In pictures: 15 famous people who have lived in or were born in Adur and Arun

By Elaine Hammond

Published 5th Jan 2023, 15:16 BST

Updated 5th Apr 2023, 09:20 BST

When it comes to famous people in Adur and Arun, there are some really interesting connections with Littlehampton and Shoreham in particular, through entertainment, music, sport and politics.

There are some really interesting connections with Littlehampton and Shoreham in particular, through entertainment, music, sport and politics.

There are some really interesting connections with Littlehampton and Shoreham in particular, through entertainment, music, sport and politics

1. Famous people in Adur and Arun

There are some really interesting connections with Littlehampton and Shoreham in particular, through entertainment, music, sport and politics Photo: Eddie Mitchell main picture and Getty Images

Founder of The Body Shop, Anita Roddick, grew up in Littlehampton. Like Ronnie Barker, she shopped at Cooper’s Stores and when she set up her first shop in Brighton, it regularly supplied fresh produce to use as raw ingredients for her products, made in her kitchen in Littlehampton. She was named top British businesswoman of all time in 2010.

2. Anita Roddick

Founder of The Body Shop, Anita Roddick, grew up in Littlehampton. Like Ronnie Barker, she shopped at Cooper’s Stores and when she set up her first shop in Brighton, it regularly supplied fresh produce to use as raw ingredients for her products, made in her kitchen in Littlehampton. She was named top British businesswoman of all time in 2010. Photo: Louise Adams

Actor and comedian Stanley Holloway lived in East Preston. A blue plaque in his honour was placed on his home at the junction of Tamarisk Way and Angmering Lane by East Preston Parish Council in December 2020. Among his best-known work was his role as Alfred Doolittle, both on stage and in the 1964 film of My Fair Lady. He died of a stroke at Nightingale Nursing Home in Littlehampton in January 1982, aged 91, and was buried in the churchyard at St Mary the Virgin in East Preston.

3. Stanley Holloway

Actor and comedian Stanley Holloway lived in East Preston. A blue plaque in his honour was placed on his home at the junction of Tamarisk Way and Angmering Lane by East Preston Parish Council in December 2020. Among his best-known work was his role as Alfred Doolittle, both on stage and in the 1964 film of My Fair Lady. He died of a stroke at Nightingale Nursing Home in Littlehampton in January 1982, aged 91, and was buried in the churchyard at St Mary the Virgin in East Preston. Photo: Sasha/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Royal Blood drummer Ben Thatcher grew up in Rustington and began developing his skills as a toddler, when he would played on pots and pans. He attended Rustington Community Primary School and Littlehampton Community School. Ben comes from a musical family and thrived while playing countless gigs across Sussex, as well as teaching the drums to schoolchildren. He and Mike Kerr won a Brit Award in 2015.

4. Ben Thatcher

Royal Blood drummer Ben Thatcher grew up in Rustington and began developing his skills as a toddler, when he would played on pots and pans. He attended Rustington Community Primary School and Littlehampton Community School. Ben comes from a musical family and thrived while playing countless gigs across Sussex, as well as teaching the drums to schoolchildren. He and Mike Kerr won a Brit Award in 2015. Photo: Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images