LIFESTYLE - SUMMER 2017

ACCRINGTON MADE IN

They’re movers and shakers in the worlds of music, tech, sport, drama, art and academia... all with one thing in common. Today LIFE : STYLE takes a look at a just few of the great, the good and the globetroing – all who were born and raised in Accrington.

many prestigious productions. Hollywood finally called in 2001 when he was cast as Peter in A Knight's Tale, acting alongside the late Heath Ledger. As well as his successful acting career Jonathan also mentors final-year students at RADA and is patron and adviser to the fringe theatre company Le Nouveau Guignol.

BRUNT, DOMINIC Dominic Brunt, the actor who plays Paddy Kirk in Emmerdale, is fromAccrington. The soap star aendedMoorhead High School before briefly becoming a welder and sheet metal worker in Great Harwood. In a complete change Dominic then went to Accrington and

LAKE, MARGARET ANN aka MYSTIC MEG Mystic Meg was born on July 27, 1942, in Accrington as Margaret Anne Lake. As an undergraduate, she studied English at the University of Leeds. Working for the News of theWorld, Mystic Meg traditionally made predictions for the coming twelve months.

ANDERSON, JON Jon Anderson is undoubtedly one of the most recognisable voices in progressive rock as the lead vocalist and creative force behind Yes. Jon was born John Roy Anderson in Accrington on October 25, 1944, to Albert and Kathleen Anderson. Jon is currently touring with former Yes bandmates Trevor Rabin and RickWakeman with their new progressive rock ensemble ARW. In our cover story, Jon Anderson reveals his favourite Accrington haunts and how a trip ‘home’ always ends in a stroll to the top of the coppice.

STEEL, HOLLIE Now aged 18, and still with the voice of an angel, Hollie first found fame on Britain’s Got Talent aged 10. It was 2009 when she was one of ten finalists on the third series of the ITV reality show. Hollie’s first audition drewmostly positive comments from all of the show's judges.

Rossendale College to study for a BTec in performing arts, but continued on as a welder to fund his own education. Two years later Dominic won a place at The Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. Aer a number of TVand theatre roles the actor joined Emmerdale in 1997.

Meg owns a number of racehorses under the company name Mystic Meg Limited, which is based in Bedford. In 2015 Meg launched her first ever website, featuring horoscopes, personalised readings and a telephone hotline hosted by a selection of her favourite professional psychics.

FOWLER, GRAEME The former England and Lancashire batsman known as ‘Foxy’ was born in April 1957. Educated at Accrington Grammar School and DurhamUniversity, Fowler made his debut in first-class cricket in 1979. He usually opened the baing for both county and country. Now living

LLOYD, DAVID Affectionately known as Bumble – the England batsman was brought up at 134Water Street, Accrington. David, who turned 70 on March 18th, was a le-handed batsman and le-arm spin bowler who played nine Tests, with the highest score of 214 not out, and eight One Day

BIBBY, REECE Former Stereo Kicks sensation and boy band star Reece Bibby is now one of three members of ‘New Club Hope’ who have been newly signed to Disney and Universal. A tour of LA, the UK and Europe are just some of the top gigs lined up in 2017. Reece found fame on

In her second appearance during the semi-finals, lile Hollie forgot the words of her song and broke down onstage. She received a second chance, completing the song without a problem and finished overall in sixth place. More recently she’s been studying acting, singing and dancing at the prestigious Urdang Academy in London.

International matches. In first class cricket, he was a successful all-rounder and he captained his county from 1973 to 1977. Now David is a commentator and umpire regularly travelling the world for his work – but always making time for his beloved Accrington Stanley Football Club.

in Durham, Graeme is an author and passionate campaigner for mental health awareness. Graeme was diagnosed with clinical depression in the winter of 2003/04 and made this one of the main subjects in his second book Absolutely Foxed, which was published in 2016.

2014’s X Factor. His dad Jamie told us: “Reece is currently in America – we don’t really see much of him anymore! This is a really big year for him, though. Tons of exciting stuff coming up as you can imagine with an organisation as large as Disney. If Reece isn’t too jet-lagged when he is next home, we will pop in to see you all at LIFE:STYLE magazine.”

VIRTUE, JOHN John Virtue is an artist who specialises in monochrome landscapes. He is honorary Professor of Fine Art at the University of Plymouth, and from 2003–2005 was the sixth Associate Artist at London's National Gallery. John was born in Accrington, in 1947. He trained

MARTIN, PETER Actor Peter Martin was known in the 1980s for his TVads for Jewsons Hardware. He played the fish shop man in First of the SummerWine and ‘Charlie the moonlighting gravedigger’ in the Beiderbecke Tapes. He was in The Royle Family as quietly spoken next door neighbour,

HESMONDALGH, JULIE Born in Rough Lee on February 25th, 1970, Julie was brought up on Elmfield Street in Church. The Broadchurch actress became a household name when she played Hayley Cropper in Coronation Street. Julie, who powered through Accrington and Rossendale College to secure a

BIRTWISTLE, HARRISON Hardly a household name, yet Harrison Birtwistle is commonly known in classical circles as one of the world’s greatest living composers. Harrison was born in Accrington in 1934 and studied clarinet and composition at the Royal

at the Slade School of Fine Art from 1965 to 1969. In 1971 he moved to Green Haworth, near Oswaldtwistle, painting landscapes for two years before abandoning painting in favour of pen and ink drawings. From 1978 he worked as a postman, giving this up in 1985 to work as a full-time artist.

Joe Carroll. His most famous foray into the soaps was as Len Reynolds in ITV's Emmerdale from 2001 until the character's death on 17 May 2007 in the show’s 500th-anniversary episode. Peter also appeared in Coronation Street three times in different roles. Peter also starred in the filmBrassed Off and the television series All Creatures Great and Small and Chucklevision. He also was in an episode of Last of the Summer Wine and Dinner Ladies.

place at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA). Her acclaimed theatrical performances include Black Roses: The Killing of Sophie Lancaster followed by a string of coveted television industry awards for her beautifully played roles in Coronation Street, Happy Valley and Cucumber.

WINTERSON, JEANETTE JeaneeWinterson OBE was born in Manchester and adopted by Pentecostal parents who brought her up in Accrington. Aer reading English at Oxford University she wrote her first novel, ‘Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit’ when she was 23. It was published a year

Manchester College of Music. In an interviewwith the Guardian, Harrison spoke of his childhood growing up in the town with his mum and dad, who owned a bakery and one of the first memories, was hearing the clogs of men going to work in the nearby textile mills each morning.

HILL, RON According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, published in January this year, Ron Hill finally took a day off from running aer an incredible unbroken streak of 52 years! The athlete, who was awarded an MBE, competed at three Olympics: Tokyo in 1964,

later in 1985. Since then she has published more than a dozen books including, most recently, the memoir ‘Why Be HappyWhen You Could Be Normal?’

Accrington born movers and shakers

SLINGER, JONATHAN Born in Accrington, Lancashire, in 1972,

Jonathan trained at RADA in 1991. Following his graduation in 1994, the talented actor won the role of Florizel (TheWinter's Tale) at the newly-opened Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, going on to work at the National Theatre in

Mexico in 1968 andMunich in 1972 - before lending his name to a successful sportswear brand which has been a favourite of running enthusiasts for more than 40 years.

JeaneeWinterson picture courtesy of Mariusz Kubik www.mariuszkubik.pl

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