Famous people from Grantham England

Famous people associated with Grantham


	Sir Isaac Newton : Margaret Thatcher

There is a concensus that Sir Isaac Newton was the greatest scientist of all time.

Born in 1643 at Woolsthorpe Manor, 7 miles from Grantham, his father died before his birth. After his mother remarried he was raised by his grandfather.

Newton moved to Grantham to attend the Kings School. At the age of 19, Newton entered Cambridge University.

Newtons achievements include the discovery of the theory of gravity, the laws of momentum and motion, the law of coolong. He invented the telescope and played the major role in the development of calculus.

There is a statue of Newton in the town. His birthplace is 7 miles away.


	Sir Isaac Newton

Did you know?

Isaac Newton Invented the cat flap!


Margaret Thatcher





Apart from a plaque on the shop above which she lived there is no formal memorial to Margaret Thatcher in Grantham. Her former school, Kesteven and Grantham Girls School, named a new Hall the ‘Roberts Hall’ after her.

Margaret Thatcher (nee Roberts) was Britain’s first and so far only, female Prime Minister. She served in this office from 1979 until 1990.

She was born in Grantham in 1925 and grew up living above her fathers grocers shop on the corner of North Parade and Brook Street.

After Huntingtower Primary School she attended the Kesteven and Grantham Girls School (KGGS).

Though portrayed as the humble ‘grocers daughter’ Thatchers father was prominent in Grantham society. He was an Alderman on the Borough Council and a Methodist lay preacher.

Thatchers premiership was noted for moneterist economics, high unemployment, curbing Trades Union power, privatisation and giving Council tenants the right to buy their homes.

Ongoing conflict in Northern Ireland continued during the Thatcher premiership, including the Brighton bombing attack on her hotel during a Conservative conference.

In foreign policy Thatcher worked with US President Regan on the alliance with Mihael Gorbachov which led to the dismantling of communism.

In 1982 she ordered the campaign to liberate the Falkland Islands after an Argentinian invasion.


			Edith Smith was Britains first female Police Officer with full powers of arrest. She worked in Grantham for the last two years of the First World War. Her main duties were dealing with prostitutes attracted to the town by the military garrison there. Edith Smith died of an overdose shortly after leaving her police duties.

				Football Manager Martin O’Neil started his managerial career at Grantham Town FC before his successful career at Wycombe, Norwich City, Leicester City, Celtic and Aston Villa.

			In May 1943 the legendary Dambusters set off from four RAF bases in Lincolnshire. Their command centre was a building in Grantham called St Vincents, which was later used as the headquarters of the District Council. Air Vice-Marshall Arthur ‘Bomber’ Harris lived at Beacon Lane during the war. Richard Todd, the actor who starred in the film The Dambusters lived at Little Humby 7 miles from Grantham.

		TV personality Nicholas Parsons was born and brought up in Grantham. His father, was the GP for the Roberts family (including the young Margaret Thatcher).

	Olympian and former ‘World’s Strongest Man’ Geoff Capes lives at Stoke Rochford, south of the town.

Oliver Cromwell became well known after defeating a Royalist army at Gonerby Moor in May 1643. Following this he organised the capture of Grantham and lived on Pond Street, Great Gonerby while training the New Model Army on Gonerby Heath.


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