#1Science & Medicine
Charles Wheatstone
1802–1875British scientist and inventor (1802–1875)
47 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Famous people · Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Of the 215 famous people born in Gloucester, an unusual share are musicians
Articles in 47 languages make the British scientist and inventor Charles Wheatstone the best known. George Whitefield and William Ernest Henley follow. Since 1970, 72 were born, the most of any period. Among the 73 towns in Gloucestershire with famous people on record, the town ranks 2nd.
Born here
215
notable people
Best known
Charles Wheatstone
in 47 Wikipedia languages
First
1214
Isabella of England
Youngest
2004
Lucia Scott
Most common field
Sports
111 people
What stands out about Gloucester’s famous people
Known worldwideRead in 47 languages, Charles Wheatstone is known far beyond the town.Still making namesSince 1950, 97 of them have been born here, the latest in 2004.A town of musiciansMusicians make up 17 of the 215, 1.5 times the usual share.215 notable peopleGloucester lists 215 notable people, more than most towns.
★ What stands out · The best known
Born in Gloucester
The three are covered in 47, 34 and 33 languages: Charles Wheatstone, George Whitefield and William Ernest Henley.
#1
#2Politics & Law
George Whitefield
1714–1770English minister and preacher
34 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
#3Writing & Arts
William Ernest Henley
1849–1903English poet, critic and editor (1849–1903)
33 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Through the years
When Gloucester’s famous people were born
Count by decade and the 1990s come out on top, with 26 births.
SportsWriting & ArtsPolitics & LawMusicScience & MedicineNotableFilm, TV & StageMilitaryFaithBusiness
Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.
Known for
What Gloucester is known for
Gloucester has 1.5× the usual share of musicians.
The usual town: the share across everyone listed across UK towns. Tap a field to see its people.
Everyone
Everyone else born in Gloucester
212 more; the 197 best known are listed here.
John Stafford Smith
1750–1836British composer, church organist, and early musicologist (1750–1836)
MusicWikipedia ↗
Janet Royall, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon
born 1955British Labour politician (born 1955)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Alexandra Phillips
born 1983British politician in the Brexit Party (born 1983)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Ralph Fletcher (surgeon)
1780–1851English surgeon and writer (1780–1851)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
William Stephen Raikes Hodson
1821–1858British leader of irregular light cavalry during the Indian Rebellion of 1857 (1821–1858)
MilitaryWikipedia ↗
Herbert Sumsion
1899–1995English musician and composer, organist of Gloucester Cathedral (1899–1995)
MusicWikipedia ↗
Charles Bruton
1890–1969British colonial administrator and cricketer (1890-1969)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
George Hammond Whalley
1813–1878British lawyer and Liberal Party politician (1813-1878)
Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Mary Gertrude Sturge Gretton
1871–1970UK historian and magistrate (1871-1970)
Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
Walter Jesse Jackson
1870–1958English rugby union and rugby league footballer (1870–1958)
SportsWikipedia ↗
James Colwell
1860–1930FaithWikipedia ↗
James William Brown
1897–1958English physician, pathologist, and cardiologist (1897-1958)
Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
No one matches both filters.
Next door
Famous people from the towns next door
Cheltenham leads the towns around it, with 264 names.
Questions about famous people from Gloucester
Who is the most famous person from Gloucester?
Charles Wheatstone (British scientist and inventor (1802–1875)) is the best known by our measure: Wikipedia has an article about them in 47 languages. Next come George Whitefield and William Ernest Henley.
How many famous people were born in Gloucester?
215 people born in Gloucester have an English Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace. Wikidata places 260 people here; the rest aren’t listed because their article names somewhere else, or no town.
What is Gloucester known for?
Among its famous people, athletes: 111 of the 215. That is 52% of the town’s list, against 49% across UK towns.
Who is the earliest-born famous person from Gloucester?
Isabella of England, born in 1214. The youngest on the list was born in 2004.
Who counts as from Gloucester?
People Wikidata records as born in a place inside Gloucester’s built-up area (the ONS 2022 boundary), a hospital or district within it included, whose English Wikipedia article agrees. People who only lived here, adult performers and people known mainly for crimes aren’t listed.
Why is someone missing?
Their Wikidata birthplace may be a bigger area (“London”), another town, or missing, or their article may give no birthplace. We only list people both sources agree on; editing Wikidata or Wikipedia changes this page at the next refresh.
From Wikidata (CC0: birthplaces, descriptions, years, occupations) and English Wikipedia (each person’s article confirms the birthplace; linked, not quoted). Birthplaces are placed in the town by the ONS 2022 built-up-area boundary (Office for National Statistics, Open Government Licence v3.0). Ranked by how many Wikipedia languages cover each person. Fields are read from Wikidata’s description and occupations. “The usual town”: everyone listed across UK towns. Portraits: each person’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).
Photo credits (76)
- Charles Wheatstone: Samuel Laurence, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- George Whitefield: John Russell, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- William Ernest Henley: not stated, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Isabella of England: AnonymousUnknown author, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Hubert Cecil Booth: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Tyler Roberts: ToeToThaKnee, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Edith Tolkien: The Victoria Studio, 201 Broad Street, Birmingham, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Eleanor of Leicester: William Henry Blaauw, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Alastair Cook: Kroome111, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Vicky Holland: Frankie Fouganthin, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Herbert Vaughan: Unidentified photographer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- John Stafford Smith: After William Behnes, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Alicia Barnett: si.robi, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Nathan Sykes: Global Perou (according to EXIF data), CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Robert Raikes: George Romney, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Alex Cuthbert: National Assembly for Wales from Wales, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Richard Phelps: Ldy. Dark Horse, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Taylor: Thomas Cockson (, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Natasha Hunt: Stefano Delfrate, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- John Moore: Thomas Lawrence, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- L. D. Adams: Bitonp, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dan Harding: james cumberpatch, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Dan Norton: Stemoc, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Janet Royall, Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: ©House of Lords / photography by Roger Harris, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Tina May: Watty62, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Wayne Thomas: BigDom, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Callum MacLeod: Readro, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Joe Edwards: User:TheWelshKopite, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jordan Stevens: Bradford City AFC, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Joseph Morewood Staniforth: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Vito Petrella: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Edward Gardner: Steve Bowbrick, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Liz Williams: liftarn, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Stuart Fleetwood: Ryan Asman, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Edward Keith-Roach: לא ידוע (Transferred by Matanya/Originally uploaded by תמרה), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Mary-Jess Leaverland: Zac quantum, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Michael Wasley: DerHexer, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Hayes: John Cornish, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Bob Baldwin: Athmitchell, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Marcel Garvey: Léna, cropped by Blackcat, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Percy Stout: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ryan Lamb: paul king Photo News1904 from England, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- William Stephen Raikes Hodson: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Ethan Ingram: Stuartp1213, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Freddie Thomas: Stefano Delfrate, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Lee Mansell: Mattythewhite, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Winifred Cullis: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Aaron Ayers: Standish and Preece, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Francis Paget: Leslie Ward, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Frank Stout: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- George Hammond Whalley: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Gordon Luce: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jemmy Wood: George Row, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Joe Parker: Footyfan272727, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Joseph Colborne-Veel: the photo is signed by the photographer, but I can't read the name, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Kate Pyne: Histstuff, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Mary Gertrude Sturge Gretton: "Lafayette" - no one named, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Alex Foster: Fleets, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Blossom Caldarone: Amy Martin Photography, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Bridget Christie: Tore Sætre, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Charles S. Raleigh: Unidentified photographer, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Florence A. George: Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Guise Brittan: artist not given (original held by Canterbury Museum), Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Henry Trigg: Unknown, old portrait, CC0, Wikimedia Commons
- Iestyn Rees: Miguel Discart & Kiri Karma, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Jean Jacques Smoothie: Stevesmoothie, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Sam Clarke: Andrew Napier, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Thomas Raikes: George Romney, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Blanche Gibbs: William Boxall, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Jamie McDonald: User:Mohamed isatu turay, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Gustav Holst: Herbert Lambert, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Martin Evans: Cardiff University, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Hugh Algernon Weddell: Léopold Dubois, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
- Simon Pegg: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Scott Redding: HubertduMaine, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
- Ralph Arthur Penrhyn Clements: Photograph by Elliott & Fry, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Contains HM Land Registry data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026 (ONS boundaries). Northern Ireland: Source: NISRA; contains Land & Property Services data and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland information, © Crown copyright, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Scotland: contains National Records of Scotland data, Registers of Scotland data and SEPA data, © Crown copyright / © SEPA 2025, licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.