Bristol is a breeding ground for creativity with the city and surrounding towns providing the platform for seriously talented people, from artists to footballers to scientists.
Recently, we’ve taken a look at the famous people who went to school in Bristol, and the sports stars from the city, now we’re looking specifically at people who were born or/and grew up in the eastern suburbs of Bristol, and the town of Yate.
So, as well as this region having some of the most beautiful spots and important historical landmarks, we’ve discovered it has the people to back it up. Have a look through our list, and email us if you think we’re missing anyone. Email us at [email protected]
9. Banksy - Yate (?)
Ok, so we can’t be sure as it’s never been made public who Banksy is. However, if reports are to be believed, Banksy is Robin Gunningham, who was said to be born in Yate in 1973. | Getty Images
10. Cole Skuse - Yate
Ok, so he might not be famous to everyone, but people following football will know who Cole Skuse is. The 37-year-old now plays for Colchester United, but back in 2015, while playing for Ipswich Town, then manager Mick McCarthy said the player had the talent to play in the Premier League such was the promise he showed. Cole was born in Yate and went through the youth system at Bristol City, where he played almost 300 times before signing for Ipswich in 2013. He left Ipswich in 2021 for Colchester United. Cole attended King Edmund Community School, which was later opened as a Yate International Academy in 2009. | Getty Images
11. JK Rowling - Yate
JK Rowling needs no introduction. The author is behind the Harry Potter series which has sold more than 600 million copies, and has been translated into 84 languages. She was born and raised in Yate, before moving to Tutshill in the Forest of Dean. Herfather, Peter, was an aircraft engineer at the Rolls Royce factory in Bristol and her mother, Anne, was a science technician in the Chemistry department at Wyedean Comprehensive in Gloucestershire. | Getty Images
12. Sir Bernard Lovell - Oldland Common
The only person in our list with a school named after him, Sir Bernard Lovell was a world-renowned physicist and pioneering radio astronomer. He was the first director of Jodrell Bank Observatory. HIs life started in Oldland Common and he attended Kingswood Grammar School before going on to Bristol University to study physics. At Jodrell Bank, he thought up the idea of using a huge radio telescope which was the largest in the world when built. He died in 2012, aged 98. | Getty Images