jews The Board of Deputies of British Jews, commonly referred to as the Board of Deputies, is the largest and second oldest Jewish communal organisation in the United Kingdom, after only the Initiation Society which was founded in 1745. Established ...

since 2005; born and grew up in Croydon, and educated at Park Hill Primary School and Dulwich College *

Edward White Benson Edward White Benson (14 July 1829 – 11 October 1896) was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1883 until his death. Before this, he was the first Bishop of Truro, serving from 1877 to 1883, and began construction of Truro Cathedral. He was previousl ...

, Archbishop of Canterbury (1883–1896); lived at Addington Palace; invented Christmas tradition of Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols *

Jeff Beck Geoffrey Arnold Beck (born 24 June 1944) is an English rock guitarist. He rose to prominence with the Yardbirds and after fronted the Jeff Beck Group and Beck, Bogert & Appice. In 1975, he switched to a mainly instrumental style, with a focus ...

(1944–), guitarist *

Jay Bernard (writer) Jay Bernard (born 1988), FRSL, is a British writer, artist, film programmer, and activist from London, UK. Bernard has been a programmer at BFI Flare since 2014, co-editor of ''Oxford Poetry'', and their fiction, non-fiction, and art has been pu ...

(1988–),

FRSL The Royal Society of Literature (RSL) is a learned society founded in 1820, by George IV of the United Kingdom, King George IV, to "reward literary merit and excite literary talent". A charity that represents the voice of literature in the UK, th ...

, writer, artist, film programmer, and activist, raised in Croydon * Keith Berry (1973–), musician and composer * Frederick Betts (1859–1944), donated Betts Park and built large areas in Croydon and Penge *

Emily Blunt Emily Olivia Leah Blunt (born 23 February 1983) is a British actress. She is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award, in addition to nominations for three British Academy Film Awards. ...

(1983–), actress; she and husband John Krasinski own an apartment in East Croydon *

James Booth James Booth (born David Noel Geeves; 19 December 1927 – 11 August 2005) was an English film, stage and television actor and screenwriter. Though considered handsome enough to play leading roles, and versatile enough to play a wide variety ...

(1927–2005), actor (Zulu) *

Dane Bowers Dane Leon Bowers is a British singer, songwriter, DJ and producer. He was a part of pop boy band Another Level between 1997 and 2000 when he performed on seven Top 10 singles, before taking up solo projects with True Steppers and Victoria Beckh ...

(1979–), singer, attended Trinity School * Derren Brown, illusionist; born and brought up in Purley * James Buckley, actor, best known for playing Jay Cartwright in ''

The Inbetweeners ''The Inbetweeners'' is a British coming-of-age television teen sitcom, which originally aired on E4 from 2008 until 2010 and was created and written by Damon Beesley and Iain Morris. The series follows the misadventures of suburban teenager ...

'' * Raymond Burns (1954–), musician, member of punk rock band the Damned; also known by the name Captain Sensible *

Mark Butcher Mark may refer to: Currency * Bosnia and Herzegovina convertible mark, the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina * East German mark, the currency of the German Democratic Republic * Estonian mark, the currency of Estonia between 1918 and 1927 * Fin ...

(1972–), Surrey and England cricketer; born in Croydon, attended Trinity School

C

Alison Carroll Alison Laura Carroll (born 21 May 1985) is an English gymnast, model and actress. She was the live-action model of the video game character Lara Croft from 2008 to 2010. Biography Carroll was born on 21 May 1985, in Croydon, London. She tr ...

, actress *

Raymond Chandler Raymond Thornton Chandler (July 23, 1888 – March 26, 1959) was an American-British novelist and screenwriter. In 1932, at the age of forty-four, Chandler became a detective fiction writer after losing his job as an oil company executive durin ...

(1888–1959), screenwriter and author * Anne Clark (poet) (1960–), poet, songwriter and electronic musician * Klariza Clayton (1989–), actress * Martin Clunes (1961–), actor, resident *

Carlton Cole Carlton Michael George Cole (born 12 October 1983) is an English football coach and former professional footballer who played as a striker. He scored 52 goals in 288 Premier League appearances for four clubs. Cole began his career at Chelsea ...

, ex footballer, born in

Croydon Croydon is a large town in south London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an extensi ...

* Ronnie Corbett, comic actor, lived for many years in

Addington, London Addington is a village and area in south London, England, within the London Borough of Croydon. It is south of Spring Park, west of Coney Hall, north of New Addington and east of Forestdale and Selsdon, and is south of Charing Cross and sout ...

Frederick George Creed Frederick George Creed (6 October 1871 – 11 December 1957) was a Canadians, Canadian inventor, who spent most of his adult life in Britain. He worked in the field of telecommunications, and is particularly remembered as a key figure in the develop ...

(1871–1957), electrical engineer and inventor of the

teleprinter A teleprinter (teletypewriter, teletype or TTY) is an electromechanical device that can be used to send and receive typed messages through various communications channels, in both point-to-point and point-to-multipoint configurations. Initia ...

; lived and died at 20 Outram Road, Addiscombe * Peter Cushing (1913–1994), actor; born in

Kenley Kenley is an area within the London Borough of Croydon. Prior to its incorporation into Greater London in 1965 it was in the historic county of Surrey. It is situated south of Purley, east of Coulsdon, north of Caterham and Whyteleafe and we ...

, lived in Purley

D

* Tasha Danvers-Smith (1977–), champion hurdler * Michael Dapaah (1991–), actor and comedian, attended Thomas More Catholic School, Purley *

Bertrand Dawson Bertrand Edward Dawson, 1st Viscount Dawson of Penn, (9 March 1864 – 7 March 1945) was a physician to the British Royal Family and President of the Royal College of Physicians from 1931 to 1937. He is known for his responsibility in the deat ...

(1864–1945), physician to the British Royal Family and President of the Royal College of Physicians * Desmond Dekker (1941–2006),

ska Ska (; ) is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s and was the precursor to rocksteady and reggae. It combined elements of Caribbean mento and calypso with American jazz and rhythm and blues. Ska is characterized by a walki ...

musician, lived in Thornton Heath *

R.F. Delderfield Ronald Frederick Delderfield (12 February 1912 – 24 June 1972) was an English novelist and dramatist, some of whose works have been adapted for television and film. Biography Childhood in London and Surrey Ronald Frederick Delderfield ...

(1912–1972), writer and dramatist; lived at 22 Ashburton Avenue, Addiscombe, 1918–1923; his "Avenue" series is based on his life in Addiscombe & Shirley Park; many of his works were adapted for television * Norman Demuth (1898–1968), composer and musicologist, born at 91 St James' Road. * Luol Deng (1985–), basketball player for the Chicago Bulls and

Great Britain Great Britain is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean off the northwest coast of continental Europe. With an area of , it is the largest of the British Isles, the largest European island and the ninth-largest island in the world. It is ...

; raised in South Norwood * Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930), author and creator of

Sherlock Holmes Sherlock Holmes () is a fictional detective created by British author Arthur Conan Doyle. Referring to himself as a " consulting detective" in the stories, Holmes is known for his proficiency with observation, deduction, forensic science and ...

; lived at 12 Tennison Road,

South Norwood South Norwood is a district of south-east London, England, within the London Borough of Croydon, Greater London and formerly in the historic county of Surrey. It is located 7.8 miles (12.5 km) south-east of Charing Cross, north of Wood ...

1891–1894 * Jane Drew (1911–1996), architect and town planner; born at 8 Parchmore Road, Thornton Heath; went to

Croydon High School Croydon High School is an Independent school (UK), independent day school for girls located near Croydon, London, England. It is one of the original schools founded by the Girls' Day School Trust. History The school was founded in 1874 in Welles ...

and was a school friend of

* Jacqueline du Pré (1945–1987), British cellist, acknowledged as one of the greatest players of the instrument, but whose career was cut short by multiple sclerosis; lived in Purley and attended Croydon High School * Des'ree (1968-), award-winning English recording artist.

E

* Havelock Ellis (1859–1939), Victorian sexologist, born in Croydon * Tracey Emin (1963–), artist *

Carlos Ezquerra Carlos Sanchez Ezquerra (12 November 1947 – 1 October 2018) was a Spanish comics artist who worked mainly in British comics. He is best known as the co-creator of ''Judge Dredd''. Biography Early work Born in Ibdes, province of Zaragoza, Arag ...

(1947–2018), comics artist, co-creator of Judge Dredd

F

Noel Fielding Noel Fielding (; (born 21 May 1973) is an English actor and comedian. He is best known for his work with The Mighty Boosh comedy troupe alongside Julian Barratt in the 2000s, and more recently as a co-presenter of ''The Great British Bake Off'' ...

(1973–), comedian, writer, actor, artist, co-creator of ''The Mighty Boosh'' * Matthew Fisher (1946–), musician, Procol Harum, composer of "Whiter Shade of Pale" *

Kenelm Foss Kenelm Foss (13 December 1885 – 28 November 1963) was a British actor, theatre director, author, screenwriter and film director. Early life and education He was born in Croydon, Surrey and studied art at the Wellesley School of Art and in Par ...

(1885–1963), actor, theatre director, author, screenwriter and film director, born in Croydon * Alexander Francis (1995–), musician, composer * Vincent Frank (1985–), musician, Frankmusik *

Donna Fraser Donna Karen Fraser (born 7 November 1972) in Thornton Heath, Croydon is an English former athlete, who mainly competed in the 200 and 400 m. Career An exceptional junior, Fraser won six English Schools 200 m titles (as well ...

(1972–), international athlete * Ian Frazer, poker player * Neil Fraser (1955–), dub musician/producer (AKA Mad Professor) * Jacqueline Froom (1929–2018), poet, lyricist, and teacher * Charles Burgess Fry (1872–1956), polymath – sportsman, politician, teacher, writer, editor, publisher

G

Paul Garelli Paul Garelli (23 April 1924 – 8 July 2006) was a French Assyriologist, directeur de recherche au CNRS, professor at the Sorbonne and the l' EPHE, a member of the Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres and professor at the Collège de Fra ...

(1924–2006), French Assyriologist * Trevor Goddard (1962–2003), actor * JB Gill (1986–), singer with British boyband

JLS JLS (an initialism of Jack the Lad Swing) are an English boyband, which consists of members Aston Merrygold, Oritsé Williams, Marvin Humes, and JB Gill, originally formed by Williams. They initially signed to Tracklacers production company Ne ...

, farmer and TV presenter * Sir Philip Green (1952–), Croydon born billionaire, owner of the

Arcadia Group Arcadia Group Ltd (formerly Arcadia Group plc and, until 1998, Burton Group plc) was a British multinational retailing company headquartered in London, England. It was best known for being the previous parent company of British Home Stores (BH ...

Deryck Guyler Deryck Bower Guyler (29 April 1914 – 7 October 1999) was an English actor, best remembered for his portrayal of officious, short-tempered middle-aged men in sitcoms such as ''Please Sir!'' and ''Sykes''. Early life Guyler was born in Wallas ...

(1914–1999), actor

H

* Ben Haenow (1985–), winner of the eleventh series of ''The X Factor'' *

Will Hay William Thomson Hay (6 December 1888 – 18 April 1949) was an English comedian who wrote and acted in a schoolmaster sketch that later transferred to the screen, where he also played other authority figures with comic failings. His film '' O ...

(1888–1949), comic actor; lived at 45 The Chase, Norbury, 1927–1934 *

Simon Haynes Simon Haynes is an Australian writer of speculative fiction novels and short stories, particularly the Hal Spacejock series. Haynes also uses his experience with computers to write software which he designs for himself and then shares for free ...

(1967-), author, was born in Croydon * Sir Francis Bond Head (1793–1875), soldier, traveller, author and Lieut. Governor of Upper Canada (1836–1838), had his home at Duppas Hill, Croydon *

Chris Heath Chris Heath is a British writer who was a regular contributor to the popular English music magazine '' Smash Hits'' in the eighties and early nineties. In the late eighties, he travelled with Pet Shop Boys on their first ever world tour and the r ...

(1959–), actor, author, comedian *

Roy Hodgson Roy Hodgson (born 9 August 1947) is a former English football manager and player. He managed 22 different teams in eight countries, beginning in Sweden with Halmstads BK in the 1976 season. He later guided the Switzerland national team to th ...

, football manager and former player, born in Croydon, Attended John Ruskin Grammar School. *

Joseph Holbrooke Joseph Charles Holbrooke (5 July 18785 August 1958) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. Life Early years Joseph Holbrooke was born Joseph Charles Holbrook in Croydon, Surrey. His father, also named Joseph, was a music hall music ...

(1822–1876), composer of stage, choral, and orchestral music *

Roy Hudd Roy Hudd, OBE (16 May 1936 – 15 March 2020) was an English comedian, actor, presenter, radio host, author and authority on the history of music hall entertainment. Early life Hudd was born in Croydon on 16 May 1936 to Evalina "Evie" (née ...

, comedian, born in Croydon in 1936

J

Len Jarrett Leonard F. Jarrett (born in England in 1921) served as Director of Administration of the World Scout Bureau in London, England, in Ottawa, Canada, and in Geneva, Switzerland from 1955 to 1981, and as a consultant for the World Scout Bureau from 19 ...

(1921–), former Director of Administration of the World Scout Bureau; former World Organizer of Scoutings's Jamboree-on-the-Air for thirty years; Croydon born *

Nora Johnston Nora Violet Johnston (1886 – 1952) was an English carillonneur and inventor, and one of only two female carillonneurs active in England during the first half of the twentieth century. Life and career After an active career in theater, she ...

(1886–1952), carillon performer and inventor of the mobile carillon * Finn Jones (1988–), Croydon raised * Oliver Jones (1986–), Croydon born dubstep producer otherwise known as Skream

K

Steve Kember Stephen Dennis Kember (born 8 December 1948) is an English former footballer who played in the centre of midfield during his career, before going into management. He has a long affiliation with Crystal Palace, where he is currently the chief sco ...

(1948–), footballer, born in Croydon * George Knowland (1922–1945), Victoria Cross recipient *

Krept and Konan Krept and Konan is a British hip hop duo from London, consisting of Casyo Valentine "Krept" Johnson BEM (born 4 February 1990, Gipsy Hill) and Karl Dominic "Konan" Wilson BEM (born 3 September 1989, Thornton Heath), the son of Delroy Wilson ...

, UK rap duo, raised in Gipsy Hill, Lambeth and Thornton Heath, Croydon respectively * Rachel Keen (1997–), singer/songwriter, known as Raye, raised in Croydon * Nish Kumar (1985-), comedian, grew up in Bromley and Croydon

L

* Andrew Lawrence *

D. H. Lawrence David Herbert Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was an English writer, novelist, poet and essayist. His works reflect on modernity, industrialization, sexuality, emotional health, vitality, spontaneity and instinct. His best-k ...

(1885–1930), author; lived at 12 Colworth Road, Addiscombe, 1908–1912, whilst a teacher at Davidson Road School *

Sir David Lean Sir David Lean (25 March 190816 April 1991) was an English film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Widely considered one of the most important figures in British cinema, Lean directed the large-scale epics ''The Bridge on the River ...

(1908–1991), film director, born in Croydon * Iain Lee (1973–), comedian, born in South Croydon * Mike Leeder (1968–), Hong Kong based Film Producer, Casting Director and sometimes actor, born and raised in Croydon * E G Handel Lucas (1861–1936), artist, lived in Croydon from 1861 to 1909

M

Kirsty MacColl Kirsty Anna MacColl (10 October 1959 – 18 December 2000) was a British singer and songwriter, daughter of folk singer Ewan MacColl. She recorded several pop hits in the 1980s and 1990s, including "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop Swears He ...

(1959–2000), singer and songwriter, born and grew up in Croydon *

Miles Malleson William Miles Malleson (25 May 1888 – 15 March 1969) was an English actor and dramatist, particularly remembered for his appearances in British comedy films of the 1930s to 1960s. Towards the end of his career he also appeared in cameo roles i ...

(1888–1969), actor and dramatist, born in Croydon * Jimi Manuwa (1980–), American-born English mixed martial artist *

Ursula Martinez Ursula Martinez (born 1966) is a British theatre maker, performer and director. She grew up in South London, the daughter of an English father and Spanish mother, both teachers. After graduating in French and Theatre at Lancaster University, sh ...

(1966–), cabaret and burlesque entertainer *

David McAlmont David Irving McAlmont (born 2 May 1967) is a British vocalist, essayist and art historian. He came to prominence in the 1990s as a singer, particularly through his collaboration with Bernard Butler. In the 2010s he returned to academia, working ...

(1967–), British vocalist and songwriter, born in Croydon * Duke McKenzie (1963–), world champion boxer *

Ralph McTell Ralph McTell (born Ralph May, 3 December 1944) is an English singer-songwriter and acoustic guitar player who has been an influential figure on the UK folk music scene since the 1960s. McTell is best known for his song " Streets of London" (19 ...

(1944–), musician, composer of "Streets of London" *

Katie Melua Ketevan Katie Melua (; ka, ქეთევან "ქეთი" მელუა, ; born 16 September 1984) is a Georgian and British singer and songwriter. She was born in Kutaisi and raised in Belfast and London. Under the management of comp ...

(1984–), singer, songwriter, musician, went to the Brit School for Performing Arts at Selhurst, Croydon *

Graham Moodie Graham Thomas Moodie (born 15 January 1981 in Croydon, London) is a Scottish field hockey player, who was a member of the Great Britain and Northern Ireland squad that finished ninth at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Graham has amassed 56 G ...

(1981–), Olympic hockey player *

Kate Moss Katherine Ann Moss (born 16 January 1974) is a British model. Arriving at the end of the "supermodel era", Moss rose to fame in the early 1990s as part of the heroin chic fashion trend. Her collaborations with Calvin Klein brought her to fas ...

(1974–), model * Malcolm Muggeridge (1903–1990), author and media personality; son of

H. T. Muggeridge Henry Thomas Muggeridge (26 June 1864 – 25 March 1942) was a British politician. He was the father of the author and journalist Malcolm Muggeridge. Life Muggeridge was born the son of undertaker Henry Ambrose Muggeridge in Penge, which was ...

, a prominent Croydon Labour councillor; taught at John Ruskin Central School in the 1920s

N

Habib Nasib Nader Habib Nasib Nader (born 1979) is a British actor. He is the recipient of a Laurence Olivier Award, having won Best Supporting Actor with a team of six others for operating and voicing the tiger in '' Life of Pi''. They are the first puppeteers to ...

(1979–), actor, writer * Kate Nash (1987–), singer/songwriter; attended Brit School, Croydon

O

Lawrence Okoye Lawrence Okoye (born 6 October 1991) is a British track and field athlete and former American football defensive tackle. He is the British record holder in the discus event. Okoye became the first ever British athlete to win a medal in Discus ...

, athlete, attended Whitgift School *

Tarik O'Regan Tarik Hamilton O'Regan (; born 1 January 1978) is a British and American composer. His compositions number over 100 and are partially represented on 43 recordings which have been recognised with two Grammy nominations. He is also the recipien ...

(1978–), composer, attended Elmhurst and Whitgift Schools, Croydon

P

Sue Perkins Susan Elizabeth Perkins (born 22 September 1969) is an English actress, broadcaster, comedian, presenter and writer. Originally coming to prominence through her comedy partnership with Mel Giedroyc in ''Mel and Sue'', she has since become best ...

(1969–), comedian, writer, performer * Christopher Pitcher (1973–), cricketer *

Lucy Porter Lucy Donna Porter (born 27 January 1973) is an English actress, writer and comedian. She has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe, the Brighton Festival and many clubs around Britain. She is also a regular voice on BBC Radio 4 in various panel sh ...

, comedian, raised in Croydon *

Simon Prebble Simon Micawber Prebble (born 13 February 1942) is an English–American narrator. Initially a stage actor, he has a wide-ranging career in television drama, was a game show announcer in Britain, and a voice-over narrator for television, and film. ...

(1942–), actor, narrator * Dickie Pride (1941-1969),

rock and roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...

and

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

singer *

Luke Pritchard The Kooks () are an English pop-rock band formed in 2004 in Brighton. The band consists of Luke Pritchard (vocals/rhythm guitar), Hugh Harris (lead guitar/synthesizer/bass) and Alexis Nunez (drums). Their music is primarily influenced by the ...

, lead singer of

The Kooks The Kooks () are an English pop-rock band formed in 2004 in Brighton. The band consists of Luke Pritchard (vocals/rhythm guitar), Hugh Harris (lead guitar/synthesizer/bass) and Alexis Nunez (drums). Their music is primarily influenced by the ...

, attended the Brit School, Croydon * David Prowse, actor, aka Darth Vader in ''Star Wars''; born in Bristol, lived in Addiscombe, Croydon for over 40 years * Jason Puncheon (1986–) English professional footballer who plays in midfield for Crystal Palace

R

* Chris Reed (1982–), BBC Radio One dubstep and grime DJ/producer (AKA

Plastician Chris Reed (born 30 October 1982), also known as Plastician (formerly Plasticman), is an electronic musician from Thornton Heath in the London Borough of Croydon. History Plastician, real name Chris Reed is a DJ from Croydon in South London. H ...

) * Jamie Reid (1947–), situationist, artist, graphic designer * Robert Reid, rally driver, lives in a flat in South Croydon * Susanna Reid (1970–), BBC television presenter; born in Croydon, attended

Croham Hurst School (The End Crowns The Work) , established = 1899 , closed = 2008 , type = Independent school(now closed) , religious_affiliation = , president = , head_label = Headmistress , head = , r_head_label = , r_ ...

and

Nigel Reo-Coker Nigel Shola Andre Reo-Coker (born 14 May 1984) is an English former professional footballer who played as a midfielder, as well as a football commentator and pundit for CBS Sports. Reo-Coker came through the youth team ranks at Wimbledon, and h ...

, current English

midfielder A midfielder is an outfield position in association football. Midfielders may play an exclusively defensive role, breaking up attacks, and are in that case known as defensive midfielders. As central midfielders often go across boundarie ...

, playing for

Bolton Wanderers Bolton Wanderers Football Club () is a professional football club based in Horwich, Bolton, Greater Manchester, England, which competes in . The club played at Burnden Park for 102 years from 1895 after moving from their original home at Pike's ...

and formerly of

Wimbledon F.C. Wimbledon Football Club was an English football club formed in Wimbledon, south-west London, in 1889 and based at Plough Lane from 1912 to 1991. Founded as Wimbledon Old Centrals, the club were a non-League team for most of their history. ...

, West Ham United and

Aston Villa Aston Villa Football Club is a professional football club based in Aston, Birmingham, England. The club competes in the , the top tier of the English football league system. Founded in 1874, they have played at their home ground, Villa Park ...

; born in Thornton Heath *

Phillip Rhys Phillip Rhys (born Philippe Chaudhary, 14 June 1974) is an English actor and filmmaker. Early life Phillip was born Philippe Chaudhary, the second of three sons. A South London native, Phillip's father was a Ugandan-born Punjabi Muslim, and h ...

, actor * Bridget Riley (1931–), painter, one of the foremost proponents of op art; born in Norbury * Francis Ronalds (1788–1873), inventor, lived in Croydon in the period 1823–33 and manufactured his patented drawing instruments here *

Emily Ronalds Emily Ronalds (25 September 1795 – 10 December 1889) was a British social reformer. She supported pioneering cooperative communities, and also had extended theoretical and practical involvement in early childhood education through the formative ye ...

(1795–1889), social reformer and sister of Francis Ronalds, established an early preschool in Croydon in 1826 *

Martyn Rooney Martyn Joseph Rooney (born 3 April 1987) is an English Sprint (running), sprinter who specialises in the 400 metres event. He reached the 400 m final at the 2008 Summer Olympics and won bronze in the 4×400 metres relay. A mainstay on the a ...

(1987–), international sprinter *

Nadia Rose Nadia Rose (born 11 June 1993) is a British rapper and songwriter from Croydon, London. Education Rose studied Music and Music Management at university. Career Rose released her debut EP ''Highly Flammable'' on 13 January 2017 following the ...

(1993–), recording artist *

John Ruskin John Ruskin (8 February 1819 20 January 1900) was an English writer, philosopher, art critic and polymath of the Victorian era. He wrote on subjects as varied as geology, architecture, myth, ornithology, literature, education, botany and politi ...

(1819–1900), art critic and social theorist; spent much of childhood in Croydon at his mother's family home and visited often as an adult; his parents are buried in Shirley

S

* Peter Sarstedt (1942–2017), singer, winner of Ivor Novello Award; resident * Danny Schwarz, model * Kellie Shirley, ''

EastEnders ''EastEnders'' is a Television in the United Kingdom, British soap opera created by Julia Smith (producer), Julia Smith and Tony Holland which has been broadcast on BBC One since February 1985. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in the Ea ...

'' actress *

Emile Smith Rowe Emile Smith Rowe (born 28 July 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or winger for club Arsenal and the England national team. Smith Rowe was a highly anticipated youth player at Arsenal, whilst a ...

(born 2000),

Arsenal An arsenal is a place where arms and ammunition are made, maintained and repaired, stored, or issued, in any combination, whether privately or publicly owned. Arsenal and armoury (British English) or armory (American English) are mostly ...

footballer, was born in Croydon and spent his early life in Thornton Heath * Bernard Spear (1919–2003), actor (Yentob) * William Stanley, (1829–1909), philanthropist, inventor, engineer, author, and artist. Lived most of his life in South Norwood, he designed and built Stanley Halls.

* E.L.G. Stones (1914-1987), professor of medieval history at the

University of Glasgow , image = UofG Coat of Arms.png , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of arms Flag , latin_name = Universitas Glasguensis , motto = la, Via, Veritas, Vita , ...

from 1956 to 1978 *

Dan Stevens Daniel Jonathan Stevens (born 10 October 1982) is a British actor and writer. He first drew international attention for his role as Matthew Crawley in the ITV acclaimed period drama series ''Downton Abbey'' (2010–2012). He also starred as D ...

, actor *

Stormzy Michael Ebenezer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr. (born 26 July 1993), known professionally as Stormzy, is a British rapper, singer and songwriter. In 2014, he gained attention on the UK underground music scene through his ''Wicked Skengman'' series of f ...

, (1993–), musician, raised in Thornton Heath * Swift, rapper, part of the group

Section Boyz Smoke Boys (formerly Section Boyz and before that Squeeze Section) was a British hip hop collective started by British rapper Ghost in 2010. On 25 September 2015 the group's second mixtape '' Don't Panic'' entered at number 36, making their firs ...

, raised in

T

* Samuel Coleridge Taylor (1875–1912), composer; noted for his cantatas including the ''Song of Hiawatha'' trilogy; lived at 30 Dagnall Park,

Selhurst Selhurst is an area in the London Borough of Croydon south-south-east of Charing Cross. Historically it lay in Surrey. The area is bounded to the west and south by Thornton Heath and Croydon and to the east and south by South Norwood and Woodsi ...

and worked and died in St Leonards Road,

Waddon Waddon () is a neighbourhood in the London Borough of Croydon, at the western end of the town of Croydon. The area borders the London Borough of Sutton. History It is not known when the manor of Croydon was granted to the See of Canterbury, b ...

* Sam Taylor-Johnson (born 1967), artist and filmmaker, born in Croydon

W

Alfred Russel Wallace Alfred Russel Wallace (8 January 1823 – 7 November 1913) was a British naturalist, explorer, geographer, anthropologist, biologist and illustrator. He is best known for independently conceiving the theory of evolution through natural se ...

(1823–1913), naturalist; independently proposed a theory of evolution by natural selection and prompted

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended fr ...

to reveal his own unpublished theory sooner than he had intended; lived at 44 St Peter's Road, Croydon *

John Whitgift John Whitgift (c. 1530 – 29 February 1604) was the Archbishop of Canterbury from 1583 to his death. Noted for his hospitality, he was somewhat ostentatious in his habits, sometimes visiting Canterbury and other towns attended by a retinue of 8 ...

(ca. 1530–1604),

Archbishop of Canterbury The archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and a principal leader of the Church of England, the ceremonial head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. The current archbishop is Justi ...

; buried in the Parish Church of St John the Baptist; several other Archbishops are buried in the Parish Church or St Mary's in

Addington Addington may refer to: Places In Australia: * Addington, Victoria In Canada: * Addington, Ontario * Addington County, Ontario (now Lennox and Addington County, Ontario) * Addington Highlands, Ontario * Addington Parish, New Brunswick * Adding ...

Rickie Haywood Williams Richard Haywood-Williams is a British radio DJ and television presenter best known for his work with Melvin Odoom and Charlie Hedges on Kiss FM, later BBC Radio 1 and the 2016 TV series ''Bang on the Money'' on ITV. Early life He attended th ...

(1982–), TV and radio presenter currently working for

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

and Kiss 100 London * Karl "Konan" Wilson, half of the British Rap duo "Krept and Konan", from Thornton Heath * Amy Winehouse (1983–2011), singer, attended Brit School, Croydon * Wilfred Wood, served as Bishop of Croydon 1985–2002, the first black

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the established Christian church in England and the mother church of the international Anglican Communion. It traces its history to the Christian church recorded as existing in the Roman province of Britain ...

bishop *

Edward Woodward Edward Albert Arthur Woodward, OBE (1 June 1930 – 16 November 2009) was an English actor and singer. After graduating from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, he began his career on stage. Throughout his career, he appeared in productions ...

(1930–2009), actor, born in Croydon * Ian Wright

MBE Mbe may refer to: * Mbé, a town in the Republic of the Congo * Mbe Mountains Community Forest, in Nigeria * Mbe language, a language of Nigeria * Mbe' language, language of Cameroon * ''mbe'', ISO 639 code for the extinct Molala language Molal ...

, former Crystal Palace,

and

England football team The England national football team has represented England in international football since the first international match in 1872. It is controlled by The Football Association (FA), the governing body for football in England, which is affiliat ...

footballer; lives in Shirley *

Matthew Wright Matthew may refer to: * Matthew (given name) * Matthew (surname) * ''Matthew'' (ship), the replica of the ship sailed by John Cabot in 1497 * ''Matthew'' (album), a 2000 album by rapper Kool Keith * Matthew (elm cultivar), a cultivar of the Chi ...

, journalist and television presenter; born and resides in Croydon * Tom Wright (1957–), architect of Burj Al Arab

Y

* Alfred Gregory Yewen, an Australian agricultural writer, journalist and socialist.

In fiction

Sarah Jane Smith Sarah Jane Smith is a fictional character played by Elisabeth Sladen in the long-running BBC Television science fiction series ''Doctor Who'' and two of its spin-offs. Sarah Jane is a dogged investigative journalist who first encounters alien t ...

, the popular fictional companion of the

Third Third or 3rd may refer to: Numbers * 3rd, the ordinal form of the cardinal number 3 * , a fraction of one third * Second#Sexagesimal divisions of calendar time and day, 1⁄60 of a ''second'', or 1⁄3600 of a ''minute'' Places * 3rd Street (d ...

and Fourth Doctors in the British science fiction television series ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'' * Jeremy "Jez" Osbourne and Mark Corrigan, the fictional protagonists from the

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

sitcom '' Peep Show'', live in a flat in West Croydon. *

Captain Kevin Darling This article lists the characters in the four series and three special episodes of the British sitcom ''Blackadder''. '' Blackadder'' was notable for featuring actors playing many repeating characters across different eras of history, with Ro ...

from the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

sitcom '' Blackadder Goes Forth'' lived in Croydon with his girlfriend Doris. Darling was also a

wicket keeper The wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being watchful of the batsman and ready to take a catch, stump the batsman out and run out a batsman when occasion arises. Th ...

for the Croydon Gentlemen

cricket Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...

team. * Terry and June, the protagonists of the

sitcom of the same name, lived in Purley, a suburb of Croydon.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:People From Croydon, List of