List of people from Portsmouth

• Charles Dickens – known for such works as Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities and The Pickwick Papers, was born in Portsmouth^[1]
• Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the Sherlock Holmes stories, practised as doctor in the city and played in goal for Portsmouth Association Football club, an amateur team not to be confused with the later professional Portsmouth Football Club^[2][3]
• Rudyard Kipling, poet and author of the Jungle Book^[4]
• H. G. Wells, author of War of the Worlds and The Time Machine, lived in Portsmouth during the 1880s^[5]
• Sir Walter Besant, a novelist and historian was born in Portsmouth,^[6] writing one novel set exclusively in the town, By Celia's Arbour, A Tale of Portsmouth Town^[7]
• Sir Francis Austen, brother of Jane Austen, briefly lived in the area after graduating from Portsmouth Naval Academy^[8]
• George Meredith grew up in Portsmouth High Street.^[9]
• Journalist and author Christopher Hitchens, who was born in the city^[10]
• Nevil Shute moved to Portsmouth in 1934 when he relocated his aircraft company to the city; his former home stands in the Eastney end of the island of Portsea^[11]
• Fantasy author Neil Gaiman grew up in nearby Purbrook and the Portsmouth suburb of Southsea, and in 2013 had a Southsea road named after his novel The Ocean At The End Of The Lane.^[12]
• Graham Hurley, whose Joe Faraday crime novels are based in the city.^[13][14]
• Maggie Sawkins, a long-term resident of Portsmouth won the 2013 Ted Hughes Award for New Work In Poetry, with her performance piece, Zones of Avoidance^[15]
• Isambard Kingdom Brunel, a famed engineer of the Industrial Revolution, was born in Portsmouth^[16][17]
• Marc Isambard Brunel worked for the Royal Navy and invented the world's first production line to mass manufacture pulley blocks for the rigging in Royal Navy vessels.
• James Callaghan, who was British prime minister from 1976 to 1979, was born and raised in Portsmouth.^[18][19]
• John Pounds, the founder of the ragged school, which provided free education to working class children, lived in Portsmouth and set up the country's first ragged school in the city.^[20]
• Hertha Ayrton, a scientist and Suffragette who was described as one of Portsmouth's "least known and celebrated figures", was born in Portsea.^[21]
• Sir Barry Cunliffe CBE, one of Britain's leading archaeologists and Emeritus Professor of European Archaeology at Oxford University, grew up in Portsmouth and attended Portsmouth Northern Grammar School.^[22]
• Sir John Armitt, CBE, FREng, the Chairman of the London 2012 Olympic Delivery Authority, grew up in Portsmouth and attended also Portsmouth Northern Grammar School. He graduated in civil engineering from the Portsmouth College of Technology in 1966.^[23]
• Sir Roger Fry, CBE, Honorary Doctor of Letters and Honorary Fellow of Trinity College Oxford, is now President of the Council of British International Schools and Founding Chairman of the King's Group of British International Schools. He was born in Portsmouth and educated at the Northern Grammar School and later at the University of London.^[24]
• Palaeographer Sir Frederic Madden was born in the city in 1801.^[25]
• Dame Frances Amelia Yates, DBE, a British historian was born in Victoria Road in Southsea.^[4][26]
• Peter Sellers, comedian, actor, and performer was born in Southsea,^[27]
• Arnold Schwarzenegger lived and trained in Portsmouth for a short time.^[28]
• Actress Emma Barton^[29]
• Bollywood actress Geeta Basra, who was born and raised in Portsmouth^[30][31]
• Stephen Marcus, actor, born in Portsmouth^[32]
• Marcus Patric, actor on Hollyoaks, was born in Portsmouth^[33]
• Actress Nicola Duffett, best known for her role on Family Affairs^[34]
• Alison Owen, film director, were also both born in the city.^[35]
• Ian Darke, football and boxing commentator currently working for BT Sport and previously one of Sky Sports' "Big Four" football commentators, was born in the city.^[36]
• Cryptozoologist Jonathan Downes was born and lived in Portsmouth for a time,^[37]
• William Tucker, trader in human heads, and New Zealand's first art dealer was also born in Portsmouth.^[38]
• Helen Duncan, the last person to be imprisoned under the 1735 Witchcraft Act in the UK was arrested in Portsmouth.^[39]
• Musician and songwriter Simon Heartfield^[40] hardcore artist DJ Hixxy,^[41]
• Roger Hodgson of Supertramp,^[42] progressive rock band Gentle Giant,^[43]
• Brian Howe, vocalist of Bad Company^[44]
• Mick Jones, founder of Foreigner, was born in Portsmouth^[45]
• Joe Jackson, musician and singer–songwriter grew up in the city^[46]
• Dillie Keane, songwriter, entertainer, founder of the comedy trio Fascinating Aïda, was born in Southsea^[47]
• Roland Orzabal from Tears For Fears grew up in the area.^[48]
• Bessie Cursons, 14-year-old musical theatre performer, who appeared on Britain's Got Talent in 2007 came from Portchester.^[49]
• Ben Falinski, singer in rock band Ivyrise was born and raised in Portsmouth.^[50]
• Michael East, a Commonwealth Games gold medal winning athlete^[51]
• Rob Hayles, cyclist and Olympic Games medal winner^[52]
• Tony Oakey, former British light-heavyweight boxing champion^[53]
• Alan Pascoe, an Olympic medallist, born in the city^[54]
• Sir Alec Rose, single-handed yachtsman^[55]
• Katy Sexton, former world champion swimmer who won gold in the 200 metres (660 ft) backstroke at the 2003 World Aquatics Championships in Barcelona^[56][57]
• Roger Black, an Olympic medallist, was also born in Portsmouth and attended the Portsmouth Grammar School,^[58]
• Amanda Holden, television presenter and actress^[59]
• Matt Edmondson, Radio 1 and Channel 4 presenter,^[60]
• Kim Woodburn of How Clean is Your House?.^[61]

References