This is a list of people from the city of Southend-on-Sea, England who have become known notable in different roles and professions. The list also contains the people who have been awarded the freedom of the city. Southend-on-Sea is located in the county of Essex, 40 miles from London.
Notable people
Shenda Amery, sculpturer David Amess (1952–2021), British politician and local MP who was murdered in 2021; Southend was named a city in his honour. Jasmine Armfield, actress Sir Edwin Arnold (1832–1904), poet and journalist, writer of The Light of AsiaThe Feast of Belshazzar: A Prize Poem Recited in the Theatre, Oxford, June 23 1852, Francis Macpherson, Oxford David Atkinson, politician Trevor Bailey (1923–2011), cricketer John Barber (1919–2004), former finance director of Ford of Europe & managing director of British Leyland Fred Barnes (1885–1938), singer Mathew Baynton, musician, writer, actor Bishop James Bellord (1846–1905), Vicar Apostolic of Gibraltar and Titular Bishop of Milevum"Bishop Bellord", The American Ecclesiastical Review, Vol. 33, (Herman Joseph Heuser, ed.), Catholic University of America Press, 1905, p. 181 David Bellos, professor/translator Angie Best, model and ex-wife of George Best Brinn Bevan, artistic gymnast James Booth (1927–2005), actorThe Hadleigh and Thundersley Community Archive Retrieved 21 October 2016. James Bourne, musician, singer Busted Tim Bowler, children's author Kevin Bowyer, concert organist Bernard Braine, Baron Braine of Wheatley (1915–2000), politician, died in Southend. Rosina Brandram (1845–1907), opera singer and actress Gary Brooker (1945–2022), lead singer of The Paramounts and Procol Harum Dave Brown, comedian and actor Robert Williams Buchanan (1841–1901), Scottish poet, buried in St John's Church, Southend Gustav Burton, racing driver Cameron Carter-Vickers (born 1997), footballer who played for the United States national team Dean Chalkley, photographer Aidan Chambers, author Jeannie Clark, former professional wrestling manager Brian Cleeve (1921–2003), author and broadcasterBurke, Sir Bernard, Burke's Irish family records, Burke's Peerage, 1976 Dick Clement, screenwriter Dorothy Coke (1897–1979), artist Eric Kirkham Cole (1901–1966), founder of EKCOOxford Dictionary of National Biography: Cole, Eric Kirkham by Rowland F. Pocock Peter Cook, architect Phil Cornwell, actor and impressionist Tina Cousins, singer Gemma Craven, actress Rosalie Cunningham, singer-songwriter-multi-instrumentalist Matthew Cutler, ballroom dancer Danielle Dax, musician, actress and performance artist Warwick Deeping (1877–1950), author Richard de Southchurch, knight and landowner. Andy Ducat (1886–1942), cricketer, footballer. Sam Duckworth, musician Mike Edmonds, actor Warren Ellis, novelist and comic writer Nathalie Emmanuel, actress Digby Fairweather, jazz musician, author, founder of the National Jazz Archive. Mark Foster, swimmer John Fowles (1926–2005), author Becky Frater, first female helicopter commander in the Royal Navy and female member of the Black Cats display team John Georgiadis(1939–2021), violinist, conductor for Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra Edward Greenfield (1928–2015) chief music writer in The Guardian from 1977 to 1993 and biographer of Andre Previn Benjamin Grosvenor, pianist Daniel Hardcastle, author Roy Hay, musician with Culture Club Joshua Hayward, guitarist for The Horrors William Heddle (1847–1948), Supreme Bishop of the Peculiar People 1901-1942 John Hodge (1929–2021), aerospace engineer John Horsley (1920–2014), actor John Hutton, politicianRichard Northedge "Hutton dressed as lamb?", The Daily Telegraph, 22 July 2007 Dominic Iorfa, football player Colin Ireland (1954–2012), serial killer Wilko Johnson (1947–2022), singer, guitarist and songwriter; Game of Thrones actor Daniel Jones, musician, producer R. A. Jones (1849–1925), jeweller and town benefactor Phill Jupitus, comedian Mickey Jupp, musician Russell Kane, comedian Laura Keeble, artist Murray David Maitland Keddie (1929–2018), owner of Keddies, founder of Essex Radio and former High Sheriff of Essex. Dominic Littlewood, TV presenter David Lloyd, tennis player John Lloyd, tennis player Robert Lloyd, opera singer Ron Martin, Southend United chairman, 1998-2024 Frank Matcham (1854–1920), English theatre designer, retired and died in Southend Lee Mead, musical theatre actor Jon Miller (1921–2008), TV presenter Helen Mirren, actress Jack Monroe, blogger, campaigner Peggy Mount (1915–2001), actressHayward, Anthony. "Obituary – Peggy Mount", The Independent, 14 November 2001, p. 6 Tris Vonna Michell, artist Maajid Nawaz, former Islamist activist who now campaigns against extremism Julian Okai, English footballer Michael Osborne, first-class cricketer Ron Pember (1934–2022), actor Annabel Port, broadcaster Stephen Port, serial killer Spencer Prior, footballer Lara Pulver, actress Roy Walter Purdy (died 1982), propaganda broadcaster and informer at ColditzBritish Military & Criminal History 1900 to 1999 Rachel Riley, Countdown co-presenter Simon Schama, historian / TV presenter Clement Scott (1841–1904), theatre critic Anne Stallybrass (1938–2021), actress Vivian Stanshall (1943–1995), musicianVivian Stanshall: Essex Teenager to Renaissance Man (1994), BBC Radio 4 Sam Strike, actor Ruby Tandoh, baker"My perfect weekend: Ruby Tandoh, Great British Bake Off finalist" , The Daily Telegraph, 4 November 2013. Keith Taylor (1953–2022), politician Peter Taylor, footballer and football manager Theoretical Girl, singer-songwriter Steve Tilson, footballer and football manager, voted Southend United's greatest ever player Kara Tointon, actress Hannah Tointon, actress Robin Trower, rock-blues guitarist L. C. Tyler, author Clive Uptton (1911–2006), illustrator attended Southend Art College Gary Vandermolen, footballer Benjamin Waugh (1839–1908), campaigner and founder of NSPCC, buried at Sutton Road cemetery David Webb, football manager Paul Webb, musician, bassist for Talk Talk Rhys "Spider" Webb, bassist of The Horrors Toby Whithouse, actor and screenwriter Michael Wilding (1912–1979), actor David Witts, actor C. R. Alder Wright (1844–1894), scientist - founder of the Royal Institute of Chemistry and inventor of Heroin Ian Yearsley, local historian and author"Ingatestone & Fryerning: A History" by Ian Yearsley, p.1 Nothing But Thieves, musicians
Freedom of the city The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the City, or the previous awarded Freedom of the Borough of Southend-on-Sea.
Individuals
Military Units The 3rd Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment: 1964 1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment: 17 June 2010. Royal Air Force No.54 Reserve Squadron: 2016
References