List of Durham University people
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of alumni associated with Durham University, founded in 1832 in England. This includes those who have taught there, done research there, taken a degree there or were involved in its founding. Durham is a collegiate university, so where known and if applicable, they are shown alongside their associated college.
Contents |
[edit] Academia
- Michael Alcorn - Director of the School of Music and Sonic Arts at Queen's University, Belfast.
- Dr Michael Aris - former husband of Aung San Suu Kyi and former academic and lecturer in Asian history at St John's College, Oxford and later at St Antony's College, Oxford. Tutor of the children of the royal family of the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan.
- John Barrow (Van Mildert) - Cosmologist, winner of the 2006 Templeton Prize and Fellow of the Royal Society
- Leo Blair - Lecturer in Law and Senior Tutor of St Cuthbert's Society, father of Tony Blair - former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
- Prof Sir George Malcolm Brown - Eminent geologist, scientist to NASA Apollo 11 mission, winner of the Murchison Medal and former Director of the British Geological Survey
- Prof Sir Kenneth Calman - Chancellor of University of Glasgow and former Vice-Chancellor of Durham University
- David Campbell - Head of the Law Department and leading scholar on contract law.
- Jacqueline Cockburn - Head of Department for History of Art at the historic Westminster School
- Prof Sir Kingsley Charles Dunham - leading geologist and mineralogist, former Director of the British Geological Survey and winner of the Wollaston Medal
- Dr Ghazi Falah - Geographer at University of Akron
- Dr David Grant - Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff University
- W. E. Hick - British psychologist, who was a pioneer in the new sciences of experimental psychology
- Prof Chris Higgins (Grey) - Vice-Chancellor of Durham University
- Arthur Holmes Geologist, early exponent of plate tectonics.
- David Jasper - Professor of Theology and Literature at the University of Glasgow
- Sir Harold Jeffreys (Armstrong) - mathematician and geophysicist
- Gordon Manley - Climatologist
- Richard Ovenden (St Chad's) - Head of Special Collections, Bodleian Library, University of Oxford
- G. M. Trevelyan - historian
- George Wilberforce Kakoma - professor of music, composer of Uganda's national anthem
- Prof Paul Wellings - Vice-Chancellor of Lancaster University
- Ted Wragg (Hatfield) - Educationalist
[edit] Business
- Richard Adams - (St John's) - pioneer of Fair Trade and founder of Traidcraft
- Norman Askew, (Cuths) - Chairman of Taylor Woodrow, Chief Executive, British Nuclear Fuels
- Alexander Barrie (Castle) - CEO, Danish Bacon Company
- Lord Anthony Crichton-Stuart - head of Old Master Paintings, at Christie's New York
- Leslie Ferrar - Treasurer to the Prince of Wales
- John B. Harrison - Global Partner KPMG International
- Tony and Barbara Laithwaite - Founders, Direct Wines (Laithwaites)
- Sir Nick Scheele (Cuths) - President and Chief Operating Officer of the Ford Motor Company
- David Walton, (Van Mildert) - former member of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee.
[edit] Media and actors
- George Alagiah (Van Mildert) - broadcaster
- Matthew Amroliwala (St Chad's) - BBC News presenter
- Biddy Baxter (St Mary's) - TV Producer (Blue Peter) and inventor of the Blue Peter badge
- David Bellamy - botanist and environmental campaigner
- David J. Bodycombe (Trevelyan) - puzzle-writer
- Arthur Bostrom (St Chad's) - actor and early member of The Durham Revue, played Officer Crabtree in 'Allo 'Allo!
- Guy de la Bédoyère - British Historian and Broadcaster
- Daniel Casey (Grey) - Co-star of Midsomer Murders
- Jonny Dymond - BBC Istanbul correspondent
- Nigel Farndale - writer in the sunday telegraph
- Alastair Fothergill (Cuths) - BBC Nature producer and co-producer of the Blue Planet
- John Exelby - Co-founder and editor of BBC News World Service
- Helen Grace (University) - actress
- John Galbraith Graham (St Chad's) - crossword compiler - "Araucaria" of The Guardian, Chaplain and Tutor at St Chad's 1949–52
- Judith Hann - Presenter of BBC's Tomorrow's World 1974-1994
- Lorraine Heggessey (Collingwood) - controller of BBC One 2000-2004
- Nina Hossain, (Cuths) - Broadcast Journalist
- Gabby Logan (Hild Bede) - Commonwealth Games Gymnast and TV Presenter
- Roger Moore (Bede) - Notably seven times James Bond actor. Did not graduate due to national service.
- Charles Schofield (George Stephenson College) - actor
- David Shukman, Broadcaster
- Federico Galperti, (George Stephenson College) - Italian soap opera actor
- Kate Silverton, (Cuths) - Broadcast Journalist
- Alex Standish (St Chad's) - BBC producer and television broadcaster
- Kirill Vahonin (Hild Bede), child actor
- Jeremy Vine (Hatfield), radio and television presenter
- James Wilby (Grey) - actor
- Tim Willcox, (St Chad's), BBC television presenter
[edit] Military
- General Sir Richard Dannatt (Hatfield) - Chief of the General Staff of the British Army
- Amjad Hussain (Collingwood) - Rear-Admiral of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom (first Admiral from an ethnic-minority group and the highest ranking ethnic-minority officer in the UK armed forces)
- Timothy Laurence - Rear-Admiral of the Royal Navy and son-in-law of Queen Elizabeth II, as husband of Anne, Princess Royal
- Alan Percy, 8th Duke of Northumberland - Military Commander
- John Vane, 11th Baron Barnard - Former Lord Lieutenant and Military Commander
[edit] Music
- Andrew Cantrill - Organist and choirmaster, St. Paul's Cathedral, Buffalo, NY
- Thomas Frederick Handel Candlyn - Organist and choirmaster, St. Thomas Church, New York
- J. Michael Clarke (St Chad's) - composer and musician
- Keely Hodgson (St John's) - composer
- Arthur Hutchings - former professor of music in Durham, author of famous books on Mozart Piano Concertos and Jean-Philippe Rameau
- James MacMillan a classical composer.
- Sean Parry - Backing singer for Lily Allen
- Anthony Payne - Composer famed for his work on the sketches of Elgar’s Third Symphony
- Will Rutter - jazz guitarist and one half of successful UK jazz act Will and Gwyn with Gwyneth Herbert
- Tim "Exile" Shaw, drum and bass and IDM musician
- Alan Walker - musicologist and biographer of Franz Liszt
[edit] Members of Parliament
[edit] House of Commons
- Crispin Blunt - Conservative MP
- Graham Brady (St Aidan's) - Conservative MP
- Bill Etherington - Labour MP
- Nick Gibb (Hild Bede) - Conservative MP
- Jane Griffiths (St. Mary's) - politician and former MP
- Peter Kilfoyle - Labour MP
- Edward Leigh (Castle) - Conservative MP
- Malcolm MacDonald - Former cabinet minister and Governor of Kenya
- Shona McIsaac (Aidan's) - Labour MP
- Mo Mowlam (Trevelyan) - former Labour MP and cabinet minister
- Oswald O'Brien (Cuths) - former Labour MP[1]
- John Pugh (Cuths) - Liberal Democrat MP
- Rachel Squire (Trevs) - former Labour MP
- Dari Taylor - Labour MP
- Edward Timpson - Conservative MP
- Jenny Willott (Mary's) - Liberal Democrat MP
[edit] House of Lords
- Anthony Russell (Chad's) - Lord Bishop of Ely
- Martin Wharton (Van Mildert) - Lord Bishop of Newcastle
- Jack Cunningham, Baron Cunningham of Felling (Bede) - former cabinet minister
- Henry Holland, 1st Viscount Knutsford - British politician, served as Secretary of State for the Colonies from 1887 to 1892.
- Michael Jopling, Baron Jopling (King's) - Conservative peer and former MP for Westmorland and Westmorland and Lonsdale
- Herbert Laming, Baron Laming
- Lawrence Lumley, 11th Earl of Scarbrough - Former MP
- Sally Morgan, Baroness Morgan of Huyton - Labour politician and Board Member of the Olympic Delivery Authority
- Fred Peart, Baron Peart - Former Labour MP
- Henry Percy, 7th Duke of Northumberland - Nineteenth century MP
- Joyce Quin, Baroness Quin - formerly a tutor at Durham University
- Randolph Quirk, Baron Quirk - formely a professor at Durham University
- Charles Vane-Tempest-Stewart, 7th Marquess of Londonderry - Former Conservative Party MP
[edit] Other notable political figures
- Rodney Atkinson - eurosceptic campaigner and economist
- Anwar Choudhury - High Commissioner to Bangladesh
- Ruth First - anti-apartheid activist assassinated by the South African security services
- Sir Milton Margai - first Prime Minister of Sierra Leone
- Sheikh Abdullah Ramadan Shallah - Leader of Palestinian terrorist group Islamic Jihad, 1995-present
- Mike Tomlinson - Former Chief Inspector of Schools and chair of the Working Group for 14–19 Reform
- James Wharton - Conservative politician, Stockton South
[edit] Religion
- Archbishop Walter Robert Adams - Former Archbishop of Yukon
- Bishop Christopher Foster (Castle) - Bishop of Hertford
- Adrian Dorber - Dean of Lichfield
- Archbishop Drexel Gomez - Primate of the Province of the West Indies
- Rev Canon Jane Hedges - Resident Canon of Westminster Abbey
- Archbishop Josiah Idowu-Fearon - Archbishop of Kaduna, Nigeria
- Bishop John Inge, (St Chad's) - Bishop of Huntingdon
- Houn Jiyu-Kennett - Zen Buddhist teacher of the Soto school, founder of Shasta Abbey in the United States
- John Anthony McGuckin, Orthodox Christian priest, scholar, and poet
- Bishop Keith Sinclair (St John's) - Bishop of Birkenhead
- Bishop Michael Turnbull (St John's) - Bishop of Durham (1994–2003)
- Bishop William Van Mildert - Former Bishop of Durham
[edit] Royalty
- Guillaume, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg
- Prince Al-Hussain Al-Thani of Qatar
- Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Mohamed Al-Qassimi III; after whom the Al-Qasimi Building is named.
[edit] Sport
- Colin Atkinson - Former Somerset cricket captain
- Warren Bradley - Manchester United and England footballer
- Will Carling (Hatfield[1]) - former captain of the England rugby union team
- James Carswell (Collingwood) - Professional Tennis Player
- Mark Chilton - English cricketer
- Tim Curtis (Hatfield)- England cricketer
- Jonathan Edwards (Van Mildert) - Olympic gold medal-winning triple jumper
- James Foster (Collingwood) - cricketer, Essex and England wicketkeeper
- Phil de Glanville - former captain of the England rugby team
- Will Greenwood (Hatfield) - England rugby player
- Wade Hall-Craggs (Grey) - Olympic rower
- Charlie Hodgson - England rugby player
- Nasser Hussain (Hild Bede) - former captain of the England cricket team
- Tracey Langlands (St Mary's) - World Championship medallist rower
- Alex Loudon (Collingwood) - cricketer, [Warwickshire] all-rounder
- Rahul Mehta (St. Mary's) - Indian long distance runner, most famous for his victory in the 2001 Great North Run
- Tim O'Gorman (St Chad's) - cricketer, former Derbyshire opening batsman
- Will Smith (cricketer)- cricketer, Durham
- Phillip James Stewart - (Collingwood) - England Weightlifting
- Tim Stimpson (Grey) - England rugby player
- Andrew Strauss (Hatfield) - cricketer, Middlesex and England batsman
- Frank 'Typhoon' Tyson - former England cricketer and Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1956
- Graeme Fowler - former England and Lancashire cricketer and current coach of the MCC Centre of Excellence
[edit] Writers and journalists
- Russell Ash (St Cuthbert’s) – author of Top 10 of Everything, etc
- Gary Bills (St Chad's) - Poet
- John Blackburn - Author
- Edward Bradley - Author of The Adventures of Mr. Verdant Green
- Bill Bryson - Writer and current University Chancellor
- Adrian Dannatt (St Chad's)- child actor and journalist
- Hunter Davies - journalist and author of The Beatles: The Only Authorised Biography
- Harold Evans (Castle) - journalist and author of The American Century
- Catherine Fox (St John's) - novelist
- James Kirkup - poet and author
- Justin Hill - award winning young author
- Jeremy Vine (Hatfield) - journalist and early member of The Durham Revue
- Minette Walters - bestselling author and crime writer
[edit] Honorary Doctorates
- Sir Thomas Allen - DMus
- Sir Leon Brittan - DCL
- Bill Bryson - DCL
- The Most Rev and Right Hon George Leonard Carey - DD
- Charles, Prince of Wales - DCL
- Lord Dearing - DCL
- Dame Judi Dench - DLitt
- Sir Edward Elgar
- Lord Foster of Thames Bank - DCL
- Mikhail Gorbachev - DCL
- Sir John Hall - DCL
- Dame Bridget Ogilvie -DSc
- His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh - DCL
- Sir Matthew Pinsent - DCL
- Sir Steven Redgrave - DCL
- Prof. Joseph E. Stiglitz
- Terry Waite
- William Wordsworth
[edit] Miscellaneous
- William Campbell - metallographer to the United States Geodetic Survey
- Dame Margot Fonteyn - ballet dancer
- Ted Harrison - artist
- Paul Hawkins - inventor of the Hawk-Eye ball-tracking system used in cricket, tennis and other sports
- Tim Smit - horticulturalist and creator of the Eden Project
- Sir Peter Ustinov - actor and former University Chancellor
- Charles Thorp - former rector of Ryton, former Archdeacon of Durham, Virtual Founder and First Warden of the University, first master of University College.
- Thomas Horrocks Openshaw (1856–1929), Victorian surgeon and recipient of a Jack the Ripper letter
- Peter Cadogan - Noted writer and protester.
- Stephen Bicknell - leading British organ builder and writer about the organ.

