2023 Update of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

The April 2023 of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford DNB) adds new biographies of 247 men and women who died in the year 2019.

Below you’ll find biographies of children’s author Judith Kerr, England goalkeeper Gordon Banks, drummer Ginger Baker, circus founder Nell Gifford, fashion designer Joe Casely-Hayford, molecular biologist Sydney Brenner, Scottish detective novelist Marion Chesney (MC Beaton), broadcaster and newsreader Nan Winton, TV chef Gary Rhodes, philosopher and public servant Mary Warnock, novelist Andrea Levy, Olympic athlete Ken Matthews, barrister and environmentalist Polly Higgins, engineer Kumar Bhattacharyya, transgender pioneer Julia Grant, first prime minister and president of The Gambia Sir Dawda Jawara, inventor of Ibuprofen Stewart Adams, botanist and broadcaster David Bellamy, architect Jane Durham, Scottish cross country champion Dale Greig, army officer Edwin Bramall, editor and autobiographer Diana Athill, political secretary Marcia Williams, Baroness Falkender, comedian Freddie Starr, and president of the Royal College of General Practitioners Lotte Newman. Discover the full list of entries added this year.

 

                                    

 

The Oxford DNB is updated regularly throughout the year, giving you access to the most up-to-date and accurate information available.  Many in England, Scotland, and Wales—and all in Northern Ireland—subscribe to the Oxford DNB. This means you can access tens of thousands of biographies, free, via your local library—anywhere, anytime. Full access to all biographies is also available by individual subscription.

Discover a full list of entries added this year.