Gerry Marsden amongst notable Liverpool figures added to Oxford Dictionary of National Biography

The latest update of the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography adds biographies of 238 people who left their mark on the UK, and who died in the year 2021.

The singer-songwriter, musician, and television personality Gerry Marsden (1942–2021) led the rock band Gerry and the Pacemakers—with chart-topping singles such as ‘How do you do it?’ and ‘I like it’—until the members parted ways in 1966, when Marsden began appearing on television in a variety of shows. He was born at Liverpool Maternity Hospital and at the time of his birth the family lived at 8 Menzies Street, Toxteth, Liverpool. Although not enjoying a number one hit single in the United States, Gerry and the Pacemakers achieved several hits in the American pop singles charts. He later appeared in the West End and on ‘Oldies’ tours, and did much charity work.

Janice Long (1955–2021) was the first woman to present a daily music show on BBC Radio 1, and the first regular female presenter on Top of the Pops. She was also born at Liverpool Maternity Hospital. At the time of her birth the family lived at 280 Marsh Lane, Bootle, but soon moved to 74 Cedar Street, Bootle. She saw Liverpool as a ‘progressive’ and modern city for women compared to London in her youth.

The striker Roger Hunt (1938–2021) played with Liverpool FC for eleven seasons and scored 285 goals, setting the club’s scoring record until it was surpassed by Ian Rush. After a decade at Liverpool, in December 1969 Hunt was sold to second division Bolton Wanderers for £32,000.

The gold Olympic medallist, figure skater Jeannette Altwegg (1930–2021), earned the top prize in the ladies’ singles event at the Winter Olympics in Oslo, Norway, in 1952. She had won the bronze medal in the same category at the previous winter games in St Moritz, Switzerland, in 1948. At the age of six Jeannette Altwegg learned to skate at the Palace Ice Rink, Liverpool. Her family lived in Merseyside and then Glenisla, Blundell Road, Hightown.

April Ashley (1935–2021), born George Jamieson, spent a lifetime advocating for transgender rights and was made an MBE in 2012 for services to transgender equality. Jamieson was born at Sefton General Hospital, 126 Smithdown Road, Liverpool. Liverpool made Ashley a citizen of honour in 2015, and an exhibition, ‘Portrait of a Lady’, ran for twelve months in the same year at the Museum of Liverpool before transferring to London.

The exquisite stained glasswork of Patrick Reyntiens (1925–2021) and his frequent collaborator, John Piper, can be found in parish churches and cathedrals across Britain, including in the Great Hall of Christ Church, Oxford. Reyntiens designed the stained-glass window for the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Liverpool; at the time (1963–7), it was the largest-ever religious stained-glass commission.

They join around 4,000 people with Liverpool connections in the dictionary including Beatles musician John Lennon and the novelist Beryl Bainbridge.

Other prominent figures in the new edition include Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (1921-2021), the husband and consort of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch (whose own entry will be published next year); politicians Austin Mitchell (1934-2021), and Sir David Amess (1952-2021); entrepreneurs Sir Clive Sinclair (1940-2021) and Sir David Barclay (1934-2021); Nobel prize-winner Antony Hewish (1924-2021); actors Sir Antony Sher (1949-2021) and Helen McCrory (1968-2021); footballers Jimmy Greaves (1940-2021) and Ian St John(1938-2021); drummer Charlie Watts (1941-2021); journalist Katharine Whitehorn (1928-2021); anti-deportation activist Anwar Ditta (1953-2021); and charity fundraiser Captain Sir Tom Moore (1920-2021).

A full list of new subjects is available from the dictionary.

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