List of people from the London Borough of Croydon

A

• Feroz Abbasi, arrested in Afghanistan in 2001 and detained at Guantanamo Bay; lived in Shirley and attended school in Croydon
• Adegbenga Adejumo (1987–), Croydon born dubstep producer known as Benga
• Allan Ahlberg (1938–), children's writer (Penguin)
• Waheed Alli (1964–), born and raised in the north of Croydon; multimillionaire media entrepreneur and politician; co-founder of Planet 24 TV production company; MD at Carlton Television; currently chairman of ASOS.com and Chorion Ltd.; a Labour peer; one of very few openly gay Muslim politicians in the world
• Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Professional Football player who plays for Premier League club Manchester United born in Croydon
• Dame Peggy Ashcroft (1907–1991), actress, born in Croydon and lived in George Street as a child; honoured in the naming of the Ashcroft Theatre, part of the Fairfield Halls; was a school friend of architect Jane Drew^[1]
• Lionel Atwill (1885-1946), stage and screen actor, was born in Croydon^[2]

B

• Jeannie Baker (1940–), artist, author, designer and animator
• Cicely Mary Barker (1895–1973), illustrator and artist; created the famous Flower Fairies books; born in Croydon and lived locally; studied at the Croydon School of Art
• Jon Benjamin (1964–), Chief Executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews since 2005; born and grew up in Croydon, and educated at Park Hill Primary School and Dulwich College
• Edward White Benson, Archbishop of Canterbury (1883–1896); lived at Addington Palace; invented Christmas tradition of Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols
• Jeff Beck (1944–), guitarist
• Jay Bernard (writer) (1988–), FRSL, writer, artist, film programmer, and activist, raised in Croydon
• Keith Berry (1973–), musician and composer
• Frederick Betts (1859–1944), donated Betts Park and built large areas in Croydon and Penge
• Jamal Blackman (1993-), footballer
• Emily Blunt (1983–), actress; she and husband John Krasinski own an apartment in East Croydon
• James Booth (1927–2005), actor (Zulu)^[3][4]
• Dane Bowers (1979–), singer, attended Trinity School
• Derren Brown, illusionist; born and brought up in Purley
• James Buckley, actor, best known for playing Jay Cartwright in The Inbetweeners^[5]
• Raymond Burns (1954–), musician, member of punk rock band the Damned; also known by the name Captain Sensible
• Mark Butcher (1972–), Surrey and England cricketer; born in Croydon, attended Trinity School

C

• Alison Carroll, actress
• Raymond Chandler (1888–1959), screenwriter and author
• Anne Clark (poet) (1960–), poet, songwriter and electronic musician
• Klariza Clayton (1989–), actress
• Martin Clunes (1961–), actor, resident
• Carlton Cole, ex footballer, born in Croydon
• Ronnie Corbett, comic actor, lived for many years in Addington, London
• Frederick George Creed (1871–1957), electrical engineer and inventor of the teleprinter; lived and died at 20 Outram Road, Addiscombe
• Peter Cushing (1913–1994), actor; born in Kenley, lived in Purley
• Kit Connor (2003-), actor

D

• Tasha Danvers-Smith (1977–), champion hurdler
• Michael Dapaah (1991–), actor and comedian, attended Thomas More Catholic School, Purley
• Bertrand Dawson (1864–1945), physician to the British Royal Family and President of the Royal College of Physicians
• Desmond Dekker (1941–2006), ska musician, lived in Thornton Heath
• R.F. Delderfield (1912–1972), writer and dramatist; lived at 22 Ashburton Avenue, Addiscombe, 1918–1923; his "Avenue" series is based on his life in Addiscombe & Shirley Park; many of his works were adapted for television
• Norman Demuth (1898–1968), composer and musicologist, born at 91 St James' Road.
• Luol Deng (1985–), basketball player for the Chicago Bulls and Great Britain; raised in South Norwood
• Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930), author and creator of Sherlock Holmes; lived at 12 Tennison Road, South Norwood 1891–1894
• Jane Drew (1911–1996), architect and town planner; born at 8 Parchmore Road, Thornton Heath; went to Croydon High School and was a school friend of Dame Peggy Ashcroft
• Jacqueline du Pré (1945–1987), British cellist, acknowledged as one of the greatest players of the instrument, but whose career was cut short by multiple sclerosis; lived in Purley and attended Croydon High School
• Des'ree (1968-), award-winning English recording artist.

E

• Havelock Ellis (1859–1939), Victorian sexologist, born in Croydon
• Tracey Emin (1963–), artist
• Carlos Ezquerra (1947–2018), comics artist, co-creator of Judge Dredd

F

• Noel Fielding (1973–), comedian, writer, actor, artist, co-creator of The Mighty Boosh
• Matthew Fisher (1946–), musician, Procol Harum, composer of "Whiter Shade of Pale"
• Kenelm Foss (1885–1963), actor, theatre director, author, screenwriter and film director, born in Croydon^[6]
• Alexander Francis (1995–), musician, composer
• Vincent Frank (1985–), musician, Frankmusik
• Donna Fraser (1972–), international athlete
• Ian Frazer, poker player
• Neil Fraser (1955–), dub musician/producer (AKA Mad Professor)
• Jacqueline Froom (1929–2018), poet, lyricist, and teacher
• Charles Burgess Fry (1872–1956), polymath – sportsman, politician, teacher, writer, editor, publisher

G

• Paul Garelli (1924–2006), French Assyriologist
• Trevor Goddard (1962–2003), actor^[7]
• JB Gill (1986–), singer with British boyband JLS, farmer and TV presenter
• Otis Grand (1950–2023), American Blues guitarist, lived in Croydon
• Sir Philip Green (1952–), Croydon born billionaire, owner of the Arcadia Group
• Deryck Guyler (1914–1999), actor
• William Gao (2003-), actor and musician, Wasia Project

H

• Ben Haenow (1985–), winner of the eleventh series of The X Factor
• Will Hay (1888–1949), comic actor; lived at 45 The Chase, Norbury, 1927–1934
• Simon Haynes (1967-), author, was born in Croydon
• Sir Francis Bond Head (1793–1875), soldier, traveller, author and Lieut. Governor of Upper Canada (1836–1838), had his home at Duppas Hill, Croydon
• Chris Heath (1959–), actor, author, comedian
• Roy Hodgson, football manager and former player, born in Croydon, Attended John Ruskin Grammar School.
• Joseph Holbrooke (1822–1876), composer of stage, choral, and orchestral music
• Roy Hudd, comedian, born in Croydon in 1936^[8][9]
• Hannah Schmitz (1985-), Principal Strategy Engineer at Red Bull Racing, attended Croydon High School

J

• Len Jarrett (1921–), former Director of Administration of the World Scout Bureau; former World Organizer of Scoutings's Jamboree-on-the-Air for thirty years; Croydon born
• Nora Johnston (1886–1952), carillon performer and inventor of the mobile carillon
• Finn Jones (1988–), Croydon raised
• Oliver Jones (1986–), Croydon born dubstep producer otherwise known as Skream

K

• Steve Kember (1948–), footballer, born in Croydon
• George Knowland (1922–1945), Victoria Cross recipient^[10]
• Jay Knox, DJ and radio/TV host
• Krept and Konan, UK rap duo, raised in Gipsy Hill, Lambeth and Thornton Heath, Croydon respectively
• Rachel Keen (1997–), singer/songwriter, known as Raye, raised in Croydon
• Nish Kumar (1985-), comedian, grew up in Bromley and Croydon^[11]

L

• Andrew Lawrence^[12]
• D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930), author; lived at 12 Colworth Road, Addiscombe, 1908–1912, whilst a teacher at Davidson Road School
• Sir David Lean (1908–1991), film director, born in Croydon^[13][14]
• Iain Lee (1973–), comedian, born in South Croydon
• Mike Leeder (1968–), Hong Kong based Film Producer, Casting Director and sometimes actor, born and raised in Croydon^{[citation needed]}
• E G Handel Lucas (1861–1936), artist, lived in Croydon from 1861 to 1909
• Dani Luna Luna (1999-), Professional Wrestler

M

• Kirsty MacColl (1959–2000), singer and songwriter, born and grew up in Croydon^[15]
• Miles Malleson (1888–1969), actor and dramatist, born in Croydon^[16][17]
• Jimi Manuwa (1980–), American-born English mixed martial artist
• Ursula Martinez (1966–), cabaret and burlesque entertainer
• David McAlmont (1967–), British vocalist and songwriter, born in Croydon
• Duke McKenzie (1963–), world champion boxer
• Ralph McTell (1944–), musician, composer of "Streets of London"
• Katie Melua (1984–), singer, songwriter, musician, went to the Brit School for Performing Arts at Selhurst, Croydon
• Graham Moodie (1981–), Olympic hockey player
• Kate Moss (1974–), model^[18]
• Malcolm Muggeridge (1903–1990), author and media personality; son of H. T. Muggeridge, a prominent Croydon Labour councillor; taught at John Ruskin Central School in the 1920s

N

• Habib Nasib Nader (1979–), actor, writer
• Kate Nash (1987–), singer/songwriter; attended Brit School, Croydon
• Sarah Niles (1987-) actress, born in Thornton Heath

O

• Lawrence Okoye, athlete, attended Whitgift School
• Tarik O'Regan (1978–), composer, attended Elmhurst and Whitgift Schools, Croydon

P

• Sue Perkins (1969–), comedian, writer, performer
• Christopher Pitcher (1973–), cricketer
• Lucy Porter, comedian, raised in Croydon
• Simon Prebble (1942–), actor, narrator
• Dickie Pride (1941-1969), rock and roll and jazz singer
• Luke Pritchard, lead singer of The Kooks, attended the Brit School, Croydon
• David Prowse, actor, aka Darth Vader in Star Wars; born in Bristol, lived in Addiscombe, Croydon for over 40 years
• Jason Puncheon (1986–) English professional footballer who plays in midfield for Crystal Palace

R

• Chris Reed (1982–), BBC Radio One dubstep and grime DJ/producer (AKA Plastician)
• Jamie Reid (1947–), situationist, artist, graphic designer
• Robert Reid, rally driver, lives in a flat in South Croydon
• Susanna Reid (1970–), BBC television presenter; born in Croydon, attended Croham Hurst School and Croydon High School
• Nigel Reo-Coker, current English midfielder, playing for Bolton Wanderers and formerly of Wimbledon F.C., West Ham United and Aston Villa; born in Thornton Heath
• Bridget Riley (1931–), painter, one of the foremost proponents of op art; born in Norbury
• Francis Ronalds (1788–1873), inventor, lived in Croydon in the period 1823–33 and manufactured his patented drawing instruments here^[19]
• Emily Ronalds (1795–1889), social reformer and sister of Francis Ronalds, established an early preschool in Croydon in 1826
• Martyn Rooney (1987–), international sprinter
• Nadia Rose (1993–), recording artist
• John Ruskin (1819–1900), art critic and social theorist; spent much of childhood in Croydon at his mother's family home and visited often as an adult; his parents are buried in Shirley

S

• Peter Sarstedt (1942–2017), singer, winner of Ivor Novello Award; resident
• Danny Schwarz, model
• Kellie Shirley, EastEnders actress
• Emile Smith Rowe (born 2000), Arsenal footballer, was born in Croydon and spent his early life in Thornton Heath^[20]
• Bernard Spear (1919–2003), actor (Yentob)
• William Stanley, (1829–1909), philanthropist, inventor, engineer, author, and artist. Lived most of his life in South Norwood, he designed and built Stanley Halls. South Norwood
• E.L.G. Stones (1914-1987), professor of medieval history at the University of Glasgow from 1956 to 1978^[21]
• Dan Stevens, actor^[22]
• Stormzy, (1993–), musician, raised in Thornton Heath
• Swift, rapper, part of the group Section Boyz, raised in Croydon

T

• Samuel Coleridge Taylor (1875–1912), composer; noted for his cantatas including the Song of Hiawatha trilogy; lived at 30 Dagnall Park, Selhurst and worked and died in St Leonards Road, Waddon
• Sam Taylor-Johnson (born 1967), artist and filmmaker, born in Croydon

V

• Jonathan Vaughn (1981−), organist and choir director

W

• Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913), naturalist; independently proposed a theory of evolution by natural selection and prompted Charles Darwin to reveal his own unpublished theory sooner than he had intended; lived at 44 St Peter's Road, Croydon
• John Whitgift (ca. 1530–1604), Archbishop of Canterbury; buried in the Parish Church of St John the Baptist; several other Archbishops are buried in the Parish Church or St Mary's in Addington
• Rickie Haywood Williams (1982–), TV and radio presenter currently working for MTV and Kiss 100 London
• Karl "Konan" Wilson, half of the British Rap duo "Krept and Konan", from Thornton Heath
• Amy Winehouse (1983–2011), singer, attended Brit School, Croydon
• Wilfred Wood, served as Bishop of Croydon 1985–2002, the first black Church of England bishop
• Edward Woodward (1930–2009), actor, born in Croydon^[23][24]
• Ian Wright MBE, former Crystal Palace, Arsenal and England football team footballer; lives in Shirley
• Matthew Wright, journalist and television presenter; born and resides in Croydon
• Tom Wright (1957–), architect of Burj Al Arab

Y

• Alfred Gregory Yewen, an Australian agricultural writer, journalist and socialist.

In fiction

• Sarah Jane Smith, the popular fictional companion of the Third and Fourth Doctors in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who
• Jeremy "Jez" Osbourne and Mark Corrigan, the fictional protagonists from the Channel 4 sitcom Peep Show, live in a flat in West Croydon.
• Captain Kevin Darling from the BBC sitcom Blackadder Goes Forth lived in Croydon with his girlfriend Doris. Darling was also a wicket keeper for the Croydon Gentlemen cricket team.
• Terry and June, the protagonists of the BBC sitcom of the same name, lived in Purley, a suburb of Croydon.

References