Famous Coventrians

People from Coventry are known as "Coventrians". There have been a lot of notable Coventrians over the centuries. Rags to riches Coventrians are sometimes referred to as "Coventry Kids".

Probably the most famous is Lady Godiva, Coventry's famous nobelwoman who rode through the streets naked.

Labour politician Mo Mowlam was educated in Coventry; trade union organiser Tom Mann and National Socialist Movement leader Colin Jordan also came from the city.

Inventor James Starley, who helped develop the bicycle came from Coventry as did his nephew J.K. Starley, who worked with his uncle and founded Starley & Sutton Co. in 1878, which later became Rover, the former British car manufacturing company.

Also in the bicycle business, George Singer, the manufacturer of Singer bicycles lived in Coventry. His home is now the Coundon Court School and Community College.

Frank Whittle, the inventor of the jet engine, came from Coventry

Other famous Coventrians include poet Philip Larkin, actors Nigel Hawthorne and Clive Owen, actress Lisa Dillon, author Lee Child.

Coventry has had its fair share of famous bands. Here are some of the better known ones: The Primitives, The Specials, Adorable, Fun Boy Three, The Selecter, The Colourfield, King, Jigsaw, The Sorrows, and The Enemy. Individual musicians from Coventry include Delia Derbyshire, Jerry Dammers, Terry Hall, Neville Staple, Hazel O'Connor, Clint Mansell, Julianne Regan, Lee Dorrian, Jen Ledger and Panjabi MC. Record producer Pete Waterman is also a Coventrian.

Notable Coventrian sportsmen include footballer Reg Matthews, cricketers Tom Cartwright and Ian Bell, rugby players Neil Back, Danny Grewcock and Geoff Evans, and althletes Marlon Devonish and David Moorcroft.