Famous People
Lake District famous people
The Lake District has numerous famous people, many of whome created what you see today, they left their mark on stateley homes and residences, botanical gardens and how the area is run, then there’s of course the Lake Poets renowned worldwide for their works.
Lake District famous Women
The Armitt Sisters who were Sophia, Annie Marie and Mary Louisa, were born and raised in Manchester.
Beatrix Potter was born on 28 July 1866 in London, she had a very lonely childhood as she was educated at home and even her younger brother, Bertram, was rarely at home as he was sent to boarding school.
Harriet Martineau who was the sixth of eight children in her family, was born in Norwich, England.
Lake District famous Men
Samuel Taylor Coleridge who was the youngest of ten children of the respected vicar Reverend John Coleridge, was born on 21 October 1772 in the rural town of Ottery St Mary in Devonshire.
W G Collingwood who was an author, artist, antiquary and was also Professor of Fine Arts at the Reading University, was born in Liverpool on 6 August 1854.
Millican Dalton or better known as the Professor of Adventure, was the son of a Quaker mine agent at Nenthead, Alston in Cumbria.
Thomas Mawson who was born at Scorton in Lancashire on 5 May 1861, was forced to work in the building trade with an uncle in Lancaster from the age of 12 due to his family’s poverty.
John Peel the famous huntsman, was born and died at Caldbeck in the Lakes.
John Wilkinson or “Iron Mad John” as he became known was born in Little Clifton near Workington in Cumbria in 1728.
Joseph Pocklington one of the Lake District’s famous eccentrics, was the son of a wealthy Nottinghamshire banker.
Arthur Ransome the well known author of Swallows and Amazons, was born in Leeds in 1884.
John Ruskin was born on 8 February 1819 in London, he first visited Keswick at the age of five years old and again briefly in 1826 for a three week holiday with his family.
Canon Hardwicke Rawnsley was one of ten children, was born on 29 September 1851 near Henley.
Robert Southey who was the son of a linen draper, was born in Bristol in 1774.
Hugh Walpole was the son of a Bishop, was born in New Zealand in 1884.
John Wilson was born in Paisley, he was also one of the greatest eccentrics to live in Cumbria.
Alfred Wainwright was born in Blackburn, Lancashire on 17 January 1907, was a guidebook author, British hillwalker and illustrator.
William Wordsworth was the second of five children born to John Wordsworth and Ann Cookson, was born in 1770 in Cockermouth in the Lake District.
Thomas Quincey, who is best known for his “Confessions of an English Opium Eater”, was born on 15 August 1785 in Manchester, England.
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