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Famous People of Calderdale
Calderdale has been the home of countless
famous people over the centuries, from the time of Sir Thomas
Browne who wrote 'Religio Medici' while living in upper Shibden
Valley, to Daniel Defoe who wrote 'Robinson Crusoe' during his
stay in Halifax.
Lawrence Sterne, author of 'Tristram Shandy'
and 'A Sentimental Journey' also lived in Halifax for some years,
and Haugh End, Sowerby, is famous as the birthplace of Dr John
Tillotson (1630-1694), Archbishop of Canterbury. William Bramwell
Booth (1856-1929), son of General William Booth (1829-1912),
who founded the Salvation Army (1878), was also born in Halifax,
and took over the organising of the Salvation Army after his
father's death.
Well-known writers from Halifax include Bramwell
Evens who wrote the 'Romany' series of natural history books,
Sir Ted Hughes, OBE (1930-98), who was Poet Laureate (1984),
and Dr Phyllis Bentley, famous as a regional novelist. Two controversial
writers from Calderdale are Sir Bernard Ingham (born 1932), who
was Margaret Thatcher's chief press secretary when she was prime
minister, and afterwards wrote his memoirs 'Kill the Messenger'
(1991), and Judge James Pickles, whose books 'Straight From the
Bench' (1987) and 'Judge For Yourself' (1992) gave him the reputation
of a rebel in the legal field.
Two writers of detective fiction who made
a name for themselves were Maurice Procter and Dr Frank King,
while from Todmorden came the slightly eccentric William Holt,
who travelled with his horse 'Trigger.'
In the world of music Sir George Dyson, composer
of 'The Canterbury Pilgrims' and the famous tenor Walter Widdop
both came from Calderdale.
Three actors from Halifax were the film star
Eric Portman, who may be remembered from the film 'The 49th Parallel,'
Wilfred Pickles, actor of stage and screen and compere of 'Have
a Go,' and Barrie Ingham, who after acting in repertory played
in Shakespearean productions and later appeared in films and
on television.
A Halifax inventor whose chief product has
become known across the world was Percy Shaw. In his travels
by car he recognised the vital need for some form of illuminated
road markings and after many trials he perfected his reflecting
road studs which line the motorways in this and many other countries
making driving far safer as a result.
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