List of people from the London Borough of Havering

Among those who were born in the London Borough of Havering, or have dwelt within the borders of the modern borough are (alphabetical order):

A

• Andy C – drum and bass DJ and pioneer of the scene
• Tony Adams – ex-Arsenal footballer, born in Romford

B

• Kylie Babbington – EastEnders actress
• Adrian Baker – musician
• Kenny Ball – jazz trumpeter and band leader; lived in Ardleigh Green, Hornchurch
• John Benn and William Wedgwood Benn – family of politicians, lived at Upminster in the 19th century
• Robert Bertie, 3rd Earl of Lindsey – leased Havering Palace
• Pauline Black – singer, actress and author; lead singer of ska band The Selecter
• Teddy Bourne (born 1948) – British Olympic épée fencer
• Frankie Bridge – singer; currently one of The Saturdays; previously a member of S Club Juniors
• Frank Bruno – boxer; has lived in Havering
• Will Burnell – English cricketer
• Gerard Batten – former leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party

C

• Stephen Charles – cricketer
• Joe Cole – West Ham footballer, grew up in Romford
• Anthony Cooke – of Gidea Hall, tutor to Edward VI
• Jilly Cooper – novelist, born in Romford
• Dean-Charles Chapman – actor, born in Romford

D

• Alex Day – YouTuber and singer
• Harlee Dean – professional footballer. Grew up in North Ockendon, attended Hall Mead School, Upminster. Currently plays for Brentford.
• Richard Deane – regicide of Charles I, tenant at Havering-atte-Bower
• William Derham – rector at Upminster, Fellow of the Royal Society
• Ian Dury – rock and roll singer, lived in Upminster as a child

E

• Edward the Confessor – used Havering Palace as a retreat
• James Esdaile – lived in Upminster, was Lord Mayor of London (1777–1778)

F

• Ken Farnes – cricketer, brought up at Gidea Park
• Five Star – Denise, Lorraine, Doris, Stedman and Delroy Pearson, siblings who made up the pop group who were hugely successful in the mid-late 1980s; from Romford

G

• Augustine Garland – regicide of Charles I, owned an estate at Hornchurch
• Jimmy Greaves – footballer; once lived in Upminster

H

• Thomas Hammond – army officer involved in the regicide of Charles I, tenant at Havering-atte-Bower
• Spencer Hawken – filmmaker and former GMTV presenter
• Imogen Heap – musician; grew up in Havering Village
• Rochelle Humes – former member of S Club Juniors; current member of The Saturdays; television presenter of This Morning and The Xtra Factor
• Daniel Huttlestone – actor, played Gavroche in the 2012 film Les Misérables
• Karl Hyde – musician and member of Underworld, born in Bewdley but has lived in the borough for many years
• Carly Hillman – actress and singer, played Nicky Di Marco in BBC soap EastEnders and member of girl-band Urban Lady

J

• James I of England and VI of Scotland – used Havering Palace as a hunting lodge
• Alex Jennings – actor, born in Romford
• Ralph Josselin – curate and diarist, lived briefly at Cranham Hall in 1640

K

• Elizabeth Kucinich – peace activist and wife of a US Congressman; brought up in North Ockendon

L

• Freddie Ladapo (born 1993) – footballer currently playing for Rotherham United
• Frank James Lampard (born 1978) – English footballer and manager who played for West Ham United, Swansea City, Chelsea, Manchester City, New York City, and at international level for the England national team
• Thomas Littleton – of North Ockendon, Speaker of the House of Commons (1698–1700)
• Colin Lynes – former IBO world title boxer
• Andrew Lynford – actor and TV presenter; grew up in Upminster and Hornchurch
• Harry Lennon – professional footballer, grew up in Romford

M

• Richard Madeley – TV presenter, born in Romford
• Zara McDermott – Love Island (UK TV series) contestant
• Richard Morris – philologist, lived in Hornchurch
• Kevin Mitchell – boxer; born in Romford
• Jennifer Maidman – musician, songwriter and record producer, born in Upminster
• Millicent Martin – actor, singer, comedian; born in Romford
• Ruby Mace – footballer, born in Upminster

N

• Jesy Nelson – former member of Little Mix, 2011 winners of The X Factor
• Charlotte Nichols (born 1991), member of UK parliament for Warrington North since 2019 representing the Labour Party
• Mike Nolan – member of Bucks Fizz, winners of the 1981 Eurovision Song Contest, grew up in Rainham

O

• Billy Ocean – singer
• James Oglethorpe – married the heiress of Cranham Hall in 1743; founded the Province of Georgia, United States, and was buried in All Saints' Church, Cranham
• Martin Olley – cricketer
• Jo O'Meara – singer
• Will Ospreay – professional wrestler currently signed with All Elite Wrestling

P

• Ray Parlour – former footballer
• Tony Parsons – author and journalist; born and grew up in Romford
• Alice Perrers – mistress of Edward III, lived and buried at Upminster

R

• Robert Rollins - Cricketer for Essex Cricket Club

S

• Paul Sculfor – model; brought up in Cranham
• Seal – fostered in Romford from shortly after birth until age 4
• Freddie Sears – footballer currently playing for Ipswich Town
• Matthew Selt – snooker player
• Jonjo Shelvey – footballer currently playing for Nottingham Forest

T

• Stuart Taylor – former footballer
• Russell Tovey – actor
• Lisa Thompson – children's author

U

• Underworld – musicians, resident in Romford
• Edward Upward (1903–2009) – novelist, born in Romford

W

• Ken Wallace (born 1936) – Essex cricketer
• Micheal Ward – actor; born in Spain, moved to Romford
• Major Sir Tasker Watkins – Victoria Cross recipient, educated in Romford
• Cliff Williams (born 1949) – AC/DC bass player, born in Romford
• Will Ospreay (born 1993) – Professional wrestler currently signed to AEW
• Evelyn Wood – British Army officer and recipient of the Victoria Cross, rented property at Upminster

References