The town's literary claims to fame include it being the birthplace of 19th-century evangelical religious writer
Hesba Stretton (1832–1911), and the first job of poet
Philip Larkin (1922–1985) was as librarian of Wellington Library from 1943 to 1946. Larkin described Wellington as a "hole full of toad's turds" and stated that his job as town librarian was to "hand out tripey novels to morons". A walkway at the side of Wellington Library was named Larkin Way in honour of Philip Larkin, but this pathway was lost during redevelopment work on the library. Larkin Way, in a slightly modified form, still exists. The Wellington Civic and Leisure Centre is on Larkin Way. Reverend
Patrick Brontë (1777–1861) lived in the town for a year while serving a curacy before moving to Yorkshire and meeting his future wife there,
Maria Branwell (1783–1821), with whom he had four notable Brontë children. The abolitionist Dr
William Withering (1741–1799) was born in the town; he investigated
digitalis, used in the treatment of
heart disease. Several members of the pop group
T'Pau (active 1986–1992), including vocalist
Carol Decker (born 1957) and keyboardist Michael Chetwood, grew up in Wellington; the latter returning to run a music shop in the town. Other notable people born, educated or prominent in Wellington are: •
Thomas Charlton (??-1344),
Bishop of Hereford,
Lord High Treasurer of England,
Lord Privy Seal and
Lord Chancellor of Ireland. •
Thomas Leigh (1504–1571), born there, merchant,
Lord Mayor of London 1558–59. •
Richard Baxter (1615–1691), puritan church leader and scholar. •
Sir George Downing, 3rd Baronet (1685–1749), politician, founded
Downing College, Cambridge. He was brought up by his maternal aunt at Dothill Park, her husband being politician
Sir William Forester (1655–1718). •
Nathaniel Plimer (1757–1822) and
Andrew Plimer (1763–1837), brothers, painters of miniatures. •
Edward Pryce Owen (1788–1863), artist, was vicar of Wellington 1823–1840. •
Richard Padmore (1789–1881),
Liberal politician and industrialist, born there •
Henry John Gauntlett (1805–1876), composer, organist and organ designer, born there when his father
Henry Gauntlett (1762–1833) was curate at the parish church •
Thomas Campbell Eyton JP, DL (1809–1880), naturalist who studied cattle, fishes and birds. •
Robert William Eyton (1815–1881), antiquary, born there, son of local vicar. •
John Dickson (
circa 1819–1892), railway contractor, lived in Wellington between 1847 and 1854 before relocating to South Wales. •
Cecil Gordon Lawson (1849–1882), landscape artist, born there. •
Lonsdale Ragg (1866–1945), clergyman and writer who became
Archdeacon of Gibraltar, born there. •
David Cranage (1866–1957), Church of England clergyman who became
Dean of Norwich and writer. •
William Allison White (1894–1974), World War I
Victoria Cross recipient, died there. •
George Ambler Wilson (1906–1977), civil engineer, born there. •
George King (1919–1997),
New Age thinker or
mystagogue, founded the
Aetherius Society, born there. •
Len Murray (1922–2004),
General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress from 1973 to 1984, educated at Wellington Grammar School. •
Peter Vaughan (1923–2016) actor, lived in Wellington before moving to
Staffordshire at age seven. •
Brian Epstein (1934–1967), manager of
The Beatles studied the
violin at
Wrekin College for two years. •
Gerry Fowler (1935–1993),
Labour Party politician, lived there while MP for
The Wrekin and local councillor. •
Nigel Rogers (1936–2022), tenor opera singer and musical conductor, born there. •
Paulette Wilson (1956–2020), immigration rights activist, grew up here when parents arrived from
Jamaica. •
Richard Cousins (1959–2017), businessman, CEO
Compass Group, lived here in the late 1980s and was active in its local
Cricket Club. •
Stewart Lee (born 1968), comedian, born there. •
Paul Blackthorne (born 1969), American-based actor, born there.
Sport •
John Parton (1863–1906), cricketer, born there •
Jackery Jones (1877–1945), footballer, born there, played for 314 games for Wolves. •
Billy Scarratt (1878–1958), footballer, born and died there, played notably for
Shrewsbury Town. •
Watty Corbett (1880–1960), footballer, born there; player for
Aston Villa and
England, won team gold medal in
1908 Summer Olympics. •
Charlie Millington (1882–1945), footballer who played over 160 games for
Aston Villa,
Fulham and
Birmingham City, died there. •
Harry Hampton (1885–1963), footballer, born there, played 410 games, played for
Wellington Town and 339 games for
Aston Villa. •
Tommy Pritchard (1904–1968), footballer, born there, played over 150 games, especially for Wolves and
Charlton Athletic. •
Des Fawcett (1905–1968), footballer who played 336 matches for six clubs, ending with
Wellington Town; died there. •
Susan Partridge (1930–1999),
Wimbledon Championships tennis player, born there •
Tommy Nicholls (1931–2021),
featherweight boxer who competed at
1952 and
1956 Olympics, where he won silver •
Peter Thornley (born 1941), professional wrestler, born there, best known as the ring character
Kendo Nagasaki •
Charles Pritchard (born 1962), cricketer, born there. •
Tony Parton (born 1967), cricketer, born there. •
Adam Byram (born 1971), cricketer, born there. •
Kamran Sheeraz (born 1973), cricketer, born there. •
Adam Proudlock (born 1981) football manager and former player in 310 games. ==See also==