page_title: Croydon
section_title: Notable people
hierarchical_section_title: Croydon / Notable people
caption_attribution_description: English: Amy Winehouse at the Eurockéennes of 2007
context_page_description: Croydon is a large town in south London, England. It is 9.4 miles south of Charing Cross. The principal settlement in the London Borough of Croydon, it is one of the largest commercial districts outside Central London, with an extensive shopping district and night-time economy. The entire town had a population of 192,064 as of 2011, whilst the wider borough had a population of 384,837.
  Historically part of the hundred of Wallington in the county of Surrey, at the time of the Norman conquest of England Croydon had a church, a mill, and around 365 inhabitants, as recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086. Croydon expanded in the Middle Ages as a market town and a centre for charcoal production, leather tanning and brewing. The Surrey Iron Railway from Croydon to Wandsworth opened in 1803 and was the world's first public railway. Later nineteenth century railway building facilitated Croydon's growth as a commuter town for London. By the early 20th century, Croydon was an important industrial area, known for car manufacture, metal working and Croydon Airport.
context_section_description: Peggy Ashcroft (1907–1991), actress, was born in Croydon, lived in George Street as a child and attended Croydon High School (where she was a friend of Jane Drew); she is honoured in the naming of the Ashcroft Theatre, part of the Fairfield Halls.
  Jon Benjamin, later Chief Executive of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, was born and grew up in Croydon.
  Raymond Chandler (1888–1959), American detective fiction writer, lived in Upper Norwood as a schoolboy
  Anne Clark (1960–), electronic music artist and poet, was born in Croydon
  Roger Ward Crosskey (1930-2017), entomologist, born in Croydon
  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930), Scottish-born fiction writer, lived at No. 12 Tennison Road, South Norwood and featured the area in some of his Sherlock Holmes detective stories
  Jane Drew (1911–1996), modernist architect, was born in Thornton Heath and was head girl at Croydon High School (where she was a friend of Peggy Ashcroft)
  Havelock Ellis (1859–1939), sexologist, was born in Croydon
  Paul Garelli (1924–2006), French Assyriologist, was born in Croydon
  Ben Haenow (1985–), pop singer, winner of The X Factor (UK series 11), was born in Croydon
  Roy Hodgson (1947–), England football manager, was born and grew up in Croydon
  Tom Holland (1996–), actor in five Marvel Cinematic Universe films, was educated at the BRIT School
  William Forster Lanchester, FRSE (1875–1953), zoologist, born and raised in Croydon
  Rachel Khoo cook, editor-in-chief of online lifestyle magazine Khoollect, with her own BBC series
  George Knowland (1922-1945), Victoria Cross recipient, went to Elmwood Junior School
  D. H. Lawrence (1885–1930), novelist, lived at 12 Colworth Road, Addiscombe, 1908–1912 whilst a teacher at Davidson Road School
  David Lean (1908–1991), film director, born in Croydon
  Kirsty MacColl (1959–2000), singer and songwriter, was born and grew up in Croydon
  David McAlmont (1967-), singer, songwriter, writer, historian; born at St Mary's Maternity Hospital, attended Broadmead Primary.
  Ralph McTell (1944–), musician, composer of "Streets of London", was brought up in Croydon
  Katie Melua (1984–), musician, singer and songwriter, attended the BRIT School
  Kate Moss (1974–), model, attended Riddlesdown High School
  Malcolm Muggeridge (1903–1990), author and media personality, was the son of H. T. Muggeridge, a prominent Croydon Labour councillor, and taught at John Ruskin Central School in the 1920s
  Lucy Porter (1973–), comedian, was born in Croydon
  Jason Puncheon (1986–), professional footballer playing in midfield for Crystal Palace
  Peter Sarstedt (1941–2017), singer, winner of Ivor Novello Award, lived in Croydon as a teenager
  Captain Sensible (born Raymond Burns, 1954–), guitarist with The Damned, attended school in South Norwood
  Dan Stevens (1982-), actor, was born in Croydon
  Algy Ward (born Alaisdair Terry Mackie Ward, 1959) Bass Guitarist and Musician of The Saints, The Damned with his best friend Captain Sensible, and of course Tank was born in Croydon.
  Amy Winehouse (1983–2011), singer, attended the BRIT School
  Edward Woodward (1930–2009), actor, was born and for many years lived in Croydon
  Wilfried Zaha (1992-), professional football player, grew up in Thornton Heath and attended Selsdon High School
  Stormzy (1993-) UK grime rapper born in Croydon
  Ashraf Sinclair (born Ashraf Daniel Mohamad Sinclair) (1979–2020), Malaysian actor who was born in Croydon
caption: Amy Winehouse attended the BRIT School, Croydon
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