The Knowhere Guide

Local Heroes in Skipton, North Yorkshire*

Skipton, North Yorkshire Famous Residents

Cringing Cult of Celebrity (Famous residents and ex-residents.)

• My dad alsways used to tell me the guy that played 'Chewbacca' in the Star wars movies was from round here. Can't substantiate it though!
• FREDDIE TRUMAN OF CRICKET FAME LIVES IN STIRTON. CAN BE REGULARLY SEEN HAVING HIS CAR WASHED AT LANDY ON KEIGHLEY RD.
• The Author and Poet BLAKE MORRISON was born in Sunny Skipton, although most of the retards here have never heard of him.
• dame judy dench, opened our drama studio at the girls' high school! that was in 1996!
• Rudyard Kipling's (of Jungle Book fame) family are burried in the cemetery at Raikes Road. Mary, Queen Of Scots was incarcerated at Skipton Castle for a time on her way to the axeman. Iain Macleod departed Skipton to become Chancellor Of The Exchequer early last century. The little boy off Wurzell Gummidge (now in his 30's) lives in Skipton.
• Butch dingle from emmerdale lives near me.
• Captain Piccard out of Star trek lives near here, and has been seen to beam down to threshers for some space juice occasionally.
• Mark Reason - Radio Presenter from Fresh AM. Is a cult in the area. At least that's what I thought someone said - I may have misheard them slightly. :)
• Actually the cook (Susan Brookes) off Judy and Richard lives in Giggleswick, SETTLE. Not Grassington.
• Sam Ford, noted Ermysted's Grammar School Rebel Famous for his yellow waistcoat, classroom walkings outs, mid-lesson intellectual debates and many famous battles with certain "teachers".
• Mr Grant - knows everything about the history of Skipton - ex teacher of Ermysted's Grammar School
• Famous orator and Geography teacher Adge Douglass,still teaching at Ermysted's school. Mr Stanforth the Pie Maker.
• I live next door but 1 to Vera Duckworth's daughter, allegedly!.
• erm, not really. It was a Cavalier stronghold in the civil war and was beseiged for years tho. never give in like, woohoo go skipton!!
• Not really a resident, but Madge off Neighbours opened the refurbished Sunwin House in 1991ish, which was real excitement, I can tell you. Also Joe Mangle was served soup in Little Chef by my brother. And he ate it too.
• I know Toronto Tony from Maple Studios and have to agree on the Bill Bryson likeness. He is a very fine chap and can usually be found with his pals sat in the window of the Cock & Bottle (this pub is slowly getting better thanks to the new landlord and well worth a second chance)
• Maple Leaf Images (photography shop) on the High Street is run by "Toronto Tony" (from Canada if you hadn't guessed) - who, while not precisely famous himself is the absolute spitting image of comedy travel writer Bill Bryson!
• Victoria Wood came into Freeman Hardy Willis when it was closing down and looked at some SHIT cheap shoes for her daughter, not v approachable I have heard. Jean Luc lives nr, Fred Truman shopped here a lot. The cook from This Morning (I saw her in Tescos with no makeup). I also saw Vicoria Woods other half, the Great Suprendo, in Tescos and I stared at him and got embarrased and kept meeting him coming the other way down each aisle.
• Thomas Cresap - he's the bloke that opened up america for the yanks died 1790ish Thomas Spencer - he lent marks the money and founded M&S, lived near woolworths!
• I used to work in Tesco's and I've served Victoria Wood, when she was buying a birthday cake for one of her kids. She wasn't very talkative and she was wearing this huge Tin Tin jumper! I've also served Jean Luc Picard on the Deli Counter and he was with this strange American woman, they bought some Brie.
• Bill Webster from Coronation Street. Victoria Wood once had a house in Halton East (3 miles out of town). Emmerdale stars old and new regularly drink in the town. My mother was chatting to Charlie Williams (seventies comedian) in the Old Folks Rest Centre last week (he does'nt live in Skipton).
• Also in Grassington is the Yorkshire cook off Richard & Judy. Lives near Mr Picard I believe.
• Jean Luc Picard parks his Starship Enterprise in Grassington, I have been told. My girlfriend's mum works in Tesco and he often comes in there (but he manages to pass it off as an asthma attack). Throws his weight about, nicks all the car park spaces with that bloody ship of his, and can he reverse? - No he bloody can't.

Buskers, Street Entertainers

• Just like nearly every other town, Skipton has it's street beggars. Before you dig into your pockets, you should know that the regular beggars - a very gaunt looking male usually sat on the pavement with his lurcher; and a young female with short dark hair - are both drug addicts.
• lots of Hungry and homeless street entertainers here
• Dont fall for the scroungers_ I saw one woman shopping in Morrisons with a trolley piled high. Homeless my arse.
• Homeless person playing penny whistle.
• I particularily like the flageolet player with the mangy dog, who can just about play one tune, and if you don't give her any money, she gives you the worst black look ever.

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Credits

Last updated: 2008-06-12