Historical figures in Birmingham
The atlas holds 14 people and 23 moments here, from 1777 to 2017. The most recorded lives are James Watt, Maurice Wilkins and J. R. R. Tolkien. Among them Scientists, Musicians and Composers and Writers, across the Space Age and the Cold War.
Notable people
Amy Winehouse
in 2007
1 moment here
British singer and songwriter Amy Jade Winehouse was born in London and became internationally known for the albums Frank and Back to Black.…
Charles Darwin
from 1829 to 1839
2 moments here
English naturalist, geologist, and biologist whose observations during the global voyage of HMS Beagle and subsequent research led to his theory of…
Charles Dickens
in 1853
1 moment here
English novelist, journalist, editor, social reformer, actor and celebrated public reader. This chronology traces documented residences, workplaces,…
Chester Bennington
in 2017
1 moment here
American singer and songwriter best known as Linkin Park’s lead vocalist. His documented appearances include performances and recording-related…
George Michael
in 1991
1 moment here
English singer-songwriter and record producer, born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou in East Finchley, England.…
Isaac Asimov
in 1974
1 moment here
American writer and biochemist best known for science fiction, popular-science writing, and the Foundation and Robot series.…
James Watt
from 1777 to 1819
4 moments here
Scottish inventor, mechanical engineer, and chemist whose separate-condenser improvement to the steam engine was foundational to industrialization.…
John Maynard Keynes
in 1910
1 moment here
English economist, civil servant, Cambridge fellow, and British international negotiator whose work shaped modern macroeconomics.…
Jomo Kenyatta
in 1931
1 moment here
Jomo Kenyatta (c. 1897–1978) was a Kenyan anti-colonial activist and politician who became Kenya’s first prime minister in 1963 and first president…
J. R. R. Tolkien
from 1896 to 1908
3 moments here
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien was an English philologist, university professor, and author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.…
Marie Curie
in 1913
1 moment here
Polish-born, naturalized-French physicist and chemist who pioneered research on radioactivity. With Pierre Curie she discovered polonium and radium.…
Maurice Wilkins
from 1923 to 1940
4 moments here
New Zealand-born British physicist and biophysicist whose career ran from solid-state physics and wartime atomic research to X-ray diffraction…
Ravi Shankar
in 1997
1 moment here
Indian sitarist and composer Ravi Shankar (1920–2012) was a leading exponent of Hindustani classical music whose performances, teaching, recordings,…
Tina Turner
in 1985
1 moment here
Tina Turner (Anna Mae Bullock) was an American-born Swiss singer, songwriter, actress, and author.…
Moments
- 1777 Residence at Regent Place James Watt
- 1790 Move to Heathfield James Watt
- 1819 Death at Heathfield Hall James Watt
- 1819 Burial at St Mary's Church James Watt
- 1829 Attends Birmingham music meeting Charles Darwin
- 1839 Attends British Association in Birmingham Charles Darwin
- 1853 Gives Birmingham charity readings Charles Dickens
- 1896 Childhood move to Sarehole J. R. R. Tolkien
- 1900 School years in Birmingham J. R. R. Tolkien
- 1908 Lodgings in Edgbaston J. R. R. Tolkien
- 1910 Liberal campaign visit John Maynard Keynes
- 1913 Receives Birmingham honorary degree Marie Curie
- 1923 Family move to Birmingham Maurice Wilkins
- 1929 King Edward's School education Maurice Wilkins
- 1931 Study at Woodbrooke Quaker College Jomo Kenyatta
- 1938 Doctoral research at Birmingham Maurice Wilkins
- 1940 PhD awarded at Birmingham Maurice Wilkins
- 1974 First visit to Britain: Birmingham lecture and signings Isaac Asimov
- 1985 NEC Arena concert filming Tina Turner
- 1991 Cover to Cover opening concert George Michael
- 1997 BBC performance with Anoushka Shankar Ravi Shankar
- 2007 National Indoor Arena tour opening Amy Winehouse
- 2017 Final Linkin Park performance Chester Bennington