Portsmouth Famous Figures J to L
Welcome to the esteemed Portsmouth Hall of Fame, a digital collection celebrating the extraordinary lives of Portsmouth's renowned residents. Within these pages, we proudly showcase the captivating stories and achievements of illustrious individuals who have shaped Portsmouth's legacy. Some were born amidst the city's historic charm, while others chose to call Portsmouth their home, contributing significantly to its cultural tapestry.
Portsmouth stands as a testament to human excellence, boasting a rich tapestry of famous figures spanning diverse realms. From prolific writers whose words resonate through time to visionary politicians who steered the course of history, from sports luminaries who brought glory to the city to musicians whose melodies echoed in every corner our hall of fame encapsulates the essence of Portsmouth's greatness.
We believe in the power of community participation. If you are aware of a remarkable individual whose story deserves a place among Portsmouth's luminaries, we invite you to share their details with us. Your suggestions are invaluable in enriching our collection. Kindly send us an email at info@welcometoportsmouth.co.uk, and together, let's ensure every deserving name finds its rightful spot in Portsmouth's Hall of Fame.
Read more about famous people with a Portsmouth connection here, John Madden to John Pounds.
Fred T Jane
Born August 6th 1865, in Richmond, Surrey, Fred T Jane lived the majority of his life in Southsea, living at 17 Elphinstone Road.
Jane was an illustrator and drew warships from his teenage years, he was the founder and editor of reference books on warships, All the World's Fighting Ships published in 1898 (known as Jane's Fighting Ships after 1905) and aircraft All the World's Airships 1909.
In later life he lived at Bedhampton, he died in 1916 and is buried at Highland Cemetery.
Joe Jackson
David Ian "Joe" Jackson, musician and singer-songwriter, was born on August 11, 1954, in Burton-on-Trent, England, but grew up in Paulsgrove in Portsmouth. Joe attended Portsmouth Technical High School in Hilsea. An awkward, skinny, asthmatic child, he joined a violin class (aged 11) in order to escape from school sports, and soon fell in love with music.
In 1978 Jackson was signed to A&M Records and released Look Sharp, with the Joe Jackson Band in 1978, his debut single, Is She Really Going Out with Him?, reached the top 40 in 5 countries. Joe has released 19 studio albums and has had various collaborations through the years such as with Joan Armatrading, Lincoln Thompson, Suzanne Vega and Todd Rundgren.
Joe has received 5 Grammy Award nominations, been awarded a fellowship by the Royal Academy of Music and an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Portsmouth.
Paul Jones
Paul Jones (born Paul Pond) was born on February 24th 1942 in Portsmouth, he attended Portsmouth Grammar School. Vocalist with Manfred Mann, solo singer and radio presenter, Paul turned down an offer to join the band which became the Rolling Stones, but went on to have great success with Manfred Mann and in his own right as a solo artist. He wrote the theme tune 5-4-3-2-1 for the TV show Ready Steady Go!
Paul moved into acting and has had many TV and Film roles such as the 1967 film Privilege where he starred opposite the model Jean Shrimpton, he played a pop star in the film I've Been a Bad, Bad Boy in 1975 he was a guest star in an episode of The Sweeney he also presented the BBC1 children's quiz Beat the Teacher in the mid-1980s
In 1979 Paul founded The Blues Band and was also a member of the Manfreds, a group reuniting several original members of Manfred Mann. He is a Doctor of Music (University Of Portsmouth) and President of The National Harmonica League.
Dillie Keane
Cabaret star Louise Miriam "Dillie" Keane, member of Fascinating Aida, was born in Portsmouth in 1952 and attended Portsmouth High School, Kent Road until she was 12 while her father was a GP practicing in Somers Town.
Dillie has had a wide reaching career appearing in West End shows, TV work, writing comedy for radio and her own one woman shows.
Keane was nominated for a Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival in 1990 for her one-woman theatre show Single Again.
Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling was the first Englishman to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature (1907). His most popular works include The Jungle Book (1894) and the Just So Stories (1902), both children's classics though they have attracted adult audiences also.
Rudyard Kipling was born on December 30, 1865, in Bombay, India, where his father was an arts and crafts teacher at the Jeejeebhoy School of Art. His mother was a sister-in-law of the painter Edward Burne-Jones. At the age of six he was taken to England by his parents and left for five years at a foster home at Southsea, Lived in Lorne Lodge, 4 Campbell Road.
Soon after Kipling had received the Nobel Prize, his output of fiction and poems began to decline. His son was killed in the World War I, and in 1923 Kipling published The Irish Guards In The Great War, a history of his son's regiment. Kipling died on January 18, 1936 in London, and was buried in Poet's Corner at Westminster Abbey. His autobiography, Something Of Myself, appeared posthumously in 1937.
Amanda Lamb
TV presenter Amanda Lamb was born on the 19th July 1972 in Portsmouth and was brought up in Havant. She worked as an estate agent in Havant and also as a part time barmaid.
In 1994 she took over the role of the Scottish Widow in the long running insurance company TV advert. She was been the main presenter of Channel 4's A Place In the Sun since 2001 and also regularly appears in Market Kitchen and on the Wright Stuff.
Christopher Logue
Born 26th November 1926 in Portsmouth, Logue was part of the British Poetry Revival of the 1960's and 70's. He attended St Swithuns School, St John's College and Portsmouth Grammar School. In 1944 he joined the army serving as a private in the Black Watch, he was imprisoned on two occasions once for pacifism and once for allegedly saying that he would sell secrets to the enemy.
His book War Music (2003) a revision of the Iliad was nominated for the International Griffin Poetry Prize, Cold Calls (2005) won the Whitbread Poetry Award. His poem Be Not Too Hard was adapted into a song recorded by Joan Baez and Donovan. Logue was a writer for the satitical magazine Private Eye, appeared in the Ken Russell's The Devils 1971 as Cardinal Richelieu and also wrote the screenplay for Savage Messiah.
In 2007 Logue was awarded a CBE (Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for his services to literature, he died on the 2nd December 2011, aged 85.