|
Famous people
With all it's rich history, heritage, and creative tradition, it's hardly surprising that Kirklees has "turned out"
and continues to produce some notable characters with towering achievements covering all aspects of life - drama,
literature, science, music, sport and politics.
Former Prime Minister Harold Wilson, whose statue greets all visitors to St George's Square in Huddersfield.
Betty Boothroyd, the first woman to be made Speaker of the House of Commons was born in Dewsbury. Born in Dewsbury
in 1929 into a working class family, Betty Boothroyd was a popular girl who was, for a short time, a dancer with
the celebrated Tiller Girls. After winning a national speaking competition, Betty stood for election to the local
council and became a full-time worker for the Labour Party. Nothing would separate her from politics again. The
enormous respect and affection of the British public for Betty Boothroyd has its roots in a strong belief in what
she stands for: fair play, an unshakeable sense of honour and a passionate belief in the sovereignty of Parliament.
Her convictions, she said, are set in "Yorkshire Granite".
Elected speaker of the House in 1992, she served a total of 8 years in the position, She became renowned for her
forthright, distinctive style when bringing MPs to order. She astonished the Commons on the first time she
presided over Prime Minister's Question Time, when she closed the session by saying, "Right - time's up!" It became
one of her catchphrases.
Betty Boothroyd was granted a life peerage, and took her seat in the House of Lords as Baroness Boothroyd of
Sandwell, in January 2001.
Joseph Priestley, who is credited with the discovery of oxygen in 1744, was born in Birstall.
Roger Hargreaves was born in 1935, in Cleckheaton, and is the famous British cartoonist who created the whimsical
characters best known in the popular "Mr. Men" series of books for children. Hargreaves was a creative director in
an advertising firm when he began to develop his simple but appropriately shaped characters in the early 1970s.
These simple characters were given such names as Mr Jelly, Mr. Tickle, Mr. Happy, Mr. Nosey, Mr. Greedy, and Mr.
Grumpy. These figures appeared in books, BBC cartoons, as well as in a comic strip in a national newspaper the
Daily Mirror.
The Mr. Men characters have since spawned hundreds of products from T-shirts to tea-cups, and also paved the way
for a "Little Miss" series of similar books. It is estimated that Roger Hargreaves' Mister Men and Little Miss books have achieved worldwide sales of 85
million, being published and distributed in 20 languages.
And our sporting greats...
Derek Ibbotson, champion runner and Olympic gold medallist, was born in Huddersfield.
Huddersfield born swimmer and Olympic gold medallist, Anita Lonsborough. |
|
