100 Great Westerners by David Lewins

Forewords ..................................................................... ..5 Tom Jones.......................................................................6 Tanni Grey-Thompson..........................................8 Megan Lloyd George ............................................9 Bonnie Tyler.................................................................10 Freya Bevan ................................................................. 12 Francis Drake ..............................................................13 Banksy ..............................................................................14 JK Rowling ....................................................................16 Isambard Kingdom Brunel .............................18 Agatha Christie.........................................................20 Bob Woodward ........................................................22 Meet Team Hitachi................................................ 23 Full list of 100 Great Westerners .............. 24 Michael Eavis .............................................................26 James Dyson .............................................................28 Terry Pratchett ..........................................................30 John Christensen ................................................... 32 Don Cameron............................................................ 33 Dylan Thomas .......................................................... 34 Kathryn Osmond .................................................... 35 Richard Trevithick...................................................36 George ‘Johnny’ Johnson................................ 37 Diana Dors....................................................................38 WG Grace .....................................................................40 Rick Rescorla ..............................................................41 Laura Plane ................................................................. 42 Robert Falcon Scott ............................................. 43 Sarah Long .................................................................. 44 Thomas Hardy.......................................................... 45 Hannah More .............................................................46

100 GREAT WESTERNERS

INSIDE

WELCOME A WORD FR OM

TRINITY MIRROR

e Bristolians are very proud of our rail heritage. And since the inception of Brunel’s famous Great Western Railway, there have been few milestones as important as the one that this supplement celebrates. GWR’s upgrade to the line and its rolling stock is a once-in-a-generation change, a landmark event in the history of IKB’s famous route. So Trinity Mirror West was delighted to team up with the rail operator to mark the event by helping to identify 100 great Westerners, whose names will be immortalised on the new engines. Chosen by our readers, they are a mixture of figures from the past and present. They range from leaders to winners, innovators to engineers, charity leaders to digital path finders. Local heroes from the fields of sport, charity, community, business, arts, entertainment and academia. All have made a significant contribution to the West Country. In this special supplement, which we have produced in collaboration with GWR, we take a look at the lives – and fascinating stories – of the people who have made the South West a region to be proud of. We salute GWR for recognising and celebrating their achievements. And we hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed putting it together. MIKE NORToN Editor-in-Chief, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset & Dorset Trinity Mirror plc

A W OR D F R OM GWR

he 100 Great Westerners is about celebrating what makes the region and communities we live and work in great – its people. The communities that have grown around the iconic Great Western network have been shaped by so many inspirational individuals and organisations. We are honoured to recognise the host of fantastic people who feature in the pages that follow, each of them nominated by the public and the readers of Trinity Mirror’s titles across the south west, and I am delighted to play a small part in helping share their stories. Although we will see some familiar names in the list, I am delighted that those greats are joined by less well known names of much more recent times who personify what makes our region great. From leading lights in business to those who have devoted a large proportion of their lives to others through charity and community work, often quietly and without fanfare, yet nevertheless shaping our communities in such a positive way.

The founder of the Great Western Railway, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, has his own place within the region – pioneering his vision of linking the economies of the region to build greater prosperity. He succeeded, and in the process effectively invented mass tourism, standardised time and the commuter – the latter probably a little less welcome than the others. This year will see us mark another milestone for our railway with the introduction of the new Intercity Express Trains, an exciting step change for passengers which will inspire the regions that they will serve. They are the next generation of intercity rail travel – boasting more seats, quicker journeys and a more improved travelling experience. Over the next couple of years, we’ll be naming these trains after 50 of the most inspiring Great Westerners named in this supplement. Each Inspirer will give each train its own identity – different not only from the others in the ﬂeet, but making them icons for the railway and the region we serve.

Each name will be accompanied by a commemorative coin, each individually designed to complement the individual. The coin’s inspiration comes from GWR’s flagship locomotive 6000 King George V, which still carries two gold coins presented by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company at its 1927 centenary celebrations. Our Great Westerners can know that they will be in great company – we were honoured that earlier this year Her Majesty the Queen officially launched our fleet by naming one of the first of our Intercity Express Trains Queen Elizabeth II. Our return to Great Western Railway was inspired by Brunel and his legacy, and as we go through the biggest upgrade since his time, we want to build up the pride that already exists for the railway and its trains. I hope you will joining me in congratulating everyone that features here, and enjoy hearing their stories as much as I have.

Mark Hopwood Managing Director Great Western Railway

Tom Jones photographed on September 24, 1964. At this time in Tom’s career, he had just released his ﬁrst solo single, “Chills and Fever” in August 1964. But in 1965, Tom became a household name with his major hit “It’s Not Unusual”. Other hits followed in the 1960s such as What’s New Pussycat, The Green Green Grass of Home, and Delilah.

TOM JONES

ith a career spanning six decades, the South Wales singer has a fanbase that spans the globe and every age range. He has produced music that has included so many genres, from pop to rock, dance to gospel. Sir Tom was born on June 7, 1940, in Pontypridd, as Tommy Woodward. Young Tommy didn’t like school or sports, but found joy in singing, preforming at family events, weddings and the school choir. In 1957, at only 16 years of age, he married his childhood sweetheart Linda and their son Mark was born a month after their wedding. While singing for bands in local clubs in the early 60s Sir Tom was seen by the London-based manager Gordon Mills. Mills, who originally hailed from South Wales, took the young singer to the capital. At this point Tommy Woodward became Tom Jones, a move to capitalise on the popular Oscar-nominated film of the time (and Jones was also his mother’s maiden name). Mills got Sir Tom signed to Decca records and his second single was the huge hit It’s Not Unusual. He then recorded What’s New Pussycat and the James Bond theme for Thunderball. Sir Tom was firmly established on the music scene and began moving in circles with famous names such as John Lennon, Elvis Presely, Sammy Davis Jr and Frank Sinatra. In the late 1960s Sir Tom released numerous hits including Delilah, Green, Green Grass Of Home, and Help Yourself as he became a crooner. He also played Las Vegas for the first time and he spent a lot of time with Elvis Presley.

It was at the turn of the century he hit meteoric heights with the release of Reload. In 2012 he became a judge of The Voice on BBC One, and was later dropped from the show by the channel only to be reinstated in 2017 when the programme switched to ITV. Last year, Sir Tom lost his wife Linda to cancer. The pair were married for 59 years, and while Sir Tom has been candid about his infidelities, they stayed together. The Welsh singing legend admitted that it took a “special kind of woman” to be so understanding about the world of music and show business and put their successful marriage down to the fact that his wife supported him throughout his singing career. Talking on the Radio 2 show with Michael Ball, Sir Tom said shortly after her death: “Because we grew up together she saw me singing in pubs and working men’s clubs in South Wales so she knew what I wanted to do, I wanted to become a professional singer. “So when we got It’s Not Unusual she was as thrilled about it as I was. It was a great feeling. I wasn’t only doing it for myself, I was doing it for my wife and my son – for my whole family actually – but especially for my wife and son. “It was a great feeling and she shared that feeling with me. She was thrilled to bits – what it brought with it – she knew that I was thrilled because I was finally a professional singer fulfilling a dream, and she was part of it. And she lived it with me and we used to understand one another so well. “I mean she’s still with me every day in my brain and in my heart, she’ll always be with me. We shared our life together.”

TANNI

GREY-THOMPSON S

he’s a former paralympic athlete, politician and TV presenter as well as a household name. Although born in Cardiff as Carys Davina Grey-Thompson, her older sister was the one to give Tanni her nickname. On seeing her sister for the ﬁrst time, Sian called her tiny but managed to pronounce it “tanni” – and the name stuck. Born with spina biﬁda, which left her unable to walk, Baroness Grey-Thompson (as she is now titled) has achieved much in an extensive sporting career including three BBC Wales Sports Personality of the Year awards. As a student at Saint Cyres Comprehensive School, Baroness Grey-Thompson began her Paralympic career as a wheelchair racer in the 100m in the Junior National Games

a Paralympic athlete, but that wasn’t the last we would hear from her. Throughout her impressive career she won 16 medals; 11 gold, four silver and one bronze. She has also broken 30 world records on the track. Following her sporting career, she expanded her involvement in television and fast became a familiar face on the BBC and S4C. She also got involved with the boards of various government bodies and events such as the London Marathon and ukactive. These are just two ﬁelds that Wales’s national treasure has touched upon; with her BA degree in politics and social administration it was no surprise that Baroness Grey-Thompson went on to pursue a career as a UK parliamentarian. She currently sits as a cross-bencher in the House of Lords and has made a number of speeches. In addition to her wide-ranging re-

for Wales in 1984, while also competing in wheelchair basketball. Before she attended Loughborough University, Baroness Grey-Thompson received her first Paralympic medal (bronze) at the 1988 Games in Seoul, South Korea. In 1992 she claimed victory in the London Wheelchair Marathon, the first of six wins over her career and then went on to the Barcelona Paralympics, where she won four gold medals in the 100m, 200m, 400m and 800m and a silver in the 4x100m relay. It was in Barcelona that baroness Grey-Thompson became the first woman to break the 60-second barrier for 400m. Her fifth and final Paralympic Games was in Athens in 2004 where she won two of her gold medals in the 100m and 400m. In February 2007 she announced her retirement as

sume, she has also received numerous honorary degrees and doctorates from more than 20 universities in the UK. In 1993 Baroness Grey-Thompson was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to sport, in 2000 she was promoted to Ofﬁcer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for the same reason, and in 2005 she was made a dame. In 2011 the University of East London presented her with a lifetime achievement award. Baroness Grey-Thompson is also patron to a number of charities. She is currently patron to Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice, which provides palliative, respite and end-of-life care to babies and young children. She continues to work in politics and is active in multiple charities. Her name and all that she has done will not be forgotten any time soon.

MEGAN

LLOYD GEORGE T

his year has seen more Welsh female MPs elected to Westminster than ever before. By contrast, at the start of 1929 the number of Welsh women in the UK Parliament remained stubbornly at zero. That was all to change on May 30 1929, however, when Megan Arfon Lloyd George was elected Liberal MP for Anglesey. Daughter of a former Prime Minister, Megan Lloyd George’s election saw her become the first woman in Wales to enter Parliament as a Member of the House. A 37-year political career across two Welsh constituencies would see her go on to become the longest-serving woman MP of the 20th Century. Megan was born April 22, 1902 in Criccieth, Caernarfonshire, the youngest daughter of Margaret and David Lloyd George. Until the age of four, she spoke only Welsh (the legacy of her mother’s upbringing) and it was not until she began to attend public engagements with her father that she would bilingually pick up English. Writing in 1909, Irish journalist and politician Thomas Power O’Connor referred to the young Megan as being “the brightest, the prettiest, most fascinating figure” of the Lloyd George household. “Megan lives in a strange, imaginative world of her own, in which her personality becomes almost as much a puzzle to herself as others,” he wrote. As MP for Anglesey, Megan proved a popular figure and distinguished orator. Indeed, by 1931 her majority had risen to 58.3 per cent over Conservative opponent Albert Hughes, in spite of her refusal to support the then National Government of Ramsay MacDonald. A backbencher, Megan spoke regularly to the Commons of Welsh affairs, agriculture and, increasingly, women’s rights. Four re-elections by Anglesey constit-

uents saw her develop into a fervent and outspoken campaigner against Chamberlain’s policy of appeasement to Hitler, and for the creation of a Welsh Assembly. In a passionate speech to Parliament on March 21, 1951, Megan declared that: “What Wales needs, what she wants – and she will be satisfied with nothing less – is government of the Welsh people by the Welsh people for the Welsh people”. However, that year saw the politician, now Lady Lloyd George by virtue of her father’s peerage, narrowly beaten in her Parliamentary seat by Cledwyn Hughes of the Labour Party. Though many believed her career now to be over, by 1955 Lady Lloyd George had switched allegiances to the very party who had ousted her just four years earlier. As a new member of the Labour Party, that year she fought and won a by-election in Carmarthen, a seat that she would hold until her death on May 4, 1966. An important year for Lady Lloyd George, 1955 also saw her elected president of a committee petitioning for the formation of a Parliament of Wales. She oversaw the collection of more than a quarter of a million signatures and was among the Welsh MPs who delivered it, ironically, to her older brother Gwilym Lloyd George, the Conservative Home Secretary and Minister for Wales. A founding figure of the concept of a “National Region,” Lady Lloyd George’s impact on Welsh and UK politics resonates still. Her enduring popularity as both an MP and belligerent supporter of local politics is evident in the huge crowd, including political rivals, attendant at a memorial ceremony held on the day of her funeral. She was buried in 1966 at Criccieth in the Lloyd George family vault, having been posthumously appointed a Companion of Honour in the Dissolution List just five days after her death.

Bonnie Tyler at the Penns Hall Hotel, Sutton ColdďŹ eld, on January 27, 1988.

BONNIE

T Y L E R

erhaps Skewen’s most famous export, Bonnie Tyler has been making waves since the release of her No. 1 single Total Eclipse of the Heart in 1983. Her impressive career has not only included industry success, but also philanthropic work. Born Gaynor Hopkins in Skewen, Tyler struggled to find success as a music artist. After leaving school with no formal qualifications, Tyler (then Hopkins) began working in a grocery shop. In 1969, she entered a local talent contest, and after coming in second place was inspired to pursue a singing career. After having changed her name twice to avoid being confused with Welsh folk singer Mary Hopkin, first to Sherene Davis and then to the iconic Bonnie Tyler, her break came when she began working with Meatloaf’s producer, Jim Steinman, who penned many of her most well-known hits including Holding Out For A Hero and Total Eclipse of the Heart, the latter making her the first Welsh woman to get to number one on the mainstream US charts and earning her two Grammy nominations. Since her success in the 1980s, Tyler has continued to produce music and garnered particular acclaim on the continent with her 2004 single Si Tout S’arrête (It’s a Heartache) earning a spot among some of the best-selling singles of all time. In the 1990s Tyler spent time working with “the German Simon Cowell” Deiter Bohlen, giving rise to albums including the monster German hit Bitterblue. Tyler is hugely popular in Europe and in 2003 she recorded a dual-language cover of Total Eclipse of the Heart with French artist Kareen Antonn titled Si Demain (Turn Around), which topped

the charts in Belgium, Poland and France - the latter for ten weeks. Tyler’s career has led to three Goldene Europa awards, a Variety Club of Great Britain Award, a Gold Badge award for her contribution to Britain’s Music Industry, and a Steiger Award for a lifetime career in music. She has also been nominated for three Grammies, three Brit Awards and two American Music Awards. One of her most recent notable appearances was to represent the UK at Eurovision 2013. Although finishing in 19th place, she received the coveted Eurovision Song Contest Radio Award, becoming the first Briton to do so. Alongside her music, Tyler lent her voice to a recording of Dylan Thomas’s Under Milk Wood, playing the part of Polly Garter and even appearing on BBC’s Never Mind the Buzzcocks. She’s also a prevalent philanthropic figure not only in her home of Swansea but further afield. Her work as an ambassador of Bobath Children’s Therapy in the early 1990s and then patron of The Noah’s Ark appeal has not only brought awareness to these two charities but invaluable funding. As if this wasn’t enough, Tyler has had recognition from some of Wales’ most prestigious institutes, including an honorary degree from Swansea University and being made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama for her services to the music industry. Tyler shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon and still remains incredibly committed to her Welsh roots. Her latest album, Rocks and Honey, was also released in 2013 and is her sixteenth studio album.

FREYA BEVAN

t has been just over two years since little Freya Bevan ﬂew to the US for pioneering treatment to remove a tumour on her brain. The bubbly ﬁve-year-old, who is now at school, was diagnosed with a Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumour (PNET) when she was just a baby, and underwent a number of operations as well as chemotherapy. Freya’s parents Katherine and John Paul Bevan, a hospital technician, wanted their daughter to have Proton Beam Therapy (which is available in the US) rather than radiotherapy, which can be extremely damaging to young bodies. The Welsh Health Specialist Services Committee refused to fund the treatment, leaving Freya’s parents devastated. But Children’s charity Kids N Cancer helped with the costs to send the little girl to the US for the pioneering treatment. Freya’s family

“She couldn’t wait to start and she was really excited on the morning of her ﬁrst day. She went running to the teacher and she instantly felt at ease. “She enjoys every minute of it. “When she comes home after school she’s always telling us about what she’s been up to, what she’s done in class, who she sat next to to have her sandwiches. “She’s made a lot of friends and the teachers are great with her.” Freya particularly enjoys singing, nursery rhymes, playing with PlayDoh and Katherine says she’s a very girly girl. Last year Freya went to school parttime and after turning four in August, she is now getting used to the fulltime routine. “She doesn’t need any more treatment,” Katherine said. “She has a scan every three to four months and a check-up every six months.

raised an amazing £110,000 in total to travel to America for the Proton Beam Therapy. Katherine Bevan said at the time: “with the help of an amazing children’s charity called Kids N Cancer, we can conﬁrm that we have been approved treatment by the amazing Dr Chang in Oklahoma, America, who thinks he can help Freya! OMG, now tears of joy are pouring down our faces and not tears of heartbreak. “But it wouldn’t be at all if it wasn’t for all you amazing, kind-hearted people who have helped us and continue to help us, as we still have such a long way to go, we still have to pay for the treatment.” Two years on and the little girl is now at primary school in Neath, Wales. On her ﬁrst day of school last September Freya ran through the classroom doors and didn’t look back. Freya’s mother, Katherine, said:

“Her last scan was in July and there was no change so everything is good. “It’s always a worrying time going for the scans and she’s aware now because she’s older. But everything was ﬁne, which is great news.” Following the family’s journey Katherine is now planning on going back to study to become a counsellor for families going through child illnesses. She said that while there are counselling services for bereaved families there are fewer services available for those with a child suffering a serious illness. Katherine added: “I never thought we would be where we are now. I want people to know there can be light at the end of the tunnel. “We have been through all of this and I want to be able to help and support other families going through similar experiences.”

FRANCIS DRAKE

ir Francis Drake was an Elizabethan sailor who became the ﬁrst Englishman to navigate the Strait of Magellan a sea route separating mainland South America to the north and Tierra del Fuego to the south. Born in Tavistock, in Devon, in around 1540, Drake went to sea at an early age. He made many trading voyages from Plymouth to the West Indies and in 1572 he commanded two vessels in an expedition against Spanish ports in the Caribbean. He captured the port of Nombre de Dios on the Isthmus of Panama and returned to England with a cargo of Spanish treasure and a reputation as a brilliant privateer. Drake later carried out the second-ever navigation of the world in a single expedition from 1577 to 1580.

mayor of Plymouth in September 1581 and later a member of parliament. A popular Plymouth legend states that it was on Plymouth Hoe – a large south-facing open public space in the city – that Drake was playing bowls when first news of sightings of the invading Spanish was brought to him in 1588. The legend has it that Drake signified to those around him that he wanted to continue with his game of bowls undisturbed. In reality Drake may well have known that the wind and tide conditions meant the English fleet was unable to leave Plymouth immediately anyway. Drake was vice-admiral in command of the English fleet when it overcame the Spanish Armada who were attempting to invade England.

He sailed from England with five ships, but by the time he reached the Pacific Ocean in October 1578 only one was left: the Pelican (it was later renamed the Golden Hind). Drake continued to travel up the west coast of South America – he went further than any European had ever been – hoping to find a route across to the Atlantic. However, when he was unable to find a passage in July 1579, he sailed west across the Pacific. His journey took him to the Moluccas, Celebes, Java and then around South Africa’s Cape of Good Hope. He arrived back in England in September 1580 with a cargo of Spanish treasure and spices. In 1581, Elizabeth I knighted Drake on board his ship in recognition of his achievements. The seaman became

Drake’s seafaring continued until he was in his fifties. He died of dysentery while anchored off the coast of Panama and after his death the English fleet withdrew. Before he died, it is rumoured that Drake asked to be dressed in his full armour. He was buried at sea in a lead-lined coffin near Portobelo, Panama. His final resting place is believed to be near the wrecks of two British ships although his coffin has never been found. In Plymouth there are a number of monuments to Drake including a shopping centre, which is named after him, and a roundabout. The naval base was named HMS Drake and Plymouth Hoe is home to a statue of the seaman. Drake, who was the eldest of 12 sons, had no children of his own.

BANKSY T

he anonymous Bristol street artist Banksy has created some of the most iconic works in the city and around the world, with his notoriety fuelling speculation about his or her true identity. One of Banksy’s first famous works was The Mild Mild West mural. It was painted in Stokes Croft in 1997 and depicts a teddy bear lobbing a Molotov cocktail at three riot police. Another of his most well-known works, on Park Street, is of a man hanging naked from a window. This piece of art drew attention after it was defaced by anti-graffiti campaigners. With his international recognition and iconic artworks, rumours and theories surrounding Banksy have always been rife. Banksy started as a freehand graffiti artist in 1990 as one of Bristol’s

of the artist’s paintings of supermodel Kate Moss, painted in the style of Andy Warhol’s famous Marilyn Monroe pictures, sold at Sotheby’s in London for £50,400 – an auction record for Banksy’s work. In 2010 Banksy made a documentary ﬁlm, Exit Through the Gift Shop, which debuted at the Sundance Film Festival. By 2011 the artist had been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Documentary. In 2014, Banksy was awarded Person of the Year at the Webby Awards – the international awards honouring excellence on the internet. Banksy once characterised grafﬁti as a form of underclass “revenge”. He sees social class as central to this struggle and has remarked that “if you don’t own a train company then you go and paint on one instead”. His work also mocks the elite and pow-

DryBreadZ Crew. Around this time the artist met Bristol photographer Steve Lazarides who began selling Banky’s work, and later became his agent. The artist turned to stencilling after realising how much less time it took to complete a piece of work. Banksy’s stencils, which are painted onto public surfaces such as building walls, usually feature a message that is anti-war, anti-capitalist or anti-establishment. Subjects have included gorillas, rats, policemen, soldiers, children and old people. In December 2006, journalist Max Foster coined the phrase “the Banksy effect” to explain the explosion of street artists following Banksy’s rise to success. That same year, pop star Christina Aguilera bought an original Banksy of Queen Victoria as a lesbian and two prints for £25,000. Another set

erful. Banksy facetiously described the political nature of his artwork by saying that “Sometimes I feel so sick at the state of the world, I can’t even ﬁnish my second apple pie”. He is now regarded as a British cultural icon. But who is he (or she)? In August 2016 Scottish journalist Craig Williams wrote a feature on Banksy which suggested the timing of the artist’s murals were linked with the touring schedule of English trip-hop band Massive Attack. The article also suggested that Banksy’s art could be the work of a collective and raised questions over whether Massive Attack frontman, Robert Del Naja, was the artist. Del Naja has been associated with Banksy in the past and was a grafﬁti artist during the 80s prior to forming Massive Attack.

J.K.

ROWLING

s one of the world’s most famous living authors, JK (Joanne Kathleen) Rowling needs little introduction. The novelist and screenwriter is, of course, responsible for the Harry Potter franchise: the best-selling novels in history. What is lesser known about Rowling is that she is from the West Country - hailing from Yate in South Gloucestershire. Born to Peter James Rowling, a Rolls-Royce aircraft engineer, and Anne Rowling (née Volant), a science technician, on 31 July 1965, Rowling was a keen writer from an early age, penning her ﬁrst ‘book’ at the age of six – a story about a rabbit named ‘Rabbit’. Rowling was working as a researcher and bilingual secretary for Amnesty International when she said the character of boy wizard Harry Potter “just strolled into my head fully formed” during a train journey from Manchester to London in 1990. By the time she arrived at King’s Cross, many of the characters had

later, and the Children’s Book Award. It was later published in the United States under the title of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, a change Rowling came to regret. The two sequels that followed, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, also won the Smarties Prize, making Rowling the first person to win the award three times running. The fourth book, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, achieved record breaking sales in both the UK and US when it was released on 8 July 2000. The next books in the series - Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows hit the bookshelves between 2003 and 2007, each outdoing the last in terms of sales figures. Between 2002 and 2011 all seven books were released as films by Warner Bros, the final novel being released as two instalments. Rowling was closely involved in this process,

taken shape. But it would be another seven years before her first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was eventually released. It was a time period that would be tumultuous for Rowling, in which she married, gave birth to her first child, and subsequently divorced. By 1995, she was living on state benefits and described herself as a ‘failure’. Writing was her liberation, and Philosopher’s Stone was largely written in cafes, while her daughter slept. She later revealed that she was plagued by depressive and suicidal feelings, something which inspired the Dementor characters which appeared in her third novel. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone was rejected by twelve publishers before it was eventually given the thumbsup by Bloomsbury. Its initial print run of 1,000 copies are today valued between £16,000 and £25,000. Philosopher’s Stone received rave reviews, winning a Nestlé Smarties Book Prize, the British Book Award for Children’s Book of the Year, and

insisting on the films being filmed in the UK with an all-British cast, and reviewing all scripts. Following the main Harry Potter series, Rowling has released further spin-off books including Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, in aid of Comic Relief. She went on to publish an adult novel, The Casual Vacancy, in 2012, which sold more than a million copies worldwide and was later adapted as a television drama by the BBC. She published a detective novel, The Cuckoo’s Calling, in April 2013 under the pen-name Robert Gilbraith. Rowling’s life story is a true ‘rags to riches’ fairytale, in which she progressed from living on benefits to multi-millionaire status within five years. She is the United Kingdom’s best-selling living author, with sales in excess of £238m. The 2016 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling’s fortune at £600 million, ranking her as the joint 197th richest person in the UK.

ISAMBARD KINGDOM

BRUNEL

sambard Kingdom Brunel may not have been born in Bristol but he spent much of his life in the South West and is famed for his work. Hailed as “one of the 19th Century engineering giants”, and “one of the greatest ﬁgures of the Industrial Revolution”, Brunel changed the British landscape forever with Clifton Suspension Bridge, which is seen by many as his crowning achievement. The only son of French civil engineer Marc Brunel, Brunel the younger was born in Portsmouth on April 9 1806. By the age of eight he had a command of the basics of engineering. At 14, Brunel went to study in Paris and by 1823 he had embarked on his ﬁrst engineering project; the Thames Tunnel from Rotherhithe to Wapping in East London. During the project, however, Brunel suffered an injury in a tunnel construction. He came to Bristol in 1828 to recover. Clifton Suspension

Bridge, which is synonymous with Bristol, was designed by Brunel in 1829. At the time it had the longest span of any bridge in the world. Brunel’s original design was initially rejected on the advice of Scottish engineer Thomas Telford. Later, an improved version with Egyptian-inﬂuenced sphinxes and hieroglyphs was accepted. Building of the suspension Bridge began in July 1831, at an estimated cost of £57,000. Unfortunately the project was abandoned due to a lack of funds and the bridge was not completed until 1864, after Brunel’s death. Brunel’s other notable achievements include the design and development of the SS Great Britain – the ﬁrst propeller-driven iron ship – and, of course, the Great Western Railway. In 1833, at the age of 27, Brunel was appointed chief engineer of the Great Western Railway which ran from Lon-

don to Bristol (and later Exeter). The engineer’s initial vision was to enable passengers to purchase a train ticket in London and be able to travel to New York on the Great Western Railway and then Great Western Steamship from Neyland in Wales. During this period Brunel designed several landmarks which are now famous, including viaducts at Hanwell and Chippenham, the Maidenhead Bridge, the Box Tunnel and Bristol’s Temple Meads Station. Looking for another challenge, Brunel proposed the idea of transatlantic travel to the ﬁrm which had backed the Great Western Railway. His idea was to extend the transport network by boat from Bristol across the Atlantic Ocean to New York City. The company agreed and the Great Western Steamship Company was formed. By 1938 the Great Western, which was the largest steamship of its time,

made her first voyage. The journey took 15 days and was the first of more than 60 crossings made over the next eight years. In that time Brunel became convinced of the superiority of propeller-driven ships, which lead to the design of Bristol’s own SS Great Britain. The ship was the largest in the world when she was built for the emerging transatlantic luxury passenger trade; she was able to carry 252 passengers and 130 crew. Brunel was a heavy smoker and he suffered a stroke in September 1859. He died 10 days later at the age of 53. He is buried, like his father, in London. Many of Brunel’s bridges, such as the Clifton Suspension Bridge, are still in use. Brunel remains a revered figure in British history, as is evidenced by the monuments dedicated to him. There are statues of the engineer in Bristol, Plymouth, Swindon, Milford Haven and Saltash.

AGATHA

CHRISTIE A

s the queen of crime, there is scarcely a person in the country who doesn’t know at least one of her stories or characters. Agatha Christie is, in short, a detective dynamo penning 66 sleuth novels, 14 short story collections, a record-breaking play, and six romantic tales in her lifetime. Her talent, as well as the sheer volume of her work, has led her to become the best-selling novelist of all time. Her stories are also claimed to be the third most widely-published across the world, behind only Shakespeare and the Bible. Born in Torquay on 15 September 1890 to a wealthy upper-class family, Christie (nee Miller) was the youngest of three children with her sister, Margaret, 11 years her senior and brother, Louis (known as Monty), 10 years her senior. Her happy childhood came to an abrupt end at the age of 11 when her father suffered a heart attack and died. Christie stated later on in life that it was at that point her childhood ended. With the loss of her father and his financial support Christie was sent to a number of different schools before being educated in Paris. In 1910, Christie and her mother travelled to Cairo. Christie used this time to write and to attend social events in search of a husband. She set her first novel, Snow Upon the Desert, in the city. When she arrived back in Britain, she met her first husband, Archie Christie, at a dance – he was an army officer in the Royal Flying Corps. After the outbreak of the First World War in 1914, Archie Christie was sent to France to fight. However, he returned at Christmas

and the pair were wed in Clifton, in Bristol. Christie also joined the war effort, both in the First World War and Second World War, assisting the Voluntary Aid Detachment as a nurse in the former and working as a pharmacy assistant at University College Hospital in London during the latter. These experiences helped her gain an extensive knowledge of injuries and poisons, which would be key to her later stories. It was during the brief period of peace between the wars that Christie created (arguably) her most famous character – Hercule Poirot. Inspired by Belgium refugees who had fled to Torquay to escape the Germans, Poirot himself was Belgian and taking refuge in Britain. Defined by his moustache and eggshaped head, Poirot first appeared in The Mysterious Affair at Styles, which was published in 1920. Poirot went on to appear in 33 novels and 54 short stories, although by the end of her career, Christie found her character “insufferable”. Christie’s other famous character is Miss Marple, who was based on Christie’s grandmother. Marple appeared in 12 novels and 20 stories beginning with The Thirteen Problems in 1927. Among Agatha Christie’s most acclaimed works are And Then There Was None and Murder On The Orient Express. The former is Christie’s best-selling work, with 100 million copied sold. Her murder-mystery play, The Mousetrap, is the longest-running play on the West End, with more than 25,000 performances having taken place. In 1971 Christie was made a DBE for her contribution to literature.

BOB

WOODWARD I

n 1976, seven out of 10 children diagnosed with cancer died. Today, eight out of 10 survive the disease. This incredible turnaround was kick-started by one remarkable man - Bristolian Bob Woodward. Two years earlier, Mr Woodward – a successful property developer – had received the devastating news that his eight-year-old son had cancer. The business owner was shocked at the lack of resources for young patients and their families so he founded charity Clic (Cancer and Leukaemia in Childhood) to help those in need like himself. He had seen the plight of other parents who were struggling to hold their families together and he came up with a plan; he furnished one of his properties, offering the building as a space families could be together while their child was receiving treatment. He then launched himself into an all-consuming mission to improve standards of care, treatment and support for other families with sick children.

was quite pleased to see that they had listed my name as Robert, as really this honour should be for Robert – he is the true founder of Clic.” Mr Woodward said the many firsts the charity achieved, such as setting up a ‘Homes from Home’ service for families of children being treated in hospital and expanding into Eastern Europe, made for a “magical” journey. He said: “Setting up a Home from Home in Budapest was a highlight. They have invited me back there since, and around 4,000 families have been able to stay there. Of course meeting ex-Soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev in Moscow was also a highlight – he went on to become president of Clic International after a visit to Clic House. Those first 25 years of Clic were just magical.” The charity has gone on to raise around £250 million to help sick children, a figure Mr Woodward said he still struggles to believe. “It’s truly staggering,” he said. “You couldn’t ever really imagine it

Sadly, Mr Woodward’s son Robert died in 1977, aged 11, but his fundraising mission continued, with Clic expanding throughout the UK and into Europe before merging with another children’s cancer charity to become Clic Sargent. The charity is now the biggest children’s cancer charity in the UK. After a lifetime of selﬂess charity work, hundreds of millions of pounds raised and a decade of his family and friends campaigning for it to happen, Mr Woodward was appointed an OBE in 2014. Mr Woodward said at the time: “It’s a fabulous, wonderful thing to receive such an honour. “I want to express my heartfelt thanks to everybody who has helped to make this happen – I know a lot of people will be very pleased. You have certainly made an old man very happy.” Mr Woodward dedicated his OBE to his son. He said: “Although many people will know me as Bob, I have to say I

at the beginning. Mr Woodward also ran the Starfish Trust, which handed more than £6m to good causes in the Bristol area, from 1988 until 2012. After a lifetime of service, and battling prostate cancer himself, you could forgive Mr Woodward for enjoying a well-earned retirement, but at the age of 79, the prolific fundraiser decided he wanted to raise another million through the Starfish Pool Appeal – a fundraising drive to pay for a much-needed hydrotherapy pool for Claremont Special Secondary School in Redland, which caters for a variety of disabled youngsters. The OBE is the highest of a string of honours Mr Woodward has received over the years, including a Pride of Britain award presented to him by Prime Minister David Cameron in 2011, and a Bristol Post Gold Star award in 2010. Mr Woodward said: “I’m very conscious that any lifetime achievement takes a lot of work from a lot of people – and I am no exception.”

t was over 40 years ago when the Great Western last received new intercity trains. Back in 1976 the HST train began carrying passengers along the route. This train has gone on to become a cherished character for generations of passengers. Fast forward to 2017, and the HST fleet is now to wind down its service. This year passengers on the Great Western will once again be experiencing a new intercity train. Hitachi was chosen to design and build a pioneering new train to meet the demands of the modern passenger. We set about this by finding out exactly what passengers expected from their train journeys. From the bleary eyed commuter to excited families ready to explore tourist hotspots, we wanted to hear what passengers wanted. We built model versions of the train and brought passengers on-board for instant feedback. The result is a train designed by passengers who will rely on the service for years to come. Take the passenger who needs to travel to a business meeting. They want to get work done in comfort, rather than being stuck on a motorway. Therefore our trains give passengers extra space to use their laptops, whilst providing plug sockets at every seat. The latest mobile phone and internet signal boxes are fitted, ensuring faster and more reliable WiFi. We know that GWR is being used more and more by holiday-goers. What better way to visit historic Eng-

By Karen Boswell OBE, Managing Director for Hitachi Rail Europe they are ready to run the next day. To maintain modern pioneering trains we’ve invested £160 million in building state-of-the-art depots. We have built new depots in Bristol and Swansea, whilst upgrading a site in West London which passengers can catch a glimpse of as they pull out of Paddington. Our depots are a far cry from the old stereotypical train shed. Instead, our sites are clean, light and modern, everything you would want to maintain modern trains. Each depot is ﬁtted with industry-leading technology, including laser scanners for precision inspections. To work in these modern depots we are recruiting a new 500-strong team. We have built a team of diverse talents, backgrounds and

lish cities or coastal Welsh attractions than on one of the most modern trains around. We’ve removed the stress of travelling for tourists by substantially increasing overhead luggage space. For those not used to travelling on trains, our digital reservation screens above each seat will make the experience a simple one. Easy to ﬁnd seats, luggage space and scenic views means the train is always better than the plane. Our ﬂeet of Intercity Express Trains will be the new workhorses, running millions of passenger journeys every year come rain or shine. To make this happen, Hitachi have invested in a new team to maintain the trains. Every night dedicated teams of maintenance professionals will service and clean the trains so

ages. Whether it is new apprentices, or experienced military engineers, you can be sure that a dedicated team is working hard to keep the new trains in top condition, reducing possible delays for passengers. Brunel’s pioneering railway will now have trains harnessing Japanese bullet train technology, running on electric power and maintained at futuristic depots. The Great Western Railway is once again being looked upon with envy for its innovation and forward thinking. Investment by Hitachi, in collaboration with GWR, Department for Transport and Network Rail, is ensuring passengers are getting an experience truly beﬁtting of the 21st century. The ripple effects of this investment are being felt by businesses and suppliers along the route. Our UK train factory is using parts from the South West to build the trains, such as pantographs from Somerset and brakes from Wiltshire. Our depots, too, use local suppliers for parts and services, supporting hundreds of jobs. At ﬁrst glance these new trains will mean more seats, more space and better-on-board technology. Yet to the South West and Wales, they are so much more. They are the symbol of investment in jobs, technology and local businesses. Hitachi is proud to be part of the Great Western railways great renewal. Our team are now ready to serve passengers along this historic route, connecting towns, cities and communities for decades to come.

YOUR

100 GREAT WESTERNERS 24

1. Agatha Christie 2. Banksy 3. Barbara Hepworth 4. Bob Woodward 5. Capt Robert Falcon Scott 6. Charles Causley 7. Dame Agnes Weston 8. Dave Vanstone 9. David Penhaligon 10. Donald Cameron 11. Dylan Thomas 12. Edward Jenner 13. Eileen Bartlett 14. Elizabeth Ralph 15. Emma West 16. Fleur Lombard 17. Freya Bevan 18. Hollie Chown 19. Isambard Kingdom Brunel 20. J.K Rowling 21. James Janes 22. John Christensen 23. John James 24. John Wesley 25. George ‘Johnny’ Johnson MBE

26. Juliet Poynter 27. Kathryn Osmond 28. Kevin Mashford 29. Laura Plane 30. Michael Eavis 31. Nancy Astor 32. Paul Brain 33. PC Mark Freshwater 34. Plymouth Lifeboat Crew 35. Reverend Robert Stephen Hawker 36. Richard Trevithick 37. Rick Rescorla 38. Sarah Long 39. Sir Francis Drake 40. Sir George White 41. Sir Humphrey Davy 42. Sir James Dyson 43. Sir Joshua Reynolds 44. Sir Terry Pratchett 45. Steve Whiteway 46. Thomas Newcomen 47. Tom Jones 48. William Cookworthy 49. William Gilbert (WG) Grace 50. Zachariah Wallis

51. Mary Anning 52. Anthony Wedgwood Benn 53. John Betjeman 54. Pradeep Bhardwaj 55. Bernard Stanley ‘Acker’ Bilk MBE 56. Robert Blake 57. Enid Blyton 58. Michael Bond 59. Max Boyce 60. Adela Breton 61. Rowena Cade 62. Samuel Taylor Coleridge 63. Russ Conway 64. Beryl Cook 65. Tommy Cooper 66. Adge Cutler 67. Diana Dors 68. Gareth Edwards 69. Sir Edward Elgar 70. Jean Golding 71. Tanni Grey-Thompson 72. Ruth Haines 73. Ken Hanks 74. Thomas Hardy 75. Stephen Lansdown

76. Mike Layland 77. Megan Lloyd George 78. Sir David McMurtry 79. Beverley & Sarah Milner Simonds 80. George Muller 81. Mark Ormrod 82. Jo Paved 83. Major Timothy Peake 84. Mike Pierce 85. Colin Pillinger 86. Samuel Plimsoll 87. Ross Poldark 88. John Pople 89. Sir Walter Raleigh 90. William Slim 91. Rick Stein 92. Mabel Stranks 93. Brian Trubshaw CBE 94. Alan Turing 95. Peter Wildeblood 96. Shane Williams 97. Hedd Wyn 98. Malcolm Campbell 99. Odette Hallowes 100. Wilfred Fuller

MICHAEL

ichael Eavis is the founder of (arguably) the most famous festival in the UK: Glastonbury Festival. Born Athelstan Joseph Michael Eavis in Pilton, Somerset, the festival founder is a dairy farmer by trade. He was educated at Wells Cathedral School and inherited his father’s farm in 1954. In 1969, Eavis and his second wife Jean visited the Bath Festival of Blues and were inspired to set up a festival on their own farm after watching Led Zeppelin perform. A year later, in 1970, the Pilton Pop Folk & Blues Festival took place; it was the day after Jimi Hendrix died and tickets cost £1 (including free milk from the farm). The following year, Glastonbury Fair was organised by two of Eavis’s friends, Andrew Kerr and Arabella Churchill, who felt all other festivals at the time were over-commercial-

EAVIS every year in size and popularity. By 1992, which was the first year donations from the profits of the festival were made to Greenpeace and Oxfam, there were 70,000 people attending. And £250,000 was donated to charities. As well as managing his fast-growing festival, Eavis stood as a candidate for Labour in the 1997 General Election in Wells, having not long recovered from stomach cancer. He polled 10,204 votes that year before switching allegiance to the Green Party for several years before returning to Labour. The festival continued to attract global talent, raise money for charity and boost the local economy, and by 2007 Eavis was awarded a CBE for services to music in the Queen’s 2007 Birthday Honours list. Two years later he was named as one of the top 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. Glastonbury celebrated its 40th an-

ised. This time, the event was free to attend and it attracted around 12,000 people. The ﬁrst Pyramid stage was constructed that year out of scaffolding and expanded metal covered with plastic sheeting, above the Glastonbury-Stonehenge ley line. But it wasn’t until 1981 that the name was changed to Glastonbury Festival. That same year the festival was centred around the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. Eavis wanted to help the Mid-Somerset CND campaign and an agreement was reached with National CND to form a partnership – although it was up Eavis to provide the money, arrange entertainment and organise the event, liaise with the authorities and organise market stalls. In 1981 attendance reached 18,000 and tickets cost £8. Acts included: New Order, Hawkwind, Taj Mahal, Aswad and Gordon Giltrap. The festival continued to grow

niversary in 2010. More than 135,000 weekend tickets were sold and several performers from the original 1970 event appeared, including DJ Mad Mick, and the music was mixed with political discussion and debate. A new bridge, named Bella’s Bridge after theatre ﬁelds founder Arabella Churchill who died in 2007, was erected over the Whitelake stream. Eavis told the media at the Sunday morning press conference: “It has been the best party for me – the weather, the full moon and last night a crowd of 100,000 people, every single one enjoying themselves.” 2017 marked 47 years of the festival and saw Radiohead, Foo Fighters and Ed Sheeran all performing. Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn also attended (Eavis is a big supporter). Eavis, whose wife Jean died of cancer in 1999, still lives on the farm in Somerset with his third wife Liz and his daughter Emily.

JAMES

DYSON T

he British inventor and industrial designer Sir James Dyson is a household name. His bagless vacuum cleaners launched the entrepreneur to dizzying heights, and today he runs a global company turning over $3bn every year. Born in Cromer, Norfolk, Sir James studied art and interior design at the Royal College of Art before moving into engineering. In the 1978 he struck upon the idea of creating a bagless vacuum cleaner after becoming frustrated with his own. He had recently built an industrial cyclone that separated paint particles from the air using centrifugal force. He applied the principle to the vacuum cleaner. Five years and 5,127 prototypes later, while being supported by his wife, an art teacher, Sir James had invented the ﬁrst bagless vacuum. The ﬁrst model, known as G-Force, was sold in Japan, becoming hugely popular and selling at $2,000-a-piece. The model also won the 1991 International Design Fair Prize in Japan. With the royalties from G-Force sales, Sir James founded his own company – Dyson Ltd. By 1993 he had set up his own research centre. Today, there are Dyson machines in 65 countries worldwide and 1,000 engineers working for the business, which is headquartered

in Malmesbury, Wiltshire. Sir James said: “At school I opted for arts, put off by all the formulae in science. “There was nothing that combined the two like design engineering does. “I resolved to be an estate agent, then a painter, a surgeon, an actor, and an artist again. “I only stumbled on engineering by accident and immediately decided what I wanted to do – make things that work better.” In 2002 Sir James set up the Dyson Foundation to support design and engineering education. The Foundation’s aim is to inspire young people to study engineering and realise their engineering potential. It supports engineering education in schools and universities as well as medical and scientiﬁc research in partnership with charities. The foundation also runs the James Dyson Award – an annual international award that celebrates, encourages and inspires the next generation of design engineers. The award is part of the foundation’s mission to get young people excited about design engineering and is open to current and recent design engineering students. Sir James was knighted in 2007 and has been provost of the Royal College of Art since 2011. He is now estimated to be worth £7.8bn.

TERRY

PRATCHETT 30

ir Terry Pratchett was one of the most prolific and successful authors of his generation. Best known for his long-running Discworld series, Pratchett captivated his readers with playful narrative and colourful characters. The highly-praised author sold 85 million books around the world and saw his works translated into over 30 different languages. At the turn of the century, Pratchett was Britain’s second most-read author, beaten only by JK Rowling, creator of the Harry Potter series. In 1971, Pratchett published his first novel, The Carpet People, and 12 years later, in 1983, released his first Discworld novel, The Colour of Magic. Pratchett said that he started the satirical fantasy Discworld series to “have fun with some of the clichés” – little did he know that it would spawn into 41 volumes. Of the many characters Pratchett bestowed upon fiction fans, the most popular are (arguably) Commander Sam Vines who first appeared in Guards! Guards! in 1989 and transcended the Discworld series as a grizzled policeman and commander of the City Watch, as well as Rincewind – “the magical equivalent to the number zero” and one of Pratchett’s first Discworld characters. The anthropomorphic figure of Death is also a prominent and popular character in Pratchett’s works, with his role in the series being even more poignant following the author’s declining health and attitude to his own mortality. In August, 2007, Pratchett was misdiagnosed as having suffered a stroke, but the following December announced that he had been newly diagnosed with a very rare form of early-onset Alzheimer’s disease which, he said, “lay behind this year’s

phantom stroke”. He urged people to “keep things cheerful”. The following March he announced that he was donating £500,000 to the Alzheimer’s Research Trust ahead of becoming a patron of the charity. In the same year he met with prime minister Gordon Brown, to ask for more funds to research dementia. The following year, Pratchett released an article stating that wished to die by assisted suicide, adding: “It should be possible for someone stricken with a serious and ultimately fatal illness to choose to die peacefully with medical help, rather than suffer.” Pratchett died of natural causes at his home in Wiltshire on March 12, 2015. Following the news of his death, Larry Finlay from Transworld Publishers, said: “The world has lost one of its brightest, sharpest minds. “In over 70 books, Terry enriched the planet like few before him. As all who read him know, Discworld was his vehicle to satirize this world: He did so brilliantly, with great skill, enormous humour and constant invention. “Terry faced his Alzheimer’s disease (an ‘embuggerance’, as he called it) publicly and bravely. Over the last few years, it was his writing that sustained him. His legacy will endure for decades to come.” In the summer of this year, Pratchett’s unique humour continued to amuse fans as a hard drive containing all of his unﬁnished novels was crushed by a steamroller called Lord Jericho at the Great Dorset Steam Fair. This was on the instruction of Pratchett who had said to close friends and family that whatever he was working on at the time of his death was “to be put in the middle of a road and for a steamroller to steamroll over them all”.

JOHN

CHRISTENSEN J

ohn Christensen is the former chief executive of Great Western Air Ambulance Charity (GWAAC), providers of the air ambulance service for the people of Bath and North East Somerset and the surrounding area. He retired in July 2017 after nine years in the role. Christensen helped to set up the charity in 2008 after it was recognised that an air ambulance service was required to serve the region. GWAA provides life-saving emergency care to people who cannot be reached by road, or are in a state so critical that they require the specialist skills of the team at the scene of the accident. Though it is part of the regional 999 response service and works closely with NHS hospitals, GWAA is a char-

GWAAC helicopter alongside the National Police Air Service (NPAS) helicopter. This hangar will be a significant upgrade on the current hangar at Filton Airfield, which was built during the First World War and is one of the oldest surviving hangars in the UK. Last year, he also lobbied for £1m grant from the LIBOR fund to keep the charity’s helicopter flying and was delighted to learn in December that the application had been successful. Speaking at the time, he said: “I am over the moon. For the first time since I started GWAAC our future is looking financially secure.” He added: “When I started, we were in a hand-to-mouth situation where it was touch and go whether we could

ity entirely funded by local people. The cause, which undertook 1,735 missions in 2016, relies on the support of the local community to meet its £2.6m annual running costs as it receives no day-to-day funding from the government or the National Lottery. One of Christensen’s key feats was to achieve the fundraising target required in order to upgrade the GWAA helicopter three years ago. In 2016, he achieved planning consent to build a new air base at a site in Almondsbury, something he described as his “biggest achievement”. The charity urgently needed to relocate due to the redevelopment of its current base at Filton airport. A new, modern hangar will be built at the new site, which will house the

ﬂy the helicopter on a daily basis. “Since those early days, the charity has grown and ﬂourished thanks to the support of some amazing volunteers, our charity team, our trustees, the crew that work at our air base, the NHS clinical team and, of course, not forgetting all of the individuals who have fundraised for us.” Although now retired from his position as chief executive, Christensen continues to work with the charity as a consultant, helping to project manage the move to the new air base. Speaking in July, he said: “Whilst I do plan to enjoy some much needed rest and relaxation, I would also love to take on a role as a charity trustee to be able to share my knowledge and experience with another cause – watch this space!”

DON

CAMERON H

ot air ballooning is to Bristol what the Beatles are to Liverpool. The city’s first balloon flights took place some 200 years ago but it was the arrival of a young, Glasgowborn aeronautical engineer in the 1960s that really put Bristol on the map as the air balloon capital of the UK. Don Cameron MBE (born 1939) helped to design and create the Bristol Belle, the first modern hot air balloon in Britain. Its first flight took place on 9 July 1967 from RAF Weston-on-the-Green in Oxfordshire, receiving national press attention. The Bristol Belle has since undertaken some famous journeys, including a flight in 1970 from the HMS Ark Royal. Four years later Cameron had left his engineering career behind to design and build balloons full time, forming Cameron Balloons of Bristol in 1971. In the same year, he built the Golden Eagle, a balloon designed specifically to fly across the Sahara to shoot a film for Jack Le Vien. Cameron Balloons is now the world’s largest hot air balloon manufacturer, producing up to 200 balloons a year. Some of its most famous include the Disney Castle, the FA Cup and a Coca-Cola Bottle. These early special designs were all completed by Don Cameron himself using a drawing board and slide-rule technique. He later wrote special-purpose software for the design of special-shaped balloons which made possible the present range of achievable shapes. The company is now based in Bedminster, but started out at a property in Cotham, where Cameron made 29 balloons in the basement. Largely thanks to Cameron’s influence,

the first Bristol International Balloon Fiesta was held in 1979 at Ashton Court country estate, where it continues to be held to this day. With more than 100,000 people attending each year, the four-day festival is the biggest annual balloon festival in Europe, with as many as 100 balloons launching at a time. Cameron Balloons has manufactured many specially-made balloons for the festival in a variety of shapes, including Rupert the Bear, a Scottish piper, and Stuart the Minion, from the film Despicable Me. Among his many ballooning achievements, Don Cameron was the first to cross the Alps and the Sahara by hot-air balloon. In 1990, he made the first balloon flight between the UK and what was then the USSR. Cameron dreamed of being the first to cross the Atlantic in a hot air balloon, and his first attempt took place in 1978 with Christopher Davey, setting out from St John’s, Newfoundland. The pair covered 1,780 miles, but had to land only 110 miles from their destination after a tear developed in the balloon. Undaunted, however, he achieved that goal in 1992, when he flew a balloon of his own design from Maine to Portugal and won second place in the first transatlantic balloon race. Cameron has received the gold, silver and bronze medals of the British Royal Aero Club for his ballooning achievements. Perhaps the height of his achievements was the fact that it was a Don Cameron R-650 Roziere-type combination helium and hot-air balloon that was used by the Breitling Orbiter team to complete the first-ever circumnavigation of the globe by balloon.

DYLAN

THOMAS D

ylan Thomas is known by many as the grandfather of English-language poetry in Wales. Born in Swansea on October 27, 1914, Thomas wrote exclusively in English and rose to fame with his writing as well as his radio and public performances. His rather short but successful life culminated in works now known all around the world. These include Under Milk Wood, and poems Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night and And Death Shall Have No Dominion. While his later life was marred by alcoholism and a self-created ‘doomed-poet’ image, his early years post-school ticked over relatively normally. After leaving education at the age of 16, Thomas worked a brief stint as a journalist, with some of his creative work making it to print. However, it was only in 1934 when his poem Light Breaks Where No Sun Shines caught the attention of the literary world and success begin to bloom. This poem, which impressed the likes of T S Eliot, led to his earlier works being published in a collection called 18 Poems in December 1934. One reviewer of the book remarked that it was ‘the sort of bomb that bursts no more than once in three years’. It received much acclaim for its visionary qualities. The rest of the 1930s passed relatively smoothly for Thomas with the publication of a collection simply entitled Twenty-Five Poems in 1936 and The Map of Love in 1939. Between these two books, Thomas also hit a personal landmark when he married dancer Caitlin Macnamara, who he met in London’s West End. Throughout their lifetime, Thomas often remarked that they had been in bed together within 10 minutes of meeting each other. They married on July 11, 1937 and moved to Carmarthenshire in 1938. By the end of January 1939, their ﬁrst child, Llewelyn Edouard, was born. During wartime Thomas struggled with his physical health, complaining of ‘an unreliable lung’ which often conﬁned him to his bed. Because of this he did not have to

go the war but seeing his friends leaving to fight led him to drink. This was coupled with the fact that his collection The Map of Love received poor sales and he was living off a meagre wage from other, less creative, writing. His money troubles became so much that he and his family were forced to move in with a friend to his house in Marshfield. During this time of penny pinching Thomas began writing scripts for the BBC both as an income booster and as proof that he was engaged in essential war work. After the war, Thomas began broadcasting for much of the latter half of the 40s. By the 50s he was touring America, visiting art centres, campuses and auditoriums often performing one-man shows of his work. In this time, he penned A Child’s Christmas in Wales (1952) and probably his most famous work – Under Milk Wood (1954). The latter has since been adapted and performed all around the world, from ballet to TV dramas to readings by actors Sir Ian McKellen and Michael Sheen. Originally a radio drama, the story follows an omniscient narrator as he peers into the thoughts and dreams of residence of a fictional Welsh village called Llareggub (read it backwards). The piece has around 40 characters and is known as one of the most lyrical and diverse works of the time – quickly shifting from sombre and often very dark topics to ones that are almost slapstick. Sadly, Thomas’s critical success was countered by personal struggles and tragedy. Between 1952 and 1953 his father died of pneumonia, his sister died of cancer, one of his patrons took an overdose and his wife had an abortion. Thomas’s addiction to drink was now destructive, he was beginning to black out and ,to make matters worse, he was relying on an inhaler to aid his breathing. Dylan Thomas continues to inspire and influence many writers to this day and is often seen as one of few writers who gives a true and honest voice to Welsh people.

KATHRYN OSMOND

athryn Osmond, who worked as a paramedic for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) for 16 years, passed away aged 41 in 2017 after a battle with melanoma. Whilst dealing with her illness, Kathryn fought tirelessly to raise awareness and funds to find the “magic bullet” to beat melanoma. She set up an online vlog (video blog) documenting her fight against the disease. She and her colleagues raised tens of thousands of pounds over the course of a year through various challenges – one of the most memorable being when dozens of her colleagues took to Clifton Suspension Bridge to do the Running Man challenge. The video went viral and helped raise the vital funds needed for Kathryn to undergo TILs – Tumour Infiltrating Lymphocytes – treatment. The NHS could not fund the pioneering treatment, which was the last chance for Kathryn. Kathryn studied emergency care at the University of the West of England

was effective for a short period, but in December 2015 stopped working. At this point there are little other treatment options, but thanks to a major fundraising project Kathryn was able to receive a treatment known as TILs (tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes), which has excellent success rates. TILs is a treatment which involves a tumour being surgically removed in order to harness good lymphocytes which can then be grown in a lab. As they grow, the patient receives chemotherapy to wipe out the immune system. The lymphocytes are then reintroduced and start to attack the cancer. Through her vlog, Kathryn gave a candid insight into her TILs journey which was heart-breaking, funny and honest. In a tragic final post, Kathryn wrote: “Unfortunately TILs has not worked for me and you are now following my end of life journey but the fight does not end there... there are so many people who know little about melanoma; education, support and research is essential but this needs

in Bristol, and worked in Bristol and Weston-super-Mare. Describing her feelings about the career she loved, Kathryn wrote in an online blog post: “I had the pleasure of working alongside many wonderful people within the ambulance service for 16 years. “Those people and their dedication to their patients, inspired me every day. I had the best job in the world, where else would you have the privilege of entering someone’s home at a time of great need? Or working with such inspiring people that just want to help?” After noticing a change in a mole in 2012, Kathryn visited her GP and had a 0.9mm malignant mole removed. 18 months later, she noticed a lump in her groin and after surgery the doctors conﬁrmed she had stage-four cancer. She endured a number of aggressive surgeries and treatments over the course of ﬁve years, which had debilitating side effects. But, despite this, the cancer spread to her bones, lungs and lymphatic system. A treatment called Pembrolizumab

money. “Melanoma is one of the deadliest, fastest growing within our population - don’t let it be you or anyone you know.” Kathryn died in the company of her family and her partner Sara on 18 April, 2017; it was her 41st birthday. Hundreds paid tribute to the popular patient safety manager. Close friend Sasha Johnston said: “The inspirational and amazing Kathryn died today, her 41st birthday, surrounded by her loved ones. “Lovely lady, you will never be forgotten. You made this world a better place. We will miss you.” Another friend, Jon Pavord, wrote: “Kathryn Osmond, you were a true inspiration to many of us both as a paramedic and during your brave battle against cancer. “I was one of those lucky enough to work with you and only hope to be anywhere near as good as you were! “Thinking of Sara and your family at this tough time. Rest in peace Kathryn, let team green take it from here. Your duty is done.”

RICHARD TREVITHICK

ichard Trevithick’s name might not ring an immediate bell, but his inventions transformed the world. The British mechanical engineer and inventor successfully harnessed high-pressure steam and he created the ﬁrst steam train in 1803. Two years later he adapted the engine to drive an iron-rolling mill and propel a barge with the aid of paddle wheels. Born in April 1771 in Illogan, Cornwall, a tin-mining district, Trevithick was described by his village schoolmaster as “disobedient, slow and obstinate”. As a young lad Trevithick went to work with his father at Wheal Treasury mine and quickly showed an aptitude for engineering. By the age of 19 he had secured a job as an engineer to several Cornish ore mines. The engineer began experimenting with the idea of producing a steam engine and by 1796 he had developed

Unfortunately the steam engine only made three journeys before Trevithick’s new sponsor, Samuel Homfrey, decided the invention was unlikely to reduce transport costs and abandoned his support. Trevithick returned to Cornwall to focus on ﬁne-tuning his work. By 1808 he had developed a new locomotive, which he erected in Euston Square, in London. Londoners and tourists would pay one shilling to ride Trevithick’s circular railway, which could reach speeds of 12 miles an hour. However, the success was short-lived as the rails broke and he was forced to abandon the project. Trevithick was later employed by a business to develop a steam dredger to lift waste from the Thames – sixpence for every tonne of waste lifted from the bottom of the river. But the inventor struggled to make a decent income and as a result ac-

one that worked. In 1797 Trevithick further cemented his engineering connections when he married Jane Harvey, who was from a prominent engineering family. Trevithick’s Puffing Devil, the first passenger-carrying vehicle powered by steam, made its debut on a road outside Cornwall on Christmas Eve 1801, when Trevithick was 30. Trevithick travelled to London to showcase his work and in 1803 a firm called Vivian & West agreed to finance his experiments. Unfortunately the locomotive encountered issues, which prevented it pulling a carriage, and the company withdrew their support. By 1804 Trevithick was working as an engineer at iron works in Merthyr Tydfil, where he ran a steam engine on a railway for the first time. The engine hauled five wagons, 10 tonnes of iron and 70 men travelling at five miles an hour.

cepted a job in a silver mine in Peru, South America. Trevithick was relatively successful and soon acquired enough money to buy his own silver mine. After a war broke out in 1826, however, the engineer was forced to ﬂee. On his return to England Trevithick continued to experiment with engines, but was dashed by the news that the House of Commons rejected a petition suggesting he should receive a government pension for his contributions to the development of locomotives. With no ﬁnancial support, Trevithick was left destitute and died in poverty in 1833. There was no money for his burial and he faced the prospect of a pauper’s funeral. When news spread of Trevithick’s plight a group of local workers raised the money to provide a decent funeral. Trevithick was buried in Dartford in Kent.

GEORGE

JOHNNY

JOHNSON T

he last-surviving British Dambuster George ‘Johnny’ Johnson MBE has led an extraordinary life. Mr Johnson, who lives in Bristol, was just 22 when he took part in the Dambusters air raid in 1943. The 96-year-old was part of the 133-strong squadron, which dropped four-tonne skipping bombs on dams in the Ruhr Valley, in Germany, during the Second World War. During Operation Chastise, as it was codenamed, 53 British men died, three were captured and eight of the 19 planes were lost during the raid, which aimed to help disable Hitler’s industrial heartland. Mr Johnson, who served as a bomb aimer, said he enjoyed his war, “believe it or not”, and felt he was doing something he joined for – to hit back at Hitler, which was his main concern at that time. He was made an MBE for services to World War II remembrance and services to the community in Bristol earlier this year. Television presenter Carol Vorderman and Second World War singer Dame Vera Lynn are among celebrities lobbying for the veteran to receive a knighthood. Dame Vera said: “His selﬂess heroism during the war has been continued throughout his life – he encourages young pilots and educates school children, and ensures that future generations can learn from past experience. “Not only has he engaged in numerous charitable endeavours and devoted himself to helping young people, but he is also the only surviving member of the famous Dambusters. “His place in history must be assured.”

On receiving his MBE, Johnson said: “I think the MBE is as much honour as I could really expect and I thought, if a knighthood comes up, I’m going to having difficulty not only in accepting it but pointing out to all and sundry that it’s not me. “I’m the lucky one. I’m still alive. “I’m representing the squadron and it is the squadron that is being honoured with this, not me. “In fact, I got to the stage where I felt that I would have to ask – probably the Queen, if necessary – if I might be permitted to dedicate it to the memory of the now 59,000 bomber command personnel that gave their lives during World War II and have got little or no respect for that.” Former Countdown presenter Ms Vorderman added: “I’ve seen Johnny working hard to celebrate remembrance with our Air Cadets and many other young people. “The respect we have for him and for his colleagues in Bomber Command who gave their lives without question for the freedoms we have since enjoyed - that respect knows no bounds.” Johnson joined the RAF at the age of 19 and flew 50 missions between 1942 and 1944 before retiring in 1962, having reached the rank of squadron leader. The former pilot trained air crews during his military service and he later decided to pursue a career in education. After the war Johnson taught people with learning difficulties and later developed pioneering programmes in mental-health rehabilitation. Mr Johnson has raised thousands of pounds for charity during his lifetime.

DIANA

DORS

he ‘blonde bombshell’ Diana Dors rose to fame in the 1950s as a singer and actress. Hailing from Swindon, in Wiltshire, she first came to the attention of the public as an English version of Marilyn Monroe. Born on October 23, 1931, Diana Mary Fluck, as she was then named, was educated at Colville House and later LAMDA, where she became the drama school’s youngest student at the age of 14. After appearing in public performances staged by LAMDA, Dors landed her first film role – a walk-on part, which later developed into a speaking role, in The Shop at Sly Corner, in 1947. It was at this time, in an agreement with her father, she changed her contractual surname to Dors, which was the maiden name of her maternal grandmother. Dors later said of the change: “I suppose they were afraid that if my real name was in lights and one of the lights blew ...” Only a fortnight later Dors auditioned for Holiday Camp and landed the role after dancing the jitterbug with actor John Blythe. She also secured a role in Dancing with Crime the same year, starring opposite Richard Attenborough. Dors graduated from LAMDA in the Spring of 1947, winning the London Films Cup. At the tender age of 16, Dors secured a contract with British entertainment company Rank Organisation – and went on to star in a number of film roles including Oliver Twist (1948), My Sister and I (1948) and Here Come the Huggetts (1949). By the mid-1950s, Dors was attracting attention as the English version of Marilyn Monroe – with her husband promoting the image to the public. He went to great lengths to advance Dors’s career, making sure she had all the lifestyle attachments of the sex symbol she was becoming in the eyes of the Brit-

ish public. Her husband, Denis Hamilton, helped his wife secure a deal with Rolls Royce so that at the age of 20, Dors was the youngest registered keep of a Rolls Royce car in the UK. In 1954 photographer Horace Royce was engaged by Hamilton to take a number of nude and seminude pictures of Dors, which were published and later became part of a booklet entitled London Models. Dors continued to make films throughout the 1950s and soon began to attract the attention of Hollywood. She began shooting The Unholy Wife, 1957, during which she reportedly had an affair with actor Roger Steiger. At the same time, her husband was having an affair in London. When Dors announced she was separating from Hamilton, RKO Pictures, which had signed her, cancelled the contract on a morals clause because of her pending divorce. Dors returned to England after her two films flopped at the box office. During the 1960s, Dors continued to enjoy success in film. She met and married British-American comedian Dickie Dawson and by 1960 had her first child. After six years, Dors divorced Dawson and resumed cabaret work, which she had been involved in during the late 1950s. But the actress was now deep in debt and was subsequently served with a writ of bankruptcy in which she owed HMRC £40,208. Dors’s career revived somewhat in the 1970s – the actress held ‘adult’ parties which attracted the tabloids. She was also involved in a number of ‘sex comedies’. However, her popularity climbed due to her television appearances, which included parts on The Two Ronnies, Blankety Blank, and Celebrity Squares. Dors died in 1984 of ovarian cancer. She was survived by her third husband, actor Alan Lake, and her sons Mark, Gary and Jason.

GRACE L

egendary amateur cricketer William Gilbert Grace, more commonly known as WG Grace, was born in Downend, Bristol, in 1874. The eighth of nine children, Grace hailed from a cricketing family, and spent much of his childhood playing the sport with his siblings. Both his elder and younger brothers also played cricket for England. The keen sportsman, who has been described as “the most famous celebrity Bristol has produced”, enjoy a hugely successful cricket career, captaining both Gloucestershire and England. Grace’s career lasted from 1893 to 1903, during which time he made 1,324 runs at an average of 15.21 with a highest score of 79, and took 42 wickets at an average of 39.45 with a best of six for 79. He is now considered one of the greatest-ever players. An outstanding

Gloucestershire club when he was just nine years old. Grace went on three overseas tours during his career – the first to the United States and Canada in 1872. The cricketer and his all-amateur colleagues apparently made “short work of the weak teams” they faced. Grace continued to play minor cricket for several years after his retirement from the first-class game. His penultimate match, and the last in which he batted, was in July 1914, a week after his 66th birthday. A few days before the outbreak of the First World War, Grace played in his final match. In response to news of casualties at the Battle of Mons, he wrote a letter to The Sportsman in which he called for the immediate closure of the county cricket season and for all firstclass cricketers to set an example and serve their country. The letter was published but it did

all-rounder, Grace became known for his batting abilities. According to Grace, “cricketers are made by coaching and practice”. He said that he was not born a cricketer, but “in the atmosphere of cricket” and that his mother and father were “full of enthusiasm for the game… a common theme of conversation at home”. In 1868 Grace enrolled at Bristol Medical School and by 1879 he had qualiﬁed as a medical practitioner. His profession meant that he remained an amateur in the sport. But it is said that he made more money from his cricketing career than any professional cricketer at the time. In 1899 Grace published Cricketing Reminiscences & Personal Recollections. In the book he wrote that he watched his ﬁrst cricket match in 1854 at the age of six; the game was between William Clarke’s All-England Eleven and West Gloucestershire. Grace play for the West

not bring an immediate end to the cricket season; one further round of county championship matches was played. Grace was also involved in other sports during his lifetime. He won the 440 yards (400m) hurdling title at the National Olympian Games at Crystal Palace in August 1866. As well as running, he was an excellent thrower (he threw a cricket ball 112m during an athletics event at Eastbourne). He also played football for the Wanderers although he did not feature in any of their FA-Cup-winning teams. Despite living and working in London for many years, Grace never lost his Gloucestershire accent. Grace died at Mottingham on 23 October 1915, aged 67, after suffering a heart attack. His death is said to have “shaken the nation”.

RICK

RESCORLA C

yril Richard Rescorla (or Rick as he was known) was an army officer and private-security officer. He was born and raised in Hayle, Cornwall, on 27 May 1939. He died a hero’s death during the attacks on 11 September, 2001, while leading evacuees from the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York. He famously anticipated the attacks would take place years earlier after the 1988 Lockerbie Bombing, but his warnings were not taken seriously by officials. Rescorla joined British Army in 1957, serving in Cyprus before becoming a paramilitary police inspector in the Northern Rhodesia Police from 1960 to 1963; the experiences made him a fierce anti-communist. Shortly afterwards Rescorla joined the US Army and fought against the communists in Vietnam. After the Vietnam War, he returned to the US where he studied creative writing, English and then Law at the University of Oklahoma, before going on to teach criminal justice at the University of South Carolina. Rescorla left teaching for higher-paying jobs in corporate security at the World Trade Center in New York City in 1985. He became concerned that the World Trade Center was a target for terrorists after the 1988 Lockerbie bombing and recommended to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which owns the site, that greater security was required in the parking garage, which he felt was the ‘soft touch’ of the building. The recommendations, which would have been expensive to implement, were ignored. Rescorla gained more credibility and authority after the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. But he continued to feel that the World Trade Center was still a target for terrorists and warned that an attack could involve a plane crashing into one of the towers. He recommended to his superiors at Morgan Stanley that the company leave

the Manhattan office space, but this did not happen as the company’s lease at the World Trade Center did not terminate until 2006. He insisted, much to the irritation of senior executives, that emergency evacuations be practiced every three months. At 8:46am on the morning of 11 September 2001, American Airlines Flight 11 struck World Trade Center Tower 1, (The North Tower). Rescorla heard the explosion and saw the tower burning from his office window in the 44th floor of the South Tower. When a Port Authority announcement came over the PA system urging people to stay at their desks, Rescorla ignored the announcement, grabbed his bullhorn, walkie-talkie, and cell phone, and began systematically ordering Morgan Stanley employees to evacuate. He directed people down a stairwell from the 44th floor, continuing to calm employees after the building lurched violently following the crash of United Airlines Flight 175 38 floors above into Tower 2 at 9:03am. Rescorla had boosted morale among his men in Vietnam by singing Cornish songs from his youth, and now he did the same in the stairwell, singing songs like one based on the Welsh song Men of Harlech. Between songs, Rescorla called his wife, telling her: “Stop crying. I have to get these people out safely. If something should happen to me, I want you to know I’ve never been happier. You made my life.” After successfully evacuating most of Morgan Stanley’s 2,687 employees, he went back into the building. When one of his colleagues told him he too had to evacuate the World Trade Center, Rescorla replied, “As soon as I make sure everyone else is out”. He was last seen on the 10th floor, heading upward, shortly before the South Tower collapsed at 9:59am His remains were never found. Rescorla was declared dead three weeks after the attacks. Rescorla was survived by his wife, Susan, two children and three stepdaughters

LAURA PLANE

he late Laura Plane was a truly remarkable woman. She passed away in May from breast cancer having battled with the disease since 2009, but not before saving her cousin’s life through tireless campaigning for breast cancer awareness. In 2009, at the age of 29, Laura found a lump in her right breast. The former Pride of Britain winner was diagnosed with cancer and had to have her breast removed and reconstructed, during which process she lost her hair from chemotherapy treatment and was told the cancer had spread to her spine. While she was battling the illness, Laura began fundraising for CoppaFeel, which encourages women to check themselves for signs of breast cancer. Laura, who was a teacher at Stowford School, Ivybridge, reached the stage of secondary incurable cancer in 2013, the same year her cousin Jade was diagnosed. Jade was working on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship at the time had found a lump in her own breast. She knew because of Laura’s campaign work for CoppaFeel it was vital to get checked out. Within a week the lump was the size of a pea and when Jade was assessed she was diagnosed with grade-three aggressive cancer in her right breast. Jade also had radiotherapy and chemotherapy as well as surgery but didn’t have to have a mastectomy. Jade said: “I was just so worried for both of us – it felt like we were at the hospital all the time. I started radiotherapy just as Laura ﬁnished hers. It feels never ending.”

The women were told they had more chance of winning the lottery than both being diagnosed with breast cancer. Laura said at the time: “This situation shows that CoppaFeel does work. Jade was lucky – when it spreads it is a much bigger problem. If you are more aware, survival rates are much higher.” Jade added: “I was so lucky to be aware of what to look for – I would have left it and it would have got into my lymph nodes. “I’m so lucky to have Laura, because she guided me through it. She was always there.” In May this year, Laura’s husband Jon announced that Laura had sadly passed away after her long battle. He wrote: “As you are friends with Laura already, I don’t need to tell you what a wonderful person she was. She will be greatly missed by all those who knew her… “Laura and I made a promise to each other. I promised her she would be the newest star in the sky, and she promised she would shine the brightest. Like she did on earth. “There is a Laura-shaped hole in my heart today, but the light from her star will shine for ever more. “Thank you all. Lots of love on behalf of LWP [Laura] and me. It was thanks to Laura’s involvement with cancer awareness charity CoppaFeel – for whom she has raised more than £30,000, recently receiving a Pride of Britain Award nomination – that her cousin was diagnosed so early.

ROBERT FALCON C

ourageous in the face of death, Captain Robert Falcon Scott has become synonymous with exploration and the strength of character needed to travel into the great unknown. Scott, most famous for his dedication to Antarctic expeditions, was born in Plymouth on June 6, 1868. With heavy naval and military traditions in the family, it’s not really a surprise that Scott began a career in the Navy at the age of 13. Advancing through the ranks, Scott had a solid career before the death of his father and brother, which meant he became the sole provider for the family. With opportunities for advancement few and far between, Scott began to look elsewhere. A chance encounter in London with the president of the Royal Geographical Society (RGS), Clements Markham, led to Scott signing up to an Antarctic expedition. The British National Antarctic Ex-

SCOTT

to captain before King Edward VII bestowed the honour of Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) on him. The next few years were spent juggling a successful naval career with hosting public receptions, lectures and writing a record of his expedition The Voyage of the Discovery. In 1910, Scott set its sight on a return to the Antarctic on the now infamous Terra Nova Expedition. While the first trip had been motivated by scientific discovery, Scott stated that this expedition’s main objective was “to reach the South Pole (first), and to secure for the British Empire the honour of this achievement”. Thwarted by misfortunes from the off, Scott and his team reached the Pole on January 17, 1912 only to discover that a Norwegian team, led by Roald Amundsen, had reached the same spot five weeks previously. Scott’s anguish at the finding was

pedition, now known as the Discovery Expedition, took place over three years from 1901 to 1904. Before Discovery departed on its journey, King Edward VII visited the ship and appointed Scott a member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO). The expedition was a great learning curve for everyone on board as explorers at the time had almost no experience of Arctic waters. The mission hit many snags, including the canine team succumbing to disease in the ﬁrst season, a blizzard trapping explorers in their tents, and the death of a teammate who slipped over a precipice. Despite this, the mission has since been hailed as one of the great polar expeditions, resulting in important biological, geological and zoological ﬁndings as well as discovery of the Polar Plateau. When Discovery returned home in 1904, Scott became a national and international hero. He was promoted

recorded in his diary, in which he wrote: “The worst has happened… All the day dreams must go…Great God! This is an awful place”. Defeated, the team continued their expedition but bad weather meant that one-to-one they succumbed to the conditions. Scott is presumed to have died on 29 March 1912 – the last of his team to stay alive. An entry in his diary that day, read simply: “Last entry. For God’s sake look after our people.” Captain Scott’s ill-fated exhibition continues to fascinate the public even more than a hundred years after his death. In 2012, a last letter from Scott in which he said he and his team “shall die like gentlemen”, fetched £150,000 at auction. And just this summer, the discovery of an ‘almost’ edible fruit cake near the South Pole hit headlines around the world as it was said to belong to the Terra Nova Expedition team.

SARAH LONG

arah Long is not a woman who gives up easily. She is thought to be one of the oldest people living with Morquio, a disease that affects the major organ systems in the body. Only 88 people in England – and 160 worldwide – are known to have the syndrome and barely a handful have made it into their 30s. But Long, who was told she would not live past her teens, is now aged 46 and continues to defy the odds. In 2012 she signed up to a free trial of the drug Vimizim, and reported its ‘unquestionable’ beneﬁts. She described how almost immediately her health picked up, her breathing improved, she was able to sleep, she was less prone to infection and she was able to enjoy life by studying for a PhD at the University of Bath, where she also teaches. “Pre-Vimizim, my body was very heavy, like moving through thick treacle, everything was a struggle and

drug following reports of clinical deterioration of Morquio patients since supply was stopped. She continues to receive Vimizim, but this is subject to constant review by Nice. “It’s living with the unknown. When I had to come off the drug before I got so sick. If they do decide to pull the plug, that will be me gone,” she said starkly. Fighting is something Sarah knows all about. Since her mother died of cancer in 1989 she has lived independently, despite her disability. “This is when I had to become independent,” she said. “It was her battle with cancer that inspired me to push myself. Education was important to my mother and she pushed for me to have one. “I have forged my own way in the world, including getting an undergraduate offer from the University of Bath, learning to drive and running my own independent living scheme.” Although now back on Vimizim,

I was in acute respiratory failure, “ she said. “Being on the drug has changed me enormously. I realised that I was very trapped in a shell of myself. It really has been my little miracle.” But she was devastated to learn that the free trial was to be stopped - because an independent committee, which advises the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice), suggested the beneﬁts of the drug had been overstated. Sarah vowed to “ﬁght until her last breath” to keep the life-transforming drug available on the NHS. She penned a powerful open letter to then-prime minister David Cameron, writing, “I am living proof that this drug prolongs life as well as providing a quality of life. “If, as it seems increasingly likely, the UK will not provide this treatment, it will be my end.” But thankfully, drugs manufacturer BioMarin decided to reinstate the

the period where Sarah was unable to access the drug was physically damaging, particularly to her lungs. “I took a big hit,” she explained. “I’ve had to have a very gentle return back to my life.” Vital to her recovery has been her assistance dog, a shihtzu/poodle cross. The bond between them is such that the puppy can detect a change in Sarah’s breathing and alert her carers. Sarah has formed a strong bond with her assistance dog, which she has had since last September. “Last night at half four she picked up that I was struggling and woke my carer up to nebulise me,” she said. Last year Long was named Brave Heart Hero 2016. On receiving the award, she said: “I can’t believe it’s been a year! It was very touching to know that I wasn’t just on my own, writing emails - that people cared. “It gave me validation, if you like. It was a conﬁdence boost, knowing that I’m doing the right thing.”

THOMAS

HARDY B

ritish writer and poet Thomas Hardy was as famed for his tragic novels during his lifetime as he is today. Born in 1840 Victorian England, three miles east of Dorchester, in Dorset, Hardy was educated until the age of 16 before becoming an architect’s apprentice. Hardy moved to London in 1862 and enrolled at King’s College London. The young man showed a great aptitude for architecture, winning numerous prizes from the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Architects Association. After five years in London, Hardy felt it was time to return to Dorset. He had not felt at home in the capital – and felt highly conscious of the class divisions in the city. Hardy also suffered from ill health and moved back to the countryside, where he decided to turn his hand to writing. Hardy’s first novel failed to find a publisher. The book, The Poor Man and the Lady, was completed in 1867 but a friend advised him it was too political and would damage the chance of a writing career. Hardy later destroyed the manuscript although it is said he used several ideas from his first book. He set his mind to writing two other novels, Desperate Remedies (1871) and Under the Greenwood Tree (1872), both of which he had published anonymously. In 1983 he wrote A Pair of Blue Eyes and the story was published as a series in his own name in Tinsley’s Magazine. It is thought the term ‘cliffhanger’ originated from this story when the protagonist is left literally hanging off a cliff. When Far From the Madding Crowd was published in 1874 it was so well received

Hardy was able to give up his architectural work and write full time. Hardy continued to publish throughout the late 1880s, although Tess of the d’Urbervilles was initially refused publication in 1891 after the novel attracted criticism for its sympathetic portrayal of protagonist Tess, who was regarded as a ‘fallen woman’. His next novel, however, was met by even more criticism from an unforgiving Victorian audience, who frowned upon Hardy’s attitude to sex, religion and marriage. Some shops sold the books in brown paper bags, while the Bishop of Wakefield is believed to have burnt his copy – an act which Hardy later humorously referred to as ‘part of the career of the book’ in his postscript of 1912. “After these [hostile] verdicts from the press its next misfortune was to be burnt by a bishop – probably in his despair at not being able to burn me”. Hardy’s books often had a tragic theme and explored the social constraints on the lives of people living at the time. In 1898 Hardy published Wessex Poems – it was his first collection of poetry and had been written over 30 years. Hardy wrote a number of significant poems, especially during the First Word War. Hardy often wrote his poems from the viewpoint of ordinary soldiers and his work was a huge influence on Rupert Brooke and Siegfried Sassoon. Hardy became ill with pleurisy in 1927 and died in January 1928, having dictated his final poem to his wife, Emma, on his deathbed. His funeral was held at Westminster Abbey.

HANNAH MORE

annah More was a teacher, writer, social reformer and philanthropist born in Fishponds in 1745. She was the fourth of five daughters of Jacob More (1700-1783), a schoolmaster originally from Harleston, Norfolk. He was from a strong Presbyterian family in Norfolk, but had become a member of the Church of England, and originally intended to pursue a career in the Church, but after the disappointment of losing a lawsuit over an estate he had hoped to inherit, he moved to Bristol, where he became an excise officer and was later appointed teacher at the Fishponds free school. They were a close family and the sisters were first educated by their father, learning Latin and mathematics, and Hannah’s sisters taught her French.

per-Mare, recuperating. As compensation, Hannah More was induced to accept a £200 annuity from Turner. More attempted to associate herself with London’s literary elite, including Samuel Johnson, Joshua Reynolds and Edmund Burke. Johnson is quoted as saying to her “Madam, before you ﬂatter a man so grossly to his face, you should consider whether or not your ﬂattery is worth having.” She also became one of the prominent members of the Bluestocking group of women engaged in literary and intellectual pursuits. In the 1780s Hannah More became a friend of James Oglethorpe, who had long been concerned with slavery as a moral issue and who was working with Granville Sharp in an early abolitionist capacity. She quickly became a vocal opponent of the trade.

Her conversational French was improved by spending time with French prisoners of war in Frenchay during the Seven Years’ War. In 1758 Jacob established his own girls’ boarding school at Trinity Street in Bristol for his elder daughters to run, while he and his wife moved to Stony Hill in the city to open a school for boys. Hannah More became a pupil when she was 12 years old and taught at the school in her early adulthood. In 1767 More gave up her share in the school after becoming engaged to William Turner of Tyntesﬁeld, Wraxall, Somerset. After six years the wedding had not taken place and Turner seemed reluctant to name a date, and in 1773 the engagement was broken off. As a consequence, More suffered a nervous breakdown and spent some time in Uphill, near Weston-su-

She established a number of local schools in the city and surrounding areas. Several local schools and the Hannah More Academy in Maryland, USA, are named after her. Hannah More Primary School was built in Old Market, Bristol, in the 1840s and an image of More was used in 2012 on the Bristol Pound. Nick Sturge, regional chair of the South West Institute of Director, who nominated Hannah, said: “This was a visionary and talented woman who understood the importance of a solid start in life for young people and how this will inﬂuence the impact they make on society in later years, in a time when women were rarely afforded the opportunity to inﬂuence society. “Hannah represents the independent and entrepreneurial spirit that has underpinned Bristol for hundreds of years.