• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Archive
    • London Blogs
  • Blog
  • Travel
    • London Theater Tickets
    • Shopping
    • Tips
    • Tours
    • Transport
    • Maps
    • Parks
    • Resources
    • Restaurants
    • Top 10 London
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Buildings
    • Food
    • London Books
    • Movies
    • Museums
    • Music
    • Pubs
  • Londonism
    • Reviews
    • Fun London
    • Iconic London
    • Life in London
    • London Realities
    • Moving to London
    • Politics
  • The Tube
  • London History
    • Great London Buildings
    • Great Londoners
  • Contact
  • Guidebooks
    • 101 London Travel Tips – Guidebook
    • 101 Free Things to do in London

Londontopia

The Website for People Who Love London

You are here: Home / Culture / 6 famous people with Wandsworth connections

6 famous people with Wandsworth connections

Mar 5, 2012 By Jonathan

1.     Clement Attlee

Clement Attlee
Clement Attlee

Attlee is arguably Wandsworth’s most famous son – as the NHS was created during his reign as prime minister from 1945 to 1951 he has certainly had a profound influence on the life of the borough. The former Labour Party leader was born in Putney in January 1883 and grew up in a house in Portinscale Road. A green plaque marks the spot where Attlee lived and honours the life of a man who helped mastermind the welfare state. In 2004 a MORI poll of 139 academics concluded that Attlee was the greatest British prime minister of the 20th century. The boy from Wandsworth did well.

2.   Tony Blair

Tony Blair
Tony Blair

Tony Blair is another former Labour prime minister with a Wandsworth connection. Blair shared a flat on Bramford Road, Wandsworth with a friend called Charlie Falconer when the chums were young barristers in the 1970s. Blair and Falconer must have got on famously as the Prime Minister later made his friend Lord Chancellor and put him in charge of the Millenium Dome – an appointment which resulted in Falconer being dubbed ‘Dome Secretary’.

3.   Margaret Rutherford

Margaret Rutherford
Margaret Rutherford

Stage and screen actress Margaret Rutherford was born in Balham, a neighbourhood in the borough of Wandsworth, in 1892. Despite appearing in acclaimed film adaptations of Blithe Spirit and The Importance of Being Earnest, she is probably most famous for playing the role of Miss Marple in the 1960s films based on Agatha Christie’s novels. The actress has had an area of Balham named after her – Margaret Rutherford Place – a fitting tribute to this doyen of post-war British films.

4.   Thomas Hardy

Thomas Hardy
Thomas Hardy

In 1878, when he was 38, this great British novelist and poet settled in Wandsworth; in the same year ‘The Return of the Native’ was published. Hardy spent much of his early days in Wandsworth travelling the short distance to the British Museum to gather research used in his book ‘The Trumpet Major’.

5.    Pete Townshend of The Who

Pete Townshend
Pete Townshend

Quintessential British rock band The Who recorded their classic album Quadrophenia at Wandsworth’s Ramport Studios in 1973. The studio was created by the band earlier in this decade when they sound-proofed a church in the area. Local legend has it that Who guitarist Pete Townshend met the mod pictured riding a scooter on Quadrophenia’s inner sleeve when he popped out for a packet of cigarettes during a break in recording. Other musicians to have walked through Rampart’s doorway include Thin Lizzy and the Sex Pistols. The studio is now Battersea Fields Medical Practice.

6.   Jack Dee

Jack Dee
Jack Dee

While most of the other celebrities on this list were merely born in Wandsworth or lived there briefly, comedian Jack Dee is living proof that some stars like Wandsworth so much that they never want to leave. Dee lives with his wife and children near Wandsworth Common – a place where he can frequently be spotted walking his dog. If you see Jack on the common I’m sure he’d appreciate a cheery wave!

jonathan
Author: jonathan

Jonathan is a consummate Anglophile who launched Anglotopia.net in 2007 to channel his passion for Britain. Londontopia is its sister publication dedicated to everything London.

close

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Share this:

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Pocket

Filed Under: Culture, History, Life in London Tagged With: cosmetic dentistry treatments, dental, Ethicare, Inman Aligner, Invisalign, Wandsworth

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

About jonathan

Jonathan is a consummate Anglophile who launched Anglotopia.net in 2007 to channel his passion for Britain. Londontopia is its sister publication dedicated to everything London.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. stacey says

    Apr 17, 2013 at 5:35 am

    I am absolutly heartbroken to hear that coucil are closing down one oclock centres across london.
    It is such a shame to be honest, It is certainly not just a place for kids to play but also a support line for parents and carers all over.Im sure many mums across london right now are worried of what they will have to resort to doing with their children on a day to day basis. As well as a place for mums to unwindand share stresses it also had its educational side to fun, educational play for the kids.

    The excuse of closure being that they the council need more spaces for childcare for toddlers, which dosent make much sense considering there are literally 4-5 nurserys for toddlers in each area not mentioning schools, it discusts me that the council have decided to close our one oclock clubs as their is not much of an alternative for mums these days.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Get the Anglotopia/Londontopia App

Our Advertisers

If you are a mobile gamer, you may want to take a look at UK’s new mobile casinos and slots reviewed by NewCasinoUK.

Join the London Forum

  • Mudlarking
  • MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN LONDON
  • What's Your Favorite Place in London?
  • Paddington Station

London Guide

  • Ten Cheap Things You Can Do in London on a Budget
  • Ten London Exhibitions to Look Forward to in 2023
  • London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission
  • Trip Planning: Top 10 Exhibitions To Plan Your 2018 Trips to London Around
  • London Guide: Our Favorite Restaurants in London – London Restaurant Recommendations for Americans – What’s Your Favorite?

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Support Londontopia

Search our Extensive Archive

Top 10 London

  • Ten Unusual Exhibits to See in London
  • London Pubs: Ten Thameside Pubs for a Pint and a View
  • Top 10 London: Ten More Things to Do Along the River Thames
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Shopping Centers in London
  • Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haggerston
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haringey
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Redbridge
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hillingdon
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Canonbury

Recent Posts

  • What’s On in London Events for February 2023
  • Only Fools And Horses musical to close in West End after four years
  • Artist Ai Weiwei to launch first design-focused exhibition at London’s Design Museum
  • London Travel Alert: Staff at British Museum to walk out during half-term break
  • Poet Lemn Sissay ‘over the moon’ to receive Freedom of the City of London
  • English Heritage has unveiled six new blue plaques for London
  • National Portrait Gallery to reopen in June with two special exhibitions
  • Exploring The Cosmic House in London
  • Ten Social Media Accounts to Follow for Londonphiles
  • New Royal Academy Exhibition: Treasures from Spain and the Hispanic World

Best Posts on Londontopia

  • 101 London Travel Tips
  • Top 100 London Attractions
  • How to Find the Cheapest Airfares to London
  • 10 Things NOT to do in London
  • Best London Guidebooks
  • 101 Free Things to do in London
  • London Lingo – A London Word Dictionary
  • Top 7 Tips for Doing London on the Cheap
  • Top 11 Myths American Believe about London
  • Guide to Eating in London
  • Best Times of Year to Travel to London
  • London Packing Tips
  • Top 11 Movies Set in London
  • Top Attractions off the Tourist Track
  • Top 5 Most Amazing London Hotels
  • Top 10 Hostels in London
  • Best Views in London Restuarants
  • London Taxi Ettiquette
  • Top 12 London Views
  • Great Fire of London
  • A Guide to Five of London’s Bridges
  • 10 Random Facts and Figures about Trafalgar Square
  • Top 100 British Slang Words

London Places to Explore

Bloomsbury Buckingham Palace Canary Wharf City of London Covent Garden Cutty Sark Greenwich Hampstead Hampton Court Palace Heathrow Houses of Parliament Hyde Park Imperial War Museum Islington Kensington Kensington Palace Leicester Square London London Eye London Transport Museum Museum of London National Gallery Notting Hill Piccadilly Circus Putney Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Regent's Street Royal Academy Selfridges Somerset House Southbank Southwark St Pancras St Paul's Cathedral Tate Britain Tate Modern The City Tower Bridge Tower of London Trafalgar Square V&A Wandsworth West End Westminster Westminster Abbey

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Recent Videos

Walk Around London Virtually Right Now – Watched Walker is the YouTube Channel We All Need Right Now

Jason Hawkes Shares a Beautiful Video of London From Above That We All Need Right now

London Tube: You’ve Got to Watch This Amazing Mesmerizing Animation That Shows the Real Geography of the London Underground

Video: The Basics of Crossrail – London’s New Underground Line

London History: The Place Where Old London Double Decker Buses Went to Die

London Video: A Look at the Great Smog of London

Tube and London bus fares to rise by nearly 6% from March

What is Crossrail 2 and What is Its Current Status?

London Alert: Strike by London Underground workers to go ahead after last-minute talks fail

London Mayor hails Elizabeth line as direct routes and Sunday services begin

Elizabeth line fully opens and offers more direct journeys

Tube poet encourages writers to ‘bring who they are to the field’

Footer

About Londontopia

Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!

When We’re in London Next

We don’t currently have any travel plans to London but hope to visit at some point in 2021.

  • SEO Backlinks
  • Travel Blog

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Copyright © 2023 Anglotopia, LLC · Website Developed by Anglotopia, LLC · Log in