Cringing Cult of Celebrity in Finchley, Greater London*

Famous residents and ex-residents.

You can tell us more about Finchley.

• Ray Ellington, Goon Show musician, lived off Hendon Lane
• Vera Lynn - Forces Sweetheart during WW11 lived in Hendon Avenue, Church End, Finchley for many years. Her daughter attended Manor House Convent. Emma (Baby Spice) Bunton attended St. Theresa's Primary School, East End Road N3. Cliff Richards lived in Etchingham Park Road N3. His guitarist from the Shadows - Hank Marvin lived in Claverley Grove. Jack Hobbs the great cricketer lived in East Finchley. The last amateur to play for the full England team - George Robb - played on the Wednesday for Finchley FC on the Saturday for England after which he signed for Spurs. He was a teacher at Christ College. Bobby Wilson the tennis player, played for Finchley Manor Tennis Club and lived nearby in Lyndhurst Gardens, Finchley.
• Have heard on good authority that posh thespian Anthony Andrews was brought up in Squires Lane; hence the cut glass accent !
• Asian radio and tv stars Manish Sahi and Sonia Dutta moved to Finchley from Delhi a few years ago. Vanessa Feltzs use to live here. paul kaye yes he of dennis the pennis fame spotted out and about.
• Charles Dickens stayed in Queens Avenue when it was the site of a farm and wrote one of his books there. Can't remember which one, but there's a plaque on one of the houses commemmorating it
• The McFly house is in N Finchley. Apparently they're moving cos too many people found out where they live..bigheads!
• Oliver Postgate, creator of pogles wood, and narrator for Noggin the Nog, The Clangers, Ivor the Engine, lived at the top end of hendon lane. Trevor Peacock (Daniels father), vicar of dibley among others. Stevie Star, "famous" for swallowing and regurgitating objects, (goldfish, razor blades etc.) used to drink (and I guess live) around finchley. I saw him swallow the 8 ball off the pool table in the old king of prussia (now the dignity) once, and then bring it back up. Toyah Wilcox (I think she lived in finchley, I saw her visit her drummer accross the road once), also known to have lived in Hendon.
• Reece Shearsmith from The League of Gentleman is often seen being slightly grumpy around East Finchley.. Fellow LoG Steve Pemberton lived in Market Place E.Finchley until fairly recently.
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• JACK KELSEY the Arsenal Goalkeeper 1948-1961 Lived in a Palatial Mansion on The Ridgeway Friern Barnet with his Wife & two sons (Paul & Peter)between 1965-1999
• Source: http://www.the-archer.co.uk/background/famous_residents1.htm Finchley: Jerry Springer, he of American trash TV fame was born in London and lived on Chandos Rd for a few years before moving to New York.
• Matt and James from Busted
• Avid Merrion lives in North Finchley!!
• Peter Sellers actually lived at 211b high road, east finchley. Sporty Spice has been seen in Sainsburys in North Finchley. Apparently Eric Morcombe used to live in the area.
• I was surprised to see no mention that Sir Cliff Richard lived in Claverley Grove as a youngster and was a very active member of St Mary`s Church.
• Saw Carpet Monster from Big Breakfast and his kids outside Iceland in North Finchley a while back.
• I say Ron Kinnear (ex Wimbledon Manager in a pub in Whetstone!)
• David Jason aka Del boy lived in Lodge Lane North Fincley and went to North side school.
• Monty Pythons (and now for something completely different)Film .Lots of this was filmed around the streets of North Finchley.
• Daniel Peacock of Comic Strip fame and writer lived in Squires Lane. Don't know if he's still there. But he always smiled when I saw him!
• Lisa Falconer, ex-Brookside, now in Holby City and FHM Covergirl, has moved to the area.
• Terry Thomas was born here. David(del-boy) Jason was born here. Ronnie Kray lived here for a while. Jerry Springer born in East Finchley.
• ex-resident- Margret Thatcher!!!!
• East Finchley is home to past & present EastEnders: Susan Tully, Michelle Collins & Steve McFadden, plus Sam Fox, Feargal Sharkey, Carolyn Pickles... Ex-residents include Gracie Fields, Peter Sellers, Charles Dance and, um, Mandy Smith.
• Margaret Thatcher came to Finchley County School as guest of honour to the annual school Speech Day in 1951. I cannot remember a word she said but I do remember her saying it with a strange voice while wearing a strange hat. She was a Finchley Councillor at the time and I was 13 years old.
• Peter Sellers, Spike Milligan lived here in the sixties, Spike being active in the Finchley society! Emma Bunton of the Spice Girls lived near Holden Road in N. Finchley till recently! Feargal Sharkey lives in East Finchley still, I think. You often see him about on his red bicycle. Several Eastenders cast members live locally as well!
• Famous English cricketer/footballer (ex desert rat) Brian Blackwell, from Summers Lane, who married the 'girl next door' (ex Rose of Tralee), Maura White, who got married at St Albans RC church, Nether Street, 14/9/57. Also famous for inventing the plastic cup holder thing that clips onto truckers' wing mirrors (thanks very much!).
• People like Emma Baby Spice can be seen round the area on occasional weekends and if you are lucky the other well known celebrity can be seen in the area
• Georgios Panayiotou aka George Michael, son of Greek-Cypriot waiter + English mother - check out http://www.itn.co.uk/World/world0408/040809w.htm for more info

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Last updated: 2011-05-05