Alan Plater - Playwright.

Amy Johnson - Female pilot.
Daughter of a fish merchant - the world's most famous female pilot was born in Kingston upon Hull, England in 1903. Amy set off alone on May 5th 1930 aged twenty-six from Croydon on a nineteen day journey to Darwin in a single engined Gypsy Moth plane she called Jason. Making her the first solo female pilot to fly from Britain to Australia. She was the first female ground engineer to be licensed by the Air Ministry and was awarded the C.B.E for her achievements in aviation.

Andrew Marvell - Poet. Born in Winestead-in-Holderness in 1621. He spent his childhood in the town of Hull where he attended Grammar School before attending Trinity College Cambridge. He was a friend of John Milton who recommended him for the post of Assistant Latin Secretary to the Council of State which he took up in 1957. Marvell died in 1678 before most of his poetry was published and is commemorated by a statue in the Old Market Place.

Andy Newton-Lee - Actor.
Former Malet Lambert School pupil Andy plays the part of Robbie in the Channel Four soap Hollyoaks. Andy also appeared as Candice's pizza delivering boyfriend Liam Strong in Coronation Street in 2003. 

Arthur Lucan - Performer.
Created the eccentric Old Mother Riley character famous from 1930's to 1950's. Arthur Lucan died while waiting in the wings at Hull's Tivoli Theatre. Lucan is buried in Hull's Eastern cemetery.

Beautiful South (The) - Folk/Pop Group.
Lived down Grafton Street in Hull.
See also Paul Heaton

Billy Bremner - Football player
In 1976 Billy Bremner, a former Leeds and Scotland player signed up to play for hull City at the age of 33 before moving on to Doncaster in 1977.

Brian Rix - Actor and Author.
Brian Rix was born in Cottingham on the outskirts of Hull on January 24th 1924. He moved to Hornsea - an East Coast seaside town - when he was four. He became an actor when he was eighteen and served in the RAF during the war. He then volunteered to join the Bevin Boy scheme which was a scheme for the call-up of young men to work in the coal mines to keep the war effort going. He formed his own theatre company in 1947. He became trustee of the Theatre of Comedy Company, served on the Arts Council of Great Britain and became Chairman of the Monitoring Committee on Arts and Disabled People. He was awarded the CBE in 1977 and knighted in 1986. In 1980 Lord Rix became Secretary then Chairman of the National Society for Mentally Handicapped Children and Adults and then President of the Royal Society. He became a Life Baron in 1992. Brian Rix is author of two biographies, Farce About Face and My Farce From My Elbow as well as other works.

Clive Sullivan - Rugby League player and Great Britain captain. Played for Great Britain in the World Cup twice in 1968, 1972 and for Wales in 1975. He was the first British player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup match. Scored possibly the most famous try in the history of the World Cup to level 10-10 against Australia after a length of the field run. Has had the Hessle to Hull Clive Sullivan's Way named after him.

Daniel Bryan - Big Brother Contestant in 2004.
Dan studied music at Riley College on Anlaby Road, Hull and was also a member of a band called Factor 15. He said on the Channel 4 show that he did not want to win Big Brother because where he comes from [Hull] people do not like winners. He got his wish and came third after Jason who was runner-up  and Polish transsexual Nadia - who won the show with a massive majority. Dan works as a hairdresser in Ashoka, Hull and is hoping to make it with his electro-pop group Ice House who played alongside Blue and Steps at Foxy and Tom's Feel The Noise event in 2002.

David Whitfield - Recording star of the 1950's.
David was born in Kingston-upon-Hull February  2nd 1925. He sang as a choir boy and joined the Royal Navy at the age of seventeen where he discovered his popularity as a singer. After leaving the Navy David worked as a labourer until he found fame by appearing on Hughie Green's Opportunity Knocks on Radio Luxembourg in 1950. Not long after, he gained a recording contract with Decca scoring a string of top ten hits between 1954 and 1956 such as Santo Natale, Beyond The Stars, Mama, When You Lose The One You Love, My September Love, Adoration Waltz, and Cara Mia written by and accompanied by Mantovani - Cara Mia was a number one hit in 1954 - and the first major US hit for a British artist. It made David the first British male singer to achieve a million seller in the US and the first British male singer be awarded a Golden disc. David appeared on the Ed Sullivan's Toast of the Town in New York's City Radio and appeared at three Royal command performances at the London Palladium in 1954. Following his chart career David performed in stage musicals such as The Desert Song. He recorded I'll Find You - the title track for Joan Collin's and Richard Burton's movie Sea Wife. He died while on tour in Australia in 1980 aged 54.

Debra Stephenson - Actress.
Debra was born in New Zealand and grew up in Hull. She won Opportunity Knocks aged fifteen before attending drama school in Manchester. has appeared in shows such as Playing The Field in 1997, Midsomer Murders, Mad About Alice and her best known role as Shell Dock in ITV's Bad Girls for which she received two nominations for the National Television Awards for most popular actress. Debra won the 2002 Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes singing Kylie Minogue's "Can't Get You Out Of My Head" in 2004. More recently Debra has joined the cast of Coronation Street playing Frankie Baldwin - the wife of Mike Baldwin's long lost nephew Danny (Bradley Walsh). In March 2005 Debra took part in Fame Academy does Comic Relief coming fifth out of thirteen students.

Emma Rugg - Successful solo singer.
Recently appeared on ITV's Late Attitude. Is making a name for herself here and in America. Album Isolated Impression was released in 2003. 

Everything But The Girl - Pop Group.
Studied at the University in Hull and took their name from a furniture shop of the same name on Beverley Road.

Fat Boy Slim (AKA) Norman Cook - DJ.
Born Quentin Cook he later changed his name to Norman Cook. Norman was the Bass Guitarist in the Hull band The House Martins. After The House Martins split Norman formed Beats International who had a few hits in the early nineties. He then reinvented himself as remixer, producer and became the best known DJ in the world - Fat Boy Slim - with a string of hit singles and albums.

Fila Brazilia - Musicians

Fine Young Cannibals - Pop Group.
Hits include Johnny Come Home See Roland Gift.

Flash Flanagan - See Peter (Flash Flanagan)

Fonda 500 - Musicians

Fred Karno - Producer.
Karno produced comedy shows in Hull and brought some of the biggest spectacles in Europe to the city up until the first world war. He discovered the comedy talents of Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin. Laurel and Hardy visited Hull in 1947 and performed twice nightly at the New Theatre.

Gay-Yee Westerhoff - Classical Musician.
Gay-Lee Westerhoff from Hull, plays the cello in the best selling string quartet ever with over two million album sales in just two years. Dubbed the Classical Spice Girls - Bond comprises of Haylie Ecker (First Violin), Eos Chater (Second Violin), Tania Davies (Viola) and Gay-Yee Westerhoff (cello).

Gerald Thomas - Film Director.
Born in Hull on December 10th 1920. Thomas trained to be a doctor but in 1948 after serving in the army during the second world war joined Denham Studios where he worked as assistant editor on Laurence Olivier's Hamlet. He then went on to edit several films including Doctor in the House. He became a film director in 1956 and began his partnership with Peter Rogers - a scriptwriter who had worked for Rank - on the film Time Lock. This successful partnership went on to make the Carry on films - one of the most successful series of comedy films in the history of British cinema. The series ran from the 1958 Carry on Sergeant to the 1992 Carry on Columbus. Thomas died on November 9th 1993.

Gill Adams - Playwright.

Housemartins (The) - Folk/Pop Group.
Singer Paul Heaton, Guitarist Stan Cullimore, Drummer Hugh Whitaker and Bassist Ted Key and later Norman Cook (AKA Fatboy Slim). Paul Heaton placed the following in the small ads; "Trombonist seeks street musicians around the city". His first reply was from Stan Cullimore - a math's student at the Hull University who had played in several bands on Hull's pub circuit. This was the beginning of The Housemartins. Later Hull bassist Ted Key and Hull drummer Hugh Whittaker joined the band. They big break came from the BBC's The Old Grey Whistle Test then from Radio One DJ John Peel who invited them to play a session on his show in July 1985. Ted Key was later replaced by Norman Cook. The Housemartins had a number three hit with Happy Hour then when they released their debut album called London 0 Hull 4 this also went to number three selling one million copies worldwide. Their most successful single was an a cappella style version of Isley Jasper's Caravan of Love which went to number one. They won the Best British Newcomer award at the Brit Awards in 1987. In the same year Hugh Whittaker left the band and was replaced by Dave Hemmingway. The desire to move in different directions - Paul Heaton wanted to move into jazz-pop and Norman Cook wanted to explore dance music - resulted in the band breaking up in 1988. See Also Paul Heaton and The Beautiful South

Ian Moor - Chris De Burgh Impersonator
Ian won the 1999 final of Stars In Their Eyes with 501,868 votes (more than 200,000 votes more than the runner up).  Ian also won the champion of champions final in the same year.

JD Adams - up-and-coming Hull girl vocalist.
JD Adams is the latest in a wave of musical talent emerging from Hull. She has already won several talent competitions around Hull and she won the Northern Star Search in Wakefield in 2004. She is managed by Hull's McLeod Holden Agency and she is tipped for the top.

Jimmy Binks - County cricket wicket-keeper.
Binks was born in Hull on October 5th 1935. He achieved his highest score of ninety-five in 1964 against Middlesex at Lord's. In 1960 he took 96 catches in the England season - a record that stands to this day. He played in every Yorkshire championship match during his fourteen year career and played for England twice.

Joe Longthorne - Singer, Entertainer.
Joe was born on May 31st 1955. Although Joe comes from a family of Gypsies he lived his younger life at the family home at Wilford Terrace on Hessle Road, Kingston-upon-Hull. Joe who is dyslexic and deaf in one ear attended Sydney Smith High School in Anlaby. He has been performing in talent shows since the age of four and appeared on Junior Showtime between 1970 and 1971 when in his early teens. His success followed his appearance on The TV series Search for a Star in 1981. In 1983 Joe won the Most Promising Artiste of the Year from the Variety Club of Great Britain. He has appeared on Royal Variety Performances and his own TV show ran for several years. His Live in Concert video reached number one in the charts in 1994 and A Man and His Music video entered the chart at number one in 1996. Joe is a brilliant mimic and his impersonation of Shirley Bassey is probably his best known impression and he is a great singer in his own right. Joe has several Platinum Disc albums.

John Alderton - Actor.
Appeared in the television drama series Upstairs Downstairs and played the teacher in the television comedy series Please Sir.

John Cambridge - Drummer
John Cambridge played with The Hullaballoos in 1965. He joined the Hull group The Rats in 1967 before leaving to join a band called Junior's Eyes in in 1969 who were called up to back David Bowie for live concerts and recorded some BBC sessions under the name David Bowie and Junior's Eyes. Band members included John Cambridge (drums), John Lodge (bass), Mick Wayne (guitar) and Tim Renwick (guitar). The band took on a new name - Hype with Tony Visconti replacing John Lodge who went on to produce Marc Bolan's TREX - it was at around this time that John Cambridge suggested that Hull's Mick Ronson his old band mate from The Rats should become the bands lead guitarist. Soon after this John left the band and was replaced by Mick Woodmansey. John has been credited with introducing David Bowie to Mick Ronson which contributed to Bowie's success. In 1969 John played on Bowie's Space Oddity and in 1970 on The Man Who Sold The World also in 1970 John played alongside Tony Visconti, Rick Wakeman and Marc Bolan on a track called Oh Baby by Dib Cochran and The Earwigs.

John Godber - Playwright.

John Prescott - Ex-Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and Deputy Prime Minister.
John Prescott was born in Prestatyn, North Wales in 1938. He began work as a trainee chef then worked as a steward in the Merchant Navy. He gained a BSc in Economics and Economic History at the University of Hull and was elected Labour Member of Parliament for Hull East in 1970. John was elected Deputy Leader of the Labour Party in 1994 and became Deputy Prime Minister and First Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions following the Labour Party's election in 1997.

Karen Briggs - World Judo Champion.
In 1981 a seventeen year old Karen Briggs from Bransholme in Hull won her first full international cap for Judo after being selected to represent Great Britain in Madrid. The Mighty Atom as she became known, went on to win five European titles, the Japanese championship and four world championships. Karen now teaches Judo to school children with her husband Peter Inman.

Kingmaker - Musicians

Kirsty Williams - Stars in their Eyes Susan Maughan impersonator.
Thirteen year old Kirsty from Hull came second in ITV's Stars in Their Eyes Kids 2004 with 52,470 votes as Susan Maughan. It looked like she might have won right until the last vote when thirteen year old Paul Cathelwaite as Michael Jackson polled 61,877 votes for his convincing Michael Jackson performance.

Liam Mower - Actor and Dancer.
Liam was only twelve years old when he was chosen from more than three thousand hopefuls to become one of three boys to take it in turns to play of Billy Elliot in the musical version of the hit film. The musical opened at the Victoria Palace Theatre, in London, in May 2005 and its score was composed by Sir Elton John. Liam joined the Royal Ballet School with a scholarship.

Maureen Lipman - Comedy actress.
Born  May 10 1946 in Hull, England. Daughter of a Jewish tailor she was pushed into the acting world by her mother. She studied at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art. She made her acting debut in 1969 in The Knack. She played Beatie in the British Telecom advertisements. Was in Up The Junction in 1967. In 1979 she played alongside Simon Williams in the ITV comedy series Agony. Maureen played Rovers Return Manageress Lillian Spencer in Coronation Street. She has also written several books including How Was it For You? and Lip Reading. Maureen was awarded the CBE by the Queen in 1999.

Michelle Dewberry - Candidate on TV's The Apprentice
Although Michelle now lives in London she is from Hull. She used to be a check-out girl but went on to become a Telecoms Consultant and manage global projects at the age of 24.

.Mick Ronson - Musician.
Born in Hull, England on May 26 1946. Mick Ronson influenced by The Yardbird's Jeff Beck played in a number of Hull bands - his first at the age of seventeen was called the Mariners others were The Cresters, The King Bees, Voice, Wanted and then The Rats who appeared on TV's Thank Your Lucky Stars. Mick returned to Hull were he worked as a council gardener. In 1968 he founded the band Ronno with Trevor Bolder and Mick Woodmansey. He later became the lead guitarist of David Bowie's group The Spiders from Mars after being introduced to Bowie by Tony Visconti and Bowie's then drummer John Cambridge. (Although some believe that it was Gus Dudgeon who introduced the pair). He scored many of Bowie's tracks and played on five of his albums between 1969 and 1973. He did the arrangements for around half the tracks on the 1971 Hunky Dory LP including string arrangements for Life on Mars and Changes and in 1972 he co-arranged the entire LP The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars and performed all the keyboard parts as well as lead Guitar. Also in 1972 Mick co-arranged and co-mixed the album Aladdin Sane as well as playing guitar, piano and vocals.
     Mick played on and co-wrote Lou Reed's transformer. He embarked on a solo career - with Tony DeFries as his manager and RCA as his record label and released his Slaughter on 10th Avenue album in 1974. In September 1974 he Joined Mott the Hoople replacing Ariel Bender who had quit before a European Tour. Mick later became part of the supergroup that played on Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour in 1975 and in 1976 he performed on Dylan's live album Hard Rain. Also in 1976 he played on a David Cassidy album. Also in 1976 Mick recorded material with the new Mick Ronson Band that was finally remixed and released in 1999 under the name Just Like This. 
     Ronson played with Bowie again in 1983 on the Song Jean Genie at the Serious Moonlight Concert. He continued to collaborate with Mott the Hoople front man Ian Hunter and released a joint Album YUI Orta. He produced Morrissey's album Your Arsenal in 1992. In 1993 he played on Cream's I Feel Free track on Bowie's Black Tie White Noise album.
     In 1991 Mick returned to England from Sweden (where he had produced a few bands) to take up an offer of his first solo tour since the seventies. Sadly this tour never happened - after complaining of constant back pain, Mick's sister Maggi insisted that he see a doctor. Mick was diagnosed as having inoperable liver cancer and died at the age of 46 in April 1993 while working on his third and last solo album Heaven and Hull which includes the live All The Young Dudes from Ronson, Bowie and Queen's performance at the Freddy Mercury Tribute Concert. The album contains songs that Mick had written in his last years and includes contributions by David Bowie, Ian Hunter, Chrissie Hynde. It was released a year after his death.
     "The Spiders From Mars... sort of got me the kind of fame I had in the early Seventies. The lead guitarist for that band was Mick Ronson and unfortunately, tragically, he succumbed to cancer 3 or 4 days ago... and in his passing I want to say that of all the early seventies guitar players Mick was probably one of the most influential and profound and I miss him a lot" - Bowie on the Arsenio Show (1993).
     In a unanimous verdict by the Hull City Council Technical Services Committee in November 1994, a new road in a development at Greatfield Estate will be called Ronson Close. The road is in the same estate where Mick grew up.
In 1997 The Mick Ronson Memorial Concert II was held in Hull marking the opening of the Mick Ronson Memorial Stage in Queen's Gardens, Hull.

See also Mick Woodmansey, The Spiders From Mars and Trevor Bolder.

Mick Woodmansey - Drummer
Mick "Woody" Woodmansey was born in Driffield, England. A member of Bowie's Spiders from Mars in the early seventies, Mick played on Hunky Dory, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and Aladdin Sane (1972). Woody played on Dana Gillispie's album Weren't Born as a Man and Joined Mick Ronson's band with Mike Garson and Andy Dunbar. He joined the re-formed The Spiders from Mars in 1975 and released an album of the same name with Trevor Bolder, Mike Garson, Dave Black taking Ronson's place on lead guitar, and Pete McDonald on vocals. In 1976 he formed a band called Woody Woodmansey's U-boat. The album of the same name includes lots of references to Bowie.
See also The Spiders From Mars, Trevor Bolder and Mick Ronson.

Norman Collier - Comic.

Paul Denman - Bassist.
Bassist for Sade in the early eighties. Hits include Your Love is King and Smooth Operator.

Paul Heaton - Singer.
Lead Singer with The Beautiful South. Paul was born on the Wirral, Merseyside May 9 1962 he moved to Sheffield in 1966 then to Chipstead, Surrey due to his fathers promotion. Paul formed his first band Tools Down in 1977.  He was inspired by the Sex Pistols, The Jam and most critically The Clash for their political stance. Paul met Norman Cook (Then called Quentin Cook and now known as Fat Boy Slim) at Redhill Technical College and along with two other friends formed a new band called The Stomping Pond Frogs  but the band split at the end of their studies. In the early eighties Paul moved to Hull where he placed the following in the small ads; "Trombonist seeks street musicians around the city". His first reply was from Stan Cullimore - a math's student at the Hull University who had played in several bands on Hull's pub circuit. This was the beginning of The Housemartins who's best known hit was an a cappella style version of Isley Jasper's Caravan of Love which went to number one. After The Housemartins split Heaton formed The Beautiful South.
See Also The Housemartins and The Beautifu South

Peter (Flash) Flanagan - Former Hull Kingston Rovers Player. Known locally as Flash Flanagan, Peter made over four hundred appearances for Hull Kingston Rovers. He also played for Yorkshire and played as hooker for Great Britain fourteen times from 1962 onwards. After retiring from the game he became Landlord of Hull's King William Hotel from 1980 to 1990. Flash died at the age of 65 on January the 8th 2007 and his coffin was carried through the Craven Park tunnel by his fellow players onto the pitch where he was paid tribute by hundreds of his fans. 

Philip Larkin - Poet.
Larkin was a Poet and Librarian at Hull University

Pippa Fulton - Musician.
Pippa Gabrielle Fulton was born in Hull on 26th June 1982. When she was six years old she enrolled at The Annette Burley School of Dance. In 1996 Pippa entered a karaoke competition on the Oriana where she performed Madonna's Crazy For You. Pippa left dance school at the age of fourteen to joined a band called Zulu who became well known in Hull's pub scene. She passed all ten GCSE's  then went on to study performing arts at Hull College's Riley Centre where she achieved an A level in Theatre Studies, a B.Tech National Diploma in Performing Arts and an H.N.D. in Theatre Arts. In 2000, Zulu split so Pippa decided to front her own show called Wyke Street this comprised of two male dancers and Pippa on vocals. Two years later when she was due to begin a university degree Wyke Street split up.

Pippa was one of only twelve people to be selected from thousands for the BBC's Fame Academy programme and was approached by dance label Serious within moments of leaving the programme. She released her first single Aerosmith's Independent Day soundtrack "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" in April 2003. Shenia Twain said of Pippa "You have beautiful dynamics in your voice, powerful yet controlled" and Robbie Williams said "You've got a brilliant  voice... good luck, you're the future!". Pippa toured with the sell out Fame Academy Tour  - she has also done well in the American charts. Pippa was chosen to join a new girl band called Trueflo in 2004.

Rats (The) - Pop Group
The Rats appeared on TV's Thank Your Lucky Stars and had moderate success with a few singles between 1967 and 1968 and an album called The Rise and Fall of Bernie Gripplestone and The Rats From Hull that was re-released in 1998. The Rats included Mick Ronson later of the  Spiders from Mars, Woody Woodmansey, John Cambridge and Rick Kemp. Cambridge is said to have introduced Bowie and Ronson in 1970 although some believe it was Gus Dudgeon. The Rats split after a financially disastrous tour of France. See also The Spiders from Mars

Reece Shearsmith - Comedy Actor

Reece was born in 1969 and grew up in Hull. At school Reece tried to be funny to make the bad boys like him. He is known for his part in the hit television comedy - The League of Gentlemen. 

Roland Gift - Singer.
Singer from The Fine Young Cannibals. Hits include Johnny Come Home. Also had a big hit with Elvis Presley's Suspicious Minds. Roland studied drama at the Hull Community Theatre Workshop where someone suggested he should have singing lessons. Roland used to play the saxophone and as a singer was influenced by Otis Reading after his neighbour gave him three Otis Reading albums saying listening to Otis made her cry. He released a couple of singles while in a band called The Acrylics playing mainly punk and Reggie. They were invited to tour with The Beat (Who's hits included Mirror In The Bathroom) after The Acrylic's keyboard player gave them one of their demos to listen to while they were playing in Hull. The Fine Young Cannibals were formed after the Acrylics split and The Beat split then Roland received a call asking if he fancied coming to Birmingham to try out with Ex Beat members Dave and Andy. His big break came on The TV music show The Tube were the Cannibals performed Johnny. Phone lines jammed with people asking who is that great new group? The Cannibals became big in the States with their album The Raw and the Cooked. They won two Brit awards in 1990 and famously handed them back in protest against Margaret Thatcher's appearance at the awards. Roland starred in the movie Sammy and Rosy Get Laid and had a big part in Scandal. In 1990 he played Romeo at the Hull Truck Theatre. He is now pursuing a Solo Career. See also Fine Young Canibals

Roxanne Cooper - Pop Star.
Former Newland School for Girls pupil Roxanne was born on the 6th November 1986 in Hull. In 2003 she reached a respectable sixth place in ITV's Pop Idol programme  - losing by only seventy-five votes to Suzanne. Roxanne won her place on the series by auditioning with Donna Summer's hit - Hot Stuff. The judges were split - Neil Fox said "I would have said no Roxanne - sorry". Nicky Chapman said, "I'm gonna say yes". Pete Waterman said, "No" and Simon Cowell said, "Oh dear Roxanne", pausing - before continuing with, "You've got more nerves ahead of you 'cause you're through...". Spawning Roxanne's now famous line of, "Oh MY GOD!". On Christmas day 2003 Roxanne was riding high as part of "The Idols", (The top twelve contestants of Pop Idol) with their rendition of John Lennon's Happy Christmas (War is Over) hitting number five in the Christmas charts. She studied at The Hull College musical theatre and also attended Stage Struck on Beverley Road where she received singing lessons. She also attended the Julie Hames School of Dance on Spring Bank. Before appearing on Pop Idol she sang on the Hull pub scene.  Read more on Roxanne Cooper

Ronald Magill - Actor
Ronald was born in Hull and played the part of Amos Brearly in Emmerdale Farm (Now Emmerdale). Amos was the local correspondent for the Hotton Courierr and ran the Woolpack Pub with retied businessman Henry Wilks (Arthur Pentelow). Ronald died on 8th September 2007.

Roy North - TV Presenter
Born in Hull Roy presented the Basil Brush Show.

Spiders From Mars - David Bowie's group.
Lead Guitarist Mick Ronson, Bassist Trevor bolder, Drummer Mick "Woody" Woodmansey.
"They played the part perfectly. They were, at the time, the number one spacey punk rock band. Everyone was absolutely right - right out of a cartoon book. They were great musicians." - David Bowie.
The Spiders reformed in 1994 for the Mick Ronson Tribute Concert at the Hammersmith Apollo with Nazareth's Billy Rankin on lead guitar, Def Leppard singer Joe Eliott and Mick Ronson's sister on backing vocals. After the concert an after show party was held at the Embargo club in Chelsea where a Ziggy Stardust covers band called Jean Genie played. Both Woody Woodmansey and Trevor Bolder joined the band to play Width of a Circle and Suffragette City.
In 1997 The Spiders From Mars with Def Leppard's Joe Elliot and Phil Collen played at the Mick Ronson Memorial Concert II in Hull marking the opening of the Mick Ronson Memorial Stage in Queen's Gardens, Hull. Later the same lineup became known as The Cybernauts - a Bowie cover band and, (Partly due to having Bowie's original rhythm section) have reproduced a pretty authentic reproduction of much of his early seventies material. 
See Also Mick Ronson, Trevor Bolder, Mick Woodmansey

Stewart Matthewman - Saxophonist.
Played for Sade in the early eighties. Hits include Your Love is King and Smooth Operator.

Tina Gambe - Actress.
Former pupil of St Mary's School in Hull. Tina Plays Sonia Marshall in Mike Baldwin's knickers factory from 2003.

Tom Courteney - Actor.
Hull born actor and Hull City supporter. Thomas Daniel Courtenay was born on 25 February 1937. Tom's family homes were 29 Harrow Street, Hessle Road, Hull and later Duddon Grove on the Longhill Estate, Hull. Tom was awarded a scholarship at Rada to study acting. In 1960 he made his debut at the Old Vic in Chekhov's The Seagull after this he took the lead role in the stage version of Billy Liar. He was the Star of Billy Liar in 1963, received an Oscar nomination for supporting actor in Dr Zhivago and has won two Bafta awards for best actor - one in 1962 for The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner. In 1983 Tom earned an Oscar nomination for his part in The Dresser after an absence from the screen for over ten years. In 1993 Tom played the father of Derek Bentley in the TV adaptation of the true life story Let Him Have It. In 2002 he aptly played the Poet Philip Larkin in a play entitled Pretending To Be Me -  an affectionate tribute to the Hull University librarian.  He was awarded a Knighthood in 2001 for his contribution to stage and screen. Tom is President of the Hull City Official Supporter's Club. 

Trevor Bolder - Bass guitarist.
Trevor was born in Hull, England on June 9th 1950. Founded the band Ronno with Mick Ronson and Mick Woodmansey in 1968. He became a member of Bowie's Spiders from Mars in the early seventies. Trevor played trumpets and bass guitar on Hunky Dory and Bass guitar on The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars and Aladdin Sane (1972). He joined the re-formed The Spiders from Mars in 1975 and released an unsuccessful album of the same name with Mick Woodmansey, Mike Garson, Dave Black taking Ronson's place on lead guitar, and Pete McDonald on vocals. Joined Uriah Heep then in 1981 joined Wishbone Ash returning to Uriah Heep in 1983.
See also Mick Woodmansey, The Spiders From Mars and Mick Ronson.

Watersons - Musicians

William Wilberforce - Politician.
Wilberforce was born in Wilberforce House, Hull in 1759. He attended St John's College, Cambridge. While he was there he became friends with William Pitt who was later to become Britain's youngest ever Prime Minister. Wilberforce was elected in the parliamentary election in Hull in 1779 and served in Parliament until 1825. Wilberforce became interested in social reform after converting to the Evangelical Christianity. He was encouraged by Lady Middleton to use his power to bring an end to the slave trade and in 1789 he gave his first speech against the trade. Wilberforce & Lord Grenville campaigned in the House of Commons until the Abolition of the Slave Trade bill became law on March 25 1807. British captains who were caught by the British navy were fined £100 for each slave found on board  but their captains managed to reduce fines by having the slaves thrown over board. Wilberforce died on July 29 1833. Although trading in slaves was now illegal existing slaves were not freed until Parliament passed the Slavery Abolition Act one month after Wilberforce's death. His seventeenth century family home and birthplace is now home to a historical museum with displays and paintings telling the story of the slave trade.

Winifred Holtby - Author