Famous Salfordians

Salford has probably had more than its fair share of celebrities over the years.

All kinds of well known people are associated with the city. Here’s a selection of our famous sons and daughters.

• Albert Finney
  Actor, born in Gore Crescent, Weaste
• Alistair Cooke
  Radio journalist - 'Letter from America, Radio 4', born in Isaac Street, Salford in 1908
• Andy Crane
  Television and radio presenter
• Al Read
  Popular radio comedian active throughout the 1950s and 1960s
• Sir Ben Kingsley
  Oscar-winning actor, grew up in Pendlebury
• Christopher Eccleston
  Actor - 'Cracker', 'Shallow Grave', the former 'Doctor Who'
• Doris Butterworth
  Dancer and tiller girl
• Emmeline Pankhurst
  "Mrs Pankhurst" was one of the founders of the British suffragette movement
• Elkie Brookes
  Singer/songwriter
• Ewan MacColl
  Singer, songwriter, actor, playwright, radio broadcaster and socialist. Born in Broughton, Salford
• Freddie 'Parrot Face' Davies
  Comedian
• Graham Nash
  Songwriter - Crosby, Stills and...
• Harold Riley
  Artist
• James Fearnley
  Musician with the Pogues
• John Cooper Clarke
  Inventor of punk poetry
• John Thomson
  Actor and comedian
• Ken Wolstenholme
  Football commentator - 1966 World Cup
• Laurence Stephen Lowry
  World famous artist, he lived in Station Road, Pendlebury
• Mark E. Smith
  Long-time member of 'The Fall', an English post-punk band, formed in Manchester in 1976
• Mike Leigh
  Writer and director
• Mike Sweeney
  Broadcaster and DJ
• Mike Walker
  Jazz guitarist
• Peter Hook
  Musician
• Sir Peter Maxwell Davies
  Classical music composer, appointed Master of the Queen's Music in March 2004
• Richard Cobden
  Salford’s apostle of free trade
• Robert Powell
  Actor - 'The Thirty-Nine Steps', 'Jesus of Nazareth'
• Russell Watson
  Opera singer
• Ryan Giggs
  The Manchester United star has been a Salford resident since he was 6 years old
• Shelagh Delaney
  Playwright and screenwriter, best known for her debut work, A Taste of Honey
• The Ting Tings
  The indie pop duo formed in 2007 at Islington Mill studios in Salford
• Tony Warren
  Creator of TV's 'Coronation Street'
• William Crabtree
  Predicted and recorded a transit of Venus in 1639
• William Renshaw
  Seven time Wimbledon winner between 1881 and 1889, including six consecutive titles

Is somebody missing from this list?

If you know a famous Salfordian who isn't listed on this page, please email public.relations@salford.gov.uk with details.

This page was last updated on 3 January 2012