Famous Yorkshire Folk Through the Centuries
Yorkshire was not just built upon its rugged and rolling hills, or its endless waves shaping its coastline day after day, hour after hour. It isn’t a county where we are always complaining about the weather, or the price of things with that familiar call of “Ow-Much??”. Yorkshire was also forged and made by the very people who were born and bred here.
Yorkshire has never been short of folk worth knowing about – at least not in our opinion. Not the loud, chest‑beating kind (well… not always but we do have plenty of these still around), but men and women who just got up and got on with things. We had and have the thinkers, the grafters, explorers, rebels, poets and somewhere in there, the quiet geniuses — shaped by hard land, harder weather, and a strong belief that if you are gonna do a job, then do it properly.
Some of these people went on and changed the world. Others simply changed how we really understand it. All of them carry a bit of Yorkshire in their bones and even though some of these are no longer with us, we remember them as part of this incredible county.
Early Voices – When Yorkshire Was Already Yorkshire and We Missed Nowt
St Hilda of Whitby (614–680)
A sharp-minded, calm and formidable woman. St Hilda founded Whitby Abbey (at the top of the 99 steps and a bit more) and chaired the Synod of Whitby, helping decide and craft the future of Christianity in England. A respectful woman who did what she did without shouting, without fuss, and with authority that needed no raising of the voice. This of course is a very just Yorkshire way of doing things. No hassle, no drama.
Alcuin of York (c.735–804)
From York to the court of Charlemagne, Alcuin carried Yorkshire learning across Europe (maybe he taught em to talk proper?). Alcuin was a scholar, a teacher and a thinker, he helped shape education at a continental scale — proof that Yorkshire minds have always travelled far, even if they always prefer coming home to an open fire and a fresh brew.
Explorers, Inventors & People Who Wouldn’t Leave Things Alone
Captain James Cook (1728–1779)
Born in Marton, raised with Yorkshire grit, James Cook went from being a farm lad to one of the greatest explorers who ever lived. He mapped oceans, he charted coastlines and expanded the world’s understanding — starting from a place where hard work mattered more than big words. He is commemorated and celebrated over in Whitby, a place where journeys began.
Sir George Cayley (1773–1857)
Often called the father of flight, George Cayley was sketching gliders and experimenting with rising currents of air (lift) long before combustion engines were even thought about and then roared into life. He was curious, stubborn and quietly brilliant — I guess you could say that it was Yorkshire curiosity at its finest.
Richard Arkwright (1732–1792)
Richard was one of the driving forces of the Industrial Revolution. His textile inventions changed manufacturing forever, powering the mills from the south to the north of this incredible county, changing towns and creating livelihoods. It wasn’t pretty or gentle, nothing was in them days, but it got things moving — and Yorkshire has never been afraid of honest industry.
Writers & Poets – Weather in the Words
The Brontë Sisters – Charlotte, Emily & Anne
Some of the most famous and well known writers that came from Yorkshire are the world renown Bronte sisters. From the stunning village of Haworth, surrounded by moorland, wind and weather, came stories full of passion, resilience and emotional truth. Their writing still to this day, carries the landscape within it — wild, beautiful, inspiring, passionate and uncompromising.
Ted Hughes (1930–1998)
Ted was a Poet Laureate and master of raw language. He drew deeply from our Yorkshire rivers, animals and wildness. His poems feel grounded, physical and alive — like the land itself was writing them.
J.B. Priestley (1894–1984)
Born in Bradford, Priestley gave Britain a voice that was thoughtful, plain‑spoken and socially aware. In typical Yorkshire fashion, he asked the hard questions without dressing them up, which Yorkshire has always appreciated.
Science, Thought & Quiet Brilliance
Dorothy Hodgkin (1910–1994)
Dorothy became a Nobel Prize‑winning chemist whose education in Yorkshire helped shape one of the sharpest scientific minds of the 20th century. She was calm, precise and transformative in everything she did. No fuss required – just the way we like it.
Sport – Grit, Graft & Not Giving In
Sir Geoffrey Boycott
Cricket’s most stubborn opener. A technically brilliant, mentally unbreakable man and one that was never afraid to say exactly what he thinks. Agree or disagree, Boycott is unmistakably Yorkshire as well as being bloody good with the bat and ball.
Dame Jessica Ennis‑Hill
From the hills and steel city of Sheffield to an Olympic gold medallist. Jessica’s discipline on the track, her humility and quiet strength carried her to the very top — proof that Yorkshire still produces excellence without shouting about it. Jessica remains very influential in sport to this day and does an incredible amount to promote this in the younger generation.
Art, Music & Modern Voices
David Hockney
A painter, observer and proud Yorkshireman. David’s art work is filled with colour, perspective and a deep love of the landscape that shaped him. His work has appeared in many, many galleries and with it, you can see how this county has been of a huge influence. Yorkshire never really leaves you — even when you roam the world.
Arctic Monkeys
From the Sheffield garages to global stages, the Arctic Monkeys have proved that Yorkshire accents don’t need sanding down to be heard. Their honest, sharp and unmistakably northern voices have kept this county on the map drawing massive sell out crowds all over the world.
Sir Patrick Stewart
From Mirfield to Shakespeare, Star Trek and beyond – Sir Patrick has done it all. He is and remains a serious, thoughtful and warm gentleman who has appeared in many huge motion pictures. Indeed, he may may be the only Yorkshireman who has used those immortal words from Star Trek – “Beam me up”. Sir Patrick continues to carry Yorkshire dignity everywhere with him, including deep, deep space.
Voices That Changed Society
Emmeline Pankhurst (1868–1928)
Emily was born into a politically active family with strong northern roots. She helped force change through sheer Yorkshire grit and determination. An inspirational woman and whose name is still used many years after her passing. Yorkshire folk understand when the time comes that they have to stand firm when something really matters.
In the End…
There are many, many more people who have shaped Yorkshire history. However, Yorkshire doesn’t need to chase fame. It produces people who work very hard, who think deeply and leave something solid behind for others to build on. Whilst some shout, many don’t — but all of them stand their ground and we will stand for what is right.
From our abbeys made of stone to the rolling hills and moors. From the industrial revolution that built factories, to the silence of the cricket where bat and ball were and continue to be heard. From the fields where men and women have toiled to the concert halls where music is made and crowds entertained, Yorkshire folk have shaped centuries the same way they’ve always done it:
As always, we do it quietly, stubbornly, and if a job is worth doing, then it is worth doing properly.