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Famous people · Corsham, Wiltshire

Of the 11 famous people born in Corsham, an unusual share are writers and artists

The best known is the English actor Felix Aylmer, with articles in 12 languages. Richard Blackmore is second and Jim Smith third. More than half were born in the 20th century, 6 in all. The list comes to 10.1 for every 10,000 residents, against 4.4 in the typical town in Wiltshire.

#1 best knownFelix AylmerFilm, TV & Stage · 1889–1979
+7more
Born here
11
notable people
Best known
Felix Aylmer
in 12 Wikipedia languages
First
1654
Richard Blackmore
Youngest
1949
David Turner
Most common field
Writing & Arts
4 people

What stands out about Corsham’s famous people

★ What stands out · Known for

What Corsham is known for

Writers and artists stand out most, at 3.1 times the usual share.

The usual town: the share across everyone listed across UK towns. Tap a field to see its people.

The best known

Born in Corsham

First, Felix Aylmer (12 languages), then Richard Blackmore (12) and Jim Smith (7).

Felix Aylmer#1
Film, TV & Stage

Felix Aylmer

1889–1979

English actor (1889-1979)

12 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Richard Blackmore#2
Writing & Arts

Richard Blackmore

1654–1729

English poet and physician

12 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
JS#3
Sports

Jim Smith

1906–1979

English cricketer, born 1906

7 Wikipedia languagesRead more ↗
Through the years

When Corsham’s famous people were born

More were born in the 1930s than in any other decade: 3.

Before the GeorgiansGeorgianVictorianThe 20th century1650170017501800185019001950Jim SmithJanet BackhouseRichard Blackmore
Writing & ArtsSportsFilm, TV & StagePolitics & LawScience & MedicineMilitary

Each dot is a person, stacked by the decade they were born.

Everyone

Everyone else born in Corsham

8 more, 3 of them writers and artists.

Winifred Lily Boys-Smith

Winifred Lily Boys-Smith

1865–1939

British born New Zealand botanical artist and educator

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
JB

Janet Backhouse

1938–2004

British curator of English manuscripts at the British Museum (1938–2004)

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
DT

David Turner

born 1949

English cricketer (born 1949)

PM

Paul Ayshford Methuen, 4th Baron Methuen

1886–1974

British painter, zoologist and landowner (1886-1974)

Writing & ArtsWikipedia ↗
RM

Robert Methuen, 7th Baron Methuen

1931–2014

British Liberal Democrat peer (1931-2014)

Politics & LawWikipedia ↗
Brian J. Ford

Brian J. Ford

born 1939

Academic and author

Science & MedicineWikipedia ↗
DW

David Wood

1923–2009

British Army officer, born 1923

WS

William Smith

1900–1990

English cricketer (1900-1990)

Next door

Famous people from the towns next door

The best known from each town within 12 miles of Corsham, with how many people each has.

Questions about famous people from Corsham

Who is the most famous person from Corsham?

Felix Aylmer (English actor (1889-1979)) is the best known by our measure: Wikipedia has an article about them in 12 languages. Next come Richard Blackmore and Jim Smith.

How many famous people were born in Corsham?

11 people born in Corsham have an English Wikipedia article that confirms the town as their birthplace. Wikidata places 15 people here; the rest aren’t listed because their article names somewhere else, or no town.

What is Corsham known for?

Among its famous people, writers and artists: 4 of the 11. That is 36% of the town’s list, against 12% across UK towns.

Who is the earliest-born famous person from Corsham?

Richard Blackmore, born in 1654. The youngest on the list was born in 1949.

Who counts as from Corsham?

People Wikidata records as born in a place inside Corsham’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 (9)

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.