The latest update of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography includes 238 new entries, commemorating individuals who shaped British life and who passed away in 2021. Gerry Marsden, Janice Long, and Roger Hunt are among the notable Liverpool figures added to the list of new entries.
Among those honoured are several notable figures with strong Liverpool connections:
- Gerry Marsden (1942–2021), frontman of Gerry and the Pacemakers, was born in Toxteth. The band achieved UK chart success with hits like How Do You Do It? and I Like It. Post-1966, Marsden appeared in TV, performed in the West End, and was active in charity work.
- Janice Long (1955–2021), born in Bootle, was the first woman to host a daily music show on BBC Radio 1 and the first regular female presenter of Top of the Pops. She saw Liverpool as a progressive city for women, especially compared to London.
- Roger Hunt (1938–2021), legendary Liverpool FC striker, scored 285 goals across 11 seasons—a record that stood until Ian Rush surpassed it. He later joined Bolton Wanderers in 1969.
- Jeannette Altwegg (1930–2021), Olympic figure skater and 1952 gold medallist, first learned to skate at Liverpool’s Palace Ice Rink.
- April Ashley (1935–2021), transgender rights pioneer and MBE recipient, was born at Sefton General Hospital and honoured as a citizen of Liverpool in 2015.
- Patrick Reyntiens (1925–2021), renowned stained-glass artist, co-designed the monumental windows for Liverpool’s Metropolitan Cathedral—the largest religious stained-glass commission in Britain at the time.
These individuals join over 4,000 Liverpudlians already featured in the dictionary, including John Lennon and Beryl Bainbridge.
Other high-profile additions to this year’s update include Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; politicians Sir David Amess and Austin Mitchell; entrepreneur Sir Clive Sinclair; actor Helen McCrory; footballers Jimmy Greaves and Ian St John; and fundraiser Captain Sir Tom Moore.
The full list of entries is available via the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography website.
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