2024 Update of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
April 9, 2024
The April 2024 of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (Oxford DNB) adds new biographies of 276 men and women who died in the year 2020.
Below you’ll find biographies of actor Ian Holm, teacher, community activist and race relations campaigner Saroj Lal, politician Seamus Mallon, athlete, teacher and coach Margaret Maughan, journalist, biographer and art historian Fiona MacCarthy, comedian, film director and historian Terry Jones, guitarist and lutenist Julian Bream, peace and social justice campaigner Betty Williams, barrister Leonard Woodley, conservation ecologist Georgina Mace, astronomer Margaret Burbidge, theoretical ecologist and public servant Robert May, Baron May of Oxford, racing driver Stirling Moss, actress Honor Blackman, educationist, race relations campaigner and public servant Dame Jocelyn Barrow, author David Cornwell (pen name John le Carré), rock climber and mountaineer Joe Brown, actor and producer Sir Sean Connery, journalist, historian and travel writer Jan Morris, physicist and astronomer Sir Arnold Wolfendale, actor Louis Mahoney, pianist and piano teacher Dame Fanny Waterman, chief rabbi Jonathan Sacks, Baron Sacks, and engineering geologist Peter Fookes.
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.
Adams [née Clarke], Fiona Rose Pattinson (1935–2020), photographer
Addison, Paul (1943–2030), historian
Allen, Dame Ingrid Victoria (1932–2020), neuropathologist
Allen, John Robert Lawrence (1932–2020), geologist and geoarchaeologist
Alliss, Peter (1931–2020), golfer and broadcaster
Anderson, Sir (William) Eric Kinloch (1936–2020), headmaster and college head
Anwar, Muhammad (1945–2020), sociologist and scholar of race relations
Appleton, Michael John Wilmot [Mike] (1936–2020), television producer
Appleyard, Sir Leonard Vincent [Len] (1938–2020), diplomatist
Armitage, (Caroline) Catharine (1944–2020), artist
Armstrong, Robert Temple, Baron Armstrong of Ilminster (1927–2020), civil servant
Ashton, Joseph William [Joe] (1933–2020), politician
Assoon, Barbara Dolores (1929?–2020), actress and radio announcer
Baines [née Silver], Mary Jean (1932–2020), physician and pioneer of community palliative care
Baldwin, Sir Jack Edward (1938–2020), organic chemist
Baring, John Francis Harcourt, seventh Baron Ashburton (1928–2020), merchant banker and industrialist
Barkham [née Huxley], Selma de Lotbinière (1927–2020), historian and geographer
Barnaby, (Charles) Frank (1927–2020), nuclear physicist, peace researcher, and peace campaigner
Barnes, Sir (James) David Francis (1936–2020), industrialist
Barrow, Dame Jocelyn Anita (1929–2020), educationist, race relations campaigner, and public servant
Barrow, John David (1952–2020), cosmologist
Bate, Jennifer Lucy (1944–2020), organist
Beattie, John Gerard [Johnny] (1926–2020), actor and variety artist
Beavis, Sir Michael Gordon (1929–2020), air force officer
Beldam, Sir (Alexander) Roy Asplin (1925–2020), judge and law commissioner
Berridge, Sir Michael John [Mike] (1938–2020), physiologist, biochemist, and cell biologist
Blackman, Honor (1925–2020), actress
Blake [née Behar], George [also known as Giorgi Ivanovich Bekhter] (1922–2020), intelligence officer and spy
Bough, Francis Joseph [Frank] (1933–2020), sports broadcaster and television presenter
Braithwaite, Althea Mary (1940–2020), author, illustrator, and publisher
Bream, Julian Alexander (1933–2020), guitarist and lutenist
Brigstocke, Sir John Richard (1945–2020), naval officer, ombudsman, and public servant
Brittan, Sir Samuel (1933–2020), political economist and journalist
Brown, Joseph [Joe] (1930–2020), rock climber and mountaineer
Bryan, Felicity Anne (1945–2020), journalist and literary agent
Bryant, David John (1931–2020), lawn bowler
Bryant, John William (1944–2020), athlete, journalist, and newspaper executive
Burbidge [née Peachey], (Eleanor) Margaret (1919–2020), astronomer
Buxton [married name Silk], Angela (1934–2020), tennis player
Cadogan, Sir John Ivan George (1930–2020), organic chemist
Cameron, Earlston Jewett [Earl] (1917–2020), actor
Carr [née Gilfillan], Janet Gould (1927–2020), clinical psychologist
Carr, Pearl Lavinia (1921–2020), singer and entertainer
Charlton, John [Jack] (1935–2020), footballer and football manager
Christie [née Nicholson], (Patricia) Mary, Lady Christie (1937–2020), arts administrator
Christie, Stuart (1946–2020), anarchist, writer, and publisher
Clack [née Agnew], Jennifer Alice [Jenny] (1947–2020), vertebrate palaeontologist
Clemence, Raymond Neal [Ray] (1948–2020), footballer
Coia, Dame Denise Assunta (1952–2020), psychiatrist and medical leader
Coleridge, David Ean (1932–2020), Lloyd’s underwriter
Coles, John Morton (1930–2020), archaeologist
Connery, Sir Thomas (Sean) (1930–2020), actor and producer
Conran, Sir Terence Orby (1931–2020), designer, restaurateur, and entrepreneur
Conway, John Horton (1937–2020), mathematician
Cooling, Wendy Ena (1941–2020), teacher and founder of Bookstart
Cornwell, David John Moore [pen name John le Carré] (1931–2020), author
Couper, Heather Anita (1949–2020), astronomer and broadcaster
Cox [née Brindle], Josephine (1938–2020), novelist
Crawford, Lincoln Santo (1944–2020), barrister
Crickmay, Anthony John (1937–2020), photographer
Crowe, Sir Brian Lee (1938–2020), diplomatist and European Union official
Crown, Jonathan Courtenay Langdon Maurice (1964–2020), charity founder and administrator [see under Vyvyan, Jennifer Brigit]
Cuka, Frances (1936–2020), actress
Curtis, Valerie Ann [Val] (1958–2020), behavioural scientist and public health expert
Dadson, Trevor John (1947–2020), Hispanic scholar
Darmady, Judith Mary (1935–2020), paediatrician
Davies, Doreen Mary (1928–2020), radio producer and broadcasting executive
Davies, Spencer David Nelson [known as Spencer Davis] (1939–2020), singer, guitarist, and actor
Davies [née Adey], Susan Elizabeth [Sue] (1933–2020), curator and gallery founder
Day, Peter (1938–2020), chemist, materials scientist, and scientific administrator
Docherty, Thomas Henderson [Tommy] (1928–2020), footballer, football manager, and broadcaster
Dollery, Sir Colin Terence (1931–2020), physician and clinical pharmacologist
Dronke, (Ernst) Peter Michael (1934–2020), scholar of medieval Latin
Edgar [née Broome], Elizabeth McPherson [Liz] (1943–2020), showjumper, trainer, and horse breeder
Edrich, John Hugh (1937–2020), cricketer
Elliott, Anthony Michael Manton [Tony] (1947–2020), magazine proprietor
Ellis, Glyn Geoffrey [performing name Wayne Fontana] (1945–2020), singer and entertainer
Emsley, Clive (1944–2020), historian
Erdal [née Crawford; first married name Bradshaw], Jennifer Elizabeth Wilkie [Jennie] (1951–2020), writer and translator
Evans, Sir David George (1924–2020), air force officer
Evans, Sir Harold Matthew [Harry] (1928–2020), newspaper editor
Falk, Mary Elizabeth (1946–2020), solicitor and yachtswoman
Farrand, Julian Thomas (1935–2020), legal scholar and ombudsperson
Fay, Stephen Francis John (1938–2020), journalist and author
Fisk, Robert William (1946–2020), journalist and author
Fookes, Peter George (1933–2020), engineering geologist
Foster, John (1920–2020), environmentalist
Frankland, Alfred William [Bill] (1912–2020), allergist
Freeman [née Dove; first married name Wheeler], Catherine Sheila (1931–2020), television producer, broadcasting executive, and diplomatic hostess
Frisby, Terence Peter Michael [performing name Terence Holland] (1932–2020), actor and playwright
Froggatt, Sir Peter (1928–2020), epidemiologist, university administrator, and public servant
Fyfe [née O’Neill], Catherine Mary [Maria] (1938–2020), politician
Garnett, Anthony [Tony] (1936–2020), television and film producer
Gascoine, Jill Viola (1937–2020), actress
Ginsburg [née Blumstein], Madeleine Betty (1928–2020), dress historian and curator
Goldstein, Harvey (1939–2020), statistician and social scientist
Gordon, Alexander Grant [Sandy] (1931–2020), distiller and philanthropist
Gordon, James Stuart [Jimmy], Baron Gordon of Strathblane (1936–2020), broadcasting executive and businessman
Gowans, Sir James Learmonth [Jim] (1924–2020), immunologist and medical administrator
Graham, Thomas Edward [Ted], Baron Graham of Edmonton (1925–2020), politician and co-operative movement activist
Gransden [née Morland], Antonia (1928–2020), historian
Green, Malcolm Leslie Hodder (1936–2020), inorganic chemist
Greenbaum, Peter Alan [known as Peter Green] (1946–2020), guitarist, vocalist, and songwriter
Gregg, Henry [Harry] (1932–2020), footballer
Grove, Richard Hugh (1955–2020), geographer and historian [see under Grove [née Clark], Jean Mary]
Guinness [married name Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood], Serena Belinda Rosemary [Lindy], marchioness of Dufferin and Ava (1941–2020), artist and conservationist
Hands, Terence David [Terry] (1941–2020), theatre director
Harwood [né Horwitz], Sir Ronald (1934–2020), playwright, screenwriter, and author
Hayman [formerly Haymann], Walter Kurt (1926–2020), mathematician
Hill, Anthony Cedric Graham [pseud. Achill Redo] (1930–2020), artist and mathematician
Hills, Sir John Robert (1954–2020), social scientist
Himsworth, Richard Lawrence (1937–2020), endocrinologist and public health administrator [see under Himsworth, Sir Harold Percival]
Hollis, Rosemary [Rosy] (1952–2020), international relations scholar
Holm, Sir Ian [real name Ian Holm Cuthbert] (1931–2020), actor
Hood, Roger Grahame (1936–2020), criminologist
Horniblow, Philip James (1928–2020), army officer, medical administrator, and mountaineer
Houghton, Sir John Theodore (1931–2020), atmospheric physicist and climate scientist
Howard, Alan Norman (1929–2020), nutritionist
Hudd, Roy (1936–2020), comedian and actor
Hume, John (1937–2020), politician
Humphreys, Emyr Owen (1919–2020), novelist, poet, and author
Hutton, (James) Brian Edward, Baron Hutton (1932–2020), judge
Imrie, Marilyn Elsie (1947–2020), radio drama producer and theatre director
Iversen, Leslie Lars (1937–2020), neuropharmacologist and neuroscientist
Jamal, Mahmood (1948–2020), poet, translator, and film and television producer
Jarvis, Frederick Frank [Fred] (1924–2020), trade unionist and photographer
Jefford, Barbara Mary (1930–2020), actress
Johnson, Brian Cecil [Bryan] (1926–1995), singer and actor [see under Carr, Pearl Lavinia]
Johnson, Edward Victor [Teddy] (1919–2018), singer and entertainer [see under Carr, Pearl Lavinia]
Johnston, Ronald John [Ron] (1941–2020), geographer
Jones, Arthur [Alun] Gwynne, Baron Chalfont (1919–2020), army officer, journalist, and politician
Jones, Terence Graham Parry [Terry] (1942–2020), comedian, film director, and historian
Jones, William Armand Thomas [Tristan] Garel-, Baron Garel-Jones (1941–2020), politician
Judge [née Singer; previous married names Kozloff, Thomas], Barbara Sue, Lady Judge (1946–2020), lawyer and investment banker [see under Judge, Sir Paul Rupert]
Kerr, Brian Francis, Baron Kerr of Tonaghmore (1948–2020), judge
Killip, Christopher David [Chris] (1946–2020), photographer
King, Peter John (1940–2020), saxophonist and composer
King, Stuart Sendall (1922–2020), pilot and missionary
Kirstein [né Kirschstein], Peter Thomas (1933–2020), computer scientist
Knight, Edward Robert [Ted] (1933–2020), local politician
Knight [née Cleet], Gladys Allan [Alanna] (1923–2020), novelist
Knight, Rosalind Marie (1933–2020), actress
Koralek, Paul George (1933–2020), architect
Kretzmer, Herbert (1925–2020), journalist and lyricist
Lachmann, Sir Peter Julius (1931–2020), immunologist
Lal, Deepak Kumar (1940–2020), political economist
Lal [née Chanana], Saroj (1937–2020), teacher, community activist, and race relations campaigner
Lamont, Peter Curtis (1929–2020), film production designer
Land, Michael Francis [Mike] (1942–2020), biologist and psychologist
Laws, Sir John Grant McKenzie (1945–2020), judge and jurist
Leggatt, Sir Andrew Peter (1930–2020), judge
Lester [née Raab], Anthony Paul, Baron Lester of Herne Hill (1936–2020), barrister and politician
Linehan, Peter Anthony (1943–2020), historian
Lines, (Hugh) Richard (1929–2020), toy manufacturer
Lotterby, Sydney Warren (1926–2020), television director and producer
Lynn, Dame Vera [real name Vera Margaret Welch; married name Lewis] (1917–2020), singer and entertainer
Lyons, Sir John (1932–2020), semanticist and linguistic scholar
MacCarthy, Fiona Caroline (1940–2020), journalist, biographer, and art historian
Mace, Dame Georgina Mary (1953–2020), conservation ecologist
Maclennan, Robert Adam Ross [Bob], Baron Maclennan of Rogart (1936–2020), politician
Maddock [née Derbyshire], Diana Margaret Pearson, Baroness Maddock (1945–2020), politician
Mahon, (Norman) Derek (1941–2020), poet
Mahoney, Louis Felix Danner (1938–2020), actor
Mallon, James Francis [Seamus] (1936–2020), politician
Maschler, Thomas Michael [Tom] (1933–2020), publisher and founder of the Booker prize for fiction
Mason, Anita Frances (1942–2020), novelist, journalist, and essayist
Matthews, Peter Bryan Conrad (1928–2020), physiologist [see under Matthews, Sir Bryan Harold Cabot]
Maughan, Margaret Gardner (1928–2020), athlete, teacher, and coach
May, Derwent James (1930–2020), literary editor and ornithologist
May, Robert McCredie [Bob], Baron May of Oxford (1936–2020), theoretical ecologist and public servant
McInnes, Hamish [known as Hamish MacInnes] (1930–2020), mountaineer, mountain rescuer, and inventor
Medwin, Michael Hugh (1923–2020), actor and film and theatre producer
Mellor, Stanley Thomas Edward [Stan] (1937–2020), jockey and racehorse trainer
Michael, Ian David Lewis [pseud. David Serafín] (1936–2020), Hispanic scholar and crime novelist
Miller, William Lockley [Bill] (1943–2020), political scientist
Minter, Alan Sidney (1951–2020), boxer
Mitchell [née Williamson], Ann Katharine (1922–2020), mathematician, code-breaker, and social policy researcher
Morris, Jan (1926–2020), journalist, historian, and travel writer
Morrison, James Fyffe Thomson [Jimmy] (1932–2020), painter
Moss, Sir Stirling Craufurd (1929–2020), racing driver
Nahdi, Fuad Salim Abdullah Neheid Taher (1957–2020), journalist, publisher, and interfaith activist
Nolan, Margaret Ann (1943–2020), actress, artist, and political activist
O’Connor, Desmond Bernard [Des] (1932–2020), comedian, singer, and television host
P-Orridge, Genesis [formerly Neil Andrew Megson; later Genesis Breyer P-Orridge] (1950–1920), musician, performance artist, and social activist
Packer, James Innell (1926–2020), Anglican evangelical theologian
Page, Louise Mary (1955–2020), playwright, scriptwriter, and writing coach
Pakenham, Kevin John Toussaint (1947–2020), economist and financier [see under Pakenham, Francis Aungier [Frank], first Baron Pakenham and seventh earl of Longford]
Palmer, Geoffrey Dyson (1927–2020), actor
Parker, Sir Alan William (1944–2020), film and commercials director, writer, and cartoonist
Parsons, (Christopher) Nicholas (1923–2020), actor, entertainer, and broadcaster
Partridge, James Richard John (1952–2020), health economist, farmer, and charity founder
Petty [née Dyer], Belinda Pauline (1935–2020), teacher and judoka
Pidgley, Anthony William [Tony] (1947–2020), housebuilder and property developer
Pigott, Sir Anthony David [Tony] (1944–2020), army officer
Ponting, Clive Sheridan (1946–2020), civil servant and historian
Prosser, Sir David John (1944–2020), financier
Ramsden, James Edward (1923–2020), politician and huntsman
Read, Leonard Ernest [known as Nipper] (1925–2020), police officer
Reed, Barry St George Austin (1931–2020), retailer [see under Reed, Austin Leonard]
Renton, (Ronald) Timothy [Tim], Baron Renton of Mount Harry (1932–2020), banker and politician
Rigg, Dame (Enid) Diana Elizabeth (1938–2020), actress
Roberts, (David) Gwilym Morris (1925–2020), civil engineer
Robinson, Julian Philip Perry (1941–2020), chemist and arms control researcher
Robinson, Sir Kenneth [Ken] (1950–2020), educationist
Rose, Adele (1933–2020), television scriptwriter
Runciman, Walter Garrison [Garry], third Viscount Runciman of Doxford (1934–2020), businessman, sociologist, and public servant
Ryder, Christopher Edward [Chris] (1947–2020), journalist
Sacks, Jonathan Henry, Baron Sacks (1948–2020), chief rabbi
Sayer, Ann Rosemary (1936–2020), geologist, rower, and race walker
Scott, Douglas Keith [Doug] (1941–2020), mountaineer
Scrase, David Ellison (1949–2020), art historian and museum curator [see under Mather, Richard Martin [Rick]]
Scruton, Sir Roger Vernon (1944–2020), philosopher and writer
Sedlecká, Irena (1928–2020), sculptor
Sessions, John [real name John Marshall] (1953–2020), comedian, actor, and writer
Shaw [née Mahon], Susan Mary [Sue] (1932–2020), publisher, archivist, and museum founder
Shrapnel, John Morley (1942–2020), actor
Skinner, Christopher John [Chris] (1953–2020), statistician
Slaughter [née Smith], Audrey Cecilia (1929–2020), journalist and editor
Sleight, Peter (1929–2020), cardiologist
Small, Millicent Dolly-May [Millie] (1947–2020), singer and songwriter
Smith, Alan Caiger- (1930–2020), potter and ceramic scholar
Smith, Jane Caroline Rebecca Parker- (1950–2020), organist
Smith [née Dups], Meredith Etherington- (1946–2020), fashion journalist, biographer, and auction curator
Smith, Nigel Rawling (1941–2020), businessman and political activist
Smith, Susan Claire [Sue] Bruce- (1958–2020), film executive
Smith [married name Hopewell], Rosemary Claire Radley- (1939–2020), paediatric cardiologist
Smoker, Barbara Mary (1923–2020), humanist
Sprawson, Charles (1941–2020), writer, art dealer, and evangelist for open water swimming
Steiner, (Francis) George (1929–2020), writer and literary critic
Steiner [née Shakow], Zara Alice (1928–2020), scholar of international history
Stern, William George [Willie] (1935–2020), property investor and philanthropist
Stevenson, Anne Katharine (1933–2020), poet and biographer
Stiles, Norbert Peter [Nobby] (1942–2020), footballer
Sutcliffe, Peter William [known as the Yorkshire Ripper] (1946–2020), serial killer
Sykes, Bryan Clifford (1947–2020), geneticist and entrepreneur
Taylor, Timothy Julian [Tim] Brooke- (1940–2020), actor, comedian, and writer
Thomas, Sir John Meurig (1932–2020), chemist
Thompson [née Laurie Walker], Helen Margaret Taylor (1924–2020), special operations officer and charity founder
Thynn [formerly Thynne], Alexander George, seventh marquess of Bath (1932–2020), author, curator, and libertine
Tippetts, Keith Grahame [known as Keith Tippett] (1947–2020), pianist, composer, and bandleader
Tolkien, Christopher Reuel (1924–2020), literary scholar and editor [see under Tolkien, John Ronald Reuel]
Tombs, Francis Leonard, Baron Tombs (1924–2020), engineer and industrialist
Tooley, Sir John (1924–2020), musical administrator
Tuckwell, Barry Emmanuel (1931–2020), horn player and conductor
Tydeman, John Peter (1936–2020), radio producer and director
van Gelder, Stanley Malcolm (1933–2020), financier and property dealer [see under Dellal, Jack]
Vallance [née McGonnigill], Elizabeth Mary, Lady Vallance of Tummel (1945–2020), political scientist and public servant
Vrbová [née Sidonová], Gerta (1926–2020), neuroscientist
Wallbank [née Gardner], Phyllis (1918–2020), educationist
Ward [née Rynd; earlier married name Aston], Elizabeth Despard (1926–2020), pioneer of organ donor cards
Ward, Simon Barrington- (1930–2020), bishop of Coventry [see under Ward, Robert McGowan Barrington-]
Warman, Alister Seager (1946–2020), curator and art school principal
Warwick, Richard Trevor Turner- (1925–2020), urologist and surgeon [see under Warwick [née Moore], Dame Margaret Elizabeth Harvey Turner-]
Waterhouse [née Franklin], Dame Rachel Elizabeth (1923–2020), historian and consumers’ advocate
Waterman, Dame Fanny (1920–2020), pianist, piano teacher, and co-founder of the Leeds International Piano Competition
Weiss, Nigel Oscar (1936–2020), applied mathematician and astrophysicist
Weisz, George (1929–2020), mechanical engineer, inventor, and philanthropist
West, Donald James (1924–2020), parapsychologist, sexologist, and criminologist
West, Richard Gilbert (1926–2020), botanist and geologist
Wetherell, Kenneth Alwyn [known as Kenneth Alwyn] (1925–2020), conductor and composer
Wheeler, (John) Stuart (1935–2020), professional gambler, entrepreneur, and political donor
Wild, (Carl) Victor (1923–2020), caterer and entrepreneur
Wilkin, Gwenda Violet (1933–2020), accordionist
Williams [née Smyth], Elizabeth [Betty] (1942–2020), peace and social justice campaigner
Williams, John Eirwyn [Shôn] Ffowcs (1935–2020), engineer, entrepreneur, and college head
Williams, John James [known as J. J. Williams] (1948–2020), athlete, rugby union player, and businessman
Williams, Martin Lloyd (1947–2020), chemist and air pollution scientist
Williams, Roger Stanley (1931–2020), hepatologist
Wilson, Paulette Marjorie (1956–2020), victim of injustice and migrant rights campaigner
Windsor [née Deeks; married names Knight, Hollins, Mitchell], Dame Barbara Ann [Babs] (1937–2020), actress
Wise, Gillian Mary (1936–2020), artist
Wolfendale, Sir Arnold Whittaker (1927–2020), physicist and astronomer
Wood, Charles Gerald (1932–2020), playwright and screenwriter
Wood, Lynn Faulds (1948–2020), journalist, broadcaster, and campaigner
Woodley, Leonard Gaston [Len] (1927–2020), barrister
Worsthorne, Sir Peregrine Gerard [Perry] (1923–2020), journalist and newspaper editor
Wright, Patrick Richard Henry, Baron Wright of Richmond (1931–2020), diplomatist