National newspaper The Times has just published an article reporting Lancaster University’s placement in the country’s Top Ten universities – but the accolade has been marred by a marked lack of knowledge about Lancaster itself from one of the Council’s most highly-paid members of staff, interviewed by the paper.
Heather McManus, the city’s director for regeneration, proved unable to name any of Lancaster’s famous names when questioned – even though her job to promote the city must surely require knowing the town’s rich history.
For her benefit – and the Times reporter Penny Wark, who claimed Lancaster has “an increasingly smart marina” (the last time we looked there were two rowing boats tied up in the Lune near the Wagon and Horses), virtual-lancaster is pleased to list just some famous faces Lancaster can be proud of here…
Henry Cort (1740–1800), English ironmaster and inventor; Thomas Edmondson, inventor of the Edmondson railway ticket; chemist Edward Frankland, who originated the concept of valence; biologist Richard Owen who is renowned for coining the term “dinosaur”; businessman and Baron James Williamson (1842–1930), noted for textiles and creating Williamson Park and the Ashton memorial; authors Joe Abercrombie, Cherith Baldry; cartoonists Paul Harrison-Davies and Nick Miller; TV script writer Peter Whalley, best known, perhaps, for his work on Coronation Street; Marvel Comics writer Andy Diggle; RPG games designer Ken Walton; musicians Keith Baxter, drummer of British rock band 3 Colours Red, and John Waite, formerly lead singer of the bands Bad English and The Babys; military journalist Tim Ripley; sports personalities James Beattie, Alan Warriner-Little (2001 World Grand Prix Darts champion) and Motorcycle Racer and Isle of Man TT legend John McGuinness; and poet Laurence Binyon. To name but a few.
Then there’s those were passing through at Lancaster University before going on to fame elsewhere, such as Richard Allinson, DJ BBC Radio 2; Doctor Who and Pulse TV script writer Paul Cornell; Tipping the Velvet author Sarah Waters and award-winning writer Judith Lennox; journalist and novelist Martin J. Goodman; James May, journalist, presenter Top Gear; BBC North West Tonight presenter Ranvir Singh; venture capitalist Jon Moulton; Olympic cyclist Jason Queally; actor Andy Serkis, who played Gollum in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy and actress Ursula Holden-Gill, who played Alice Dingle in Emmerdale; and many more.
We also have to wonder quite why, when presented such a golden opportunity to promote the city, the Director of Regeneration also apologised for a lack of hotels, claiming “there’s no point in shouting about the place until we have the accommodation for people, and some of the hotels we need are still being built.” We’re sure the owners of the Shakespeare, the Kings Arms, Penny Bridge and many other establishments, including those in Morecambe, will be rushing to thank her for this glowing reference.
Perhaps she should take a look at the Council’s own Visitor web site.
• Read The Times article here (subscription may be required)
Slightly bemused to find myself listed among Lancaster's famous faces. It's a great comfort to me as I sit here on my yacht in the sunny marina.
But where are the famous women? We must have *some*!
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Ken Walton
She has a point about the hotels though. There are an increasing number of boutique hotels in the sixty pounds plus range. But that is too expensive for the person who has to stay over two-three nights a week. B and Bs are not many peoples thing, not neccesarily cheaper. That leaves the travelodge on the M6 service station…. roll on the new one in town.