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[Closed] The Greatest Living Englishman?

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After watching the last of his absolutely bloody brilliant series[url= http://www.channel4.com/programmes/grayson-perry-all-man ] 'All Man' [/url] last night (if you've not watched it, you should) , which culminated in the production of yet more unbelievable, thought-provoking artwork, we were thinking of anyone who could lay more claim to the title of Greatest Living Englishman. And we couldn't think of anyone more deserving. He really is a genius, on soon many levels. And he loves his [url= http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/may/02/cycling-is-the-perfect-sport-for-transvestites ]mountain biking too[/url]. Whats not to love?

[img] [/img]

Your nominations please...


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 10:54 am
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doesn't need an explanation.

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 10:55 am
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[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 10:57 am
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Was waiting for someone to post on Perry's All Man.

Excellent programs ... but was a little disappointed in last night's

No surprise really, a bit close to home.

In the first two programs the subjects hopes, fears and failings as men were then enlarged to the wider male populus as a whole... not so last night.

That's not to say we should feel sorry for City anchors but more an acknowledgement that they are us... men.... but with all our faults amplified and unchecked

??


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:07 am
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Richard Madeley.......obviously!!!!


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:07 am
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Not a particular fan but as a sportsman Mo Farah must be up there. Olympic and World 5000m and 10000m champion.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:10 am
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mrsfry


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:13 am
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Rob Colliver.

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:14 am
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[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:15 am
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Until very recently it would have been Winkle

[img] [/img]

Disqualified now, though.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:16 am
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Sir David Attenbrough or Sir Ranulph Fiennes.
Got a soft spot for Wiggo, but he's not in the same league as the other two. Sir Steve Redgrave for sporting stuff too.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:17 am
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Disqualified now, though.

Also wasn't English.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:18 am
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Bow to your ancestor who dared to be different.

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:30 am
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[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:34 am
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Henry VIII is still alive?! Well I never...


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:36 am
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Kenny Senior - Member

Henry VIII is still alive?! Well I never...

Opps! So so sorry!

The Greatest [b][u]Living[/u][/b] Englishman?

I did not see that ...

(in the meantime struggling to recall anyone ...)


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:39 am
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[quote=Kenny Senior said]Henry VIII is still alive?! Well I never...

Runs a chippy in Blackpool.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:41 am
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Another vote for Sir David Attenbrough.
Heard him talk to some new graduates and he was lovely.
He has brought some of the most beautiful parts of nature in to the front rooms of millions.
Second place Rob Colliver #justgetonwithit 🙂


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:43 am
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SaxonRider ❓


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:48 am
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The inimitable Professor [url= http://www.roger-scruton.com/home.html ]Roger Scruton[/url]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:51 am
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Don't worry chewkw, I nearly made the same mistake!


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:54 am
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Still struggling to think of an English living person ... my head hurts coz most of your greats are dead! Dead!

David Attenborough would be the neutral choice (not my chosen one) for me as I like animal but I also eat animal ...


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:54 am
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Kenny Senior - Member
Henry VIII is still alive?! Well I never...

Evidence:


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:56 am
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Joe Cocker


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:56 am
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John Terry


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:57 am
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+ 1 for Sir Ranulph Fiennes.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 12:28 pm
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Nigel Blackwell.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 12:30 pm
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[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 12:34 pm
 gdm4
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Has to be Brain Eno - listen to his John Peel lecture to find out why.....oh and he can play a tune!


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 12:37 pm
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I'm a great fan of Grayson Perry but not keen on his dresses. I'm more a VW man.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 12:46 pm
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yossarian - Member
http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2014/jun/27/julian-cope-interview-visionary-state-wild-beast

I try not to have too many heroes, but he is one. Born in Wales though so possibly not counting...

Given what I do for a living my vote might well have to go to this man, as much for his attitude as his art.

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 1:12 pm
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[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 1:14 pm
 Drac
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Isn't it Nigel Farrage?


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 1:17 pm
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Didn't know Jerry Sadowitz could play the guitar 😉


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 1:18 pm
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[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 1:22 pm
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[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 1:30 pm
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If we are posting everyone and anybody, I'm shoving this bloke in...

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 1:32 pm
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I'll see your

[img] [/img]
/p>

and your

[img] [/img]
/p>

ignore clarkeson, and raise you

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and

[img] [/img]

There's a very obvious trend...


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 1:35 pm
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John Noakes


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 2:22 pm
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Oh come on, you all know it's...
[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 2:27 pm
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not from yorkshire


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 2:30 pm
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Sir Boaty MacBoatface was the first who came to mind... 🙂

But there is quite a wide choice of outstanding Englishmen such as Fiennes, not to mention the guys with VCs.

But how about the Englishwomen?


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 4:48 pm
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Ok a few from me...
The thinking mans rower extraordinaire, Katharine Grainger:
[img] ?14c8c5[/img]
The delectable Shirley Robertson:
[img] [/img]
The smouldering Bryony Shaw:
[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 5:02 pm
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Surely it's Cliff?


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 5:11 pm
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bikebuoy, don't you think a person's athleticism needs to be supplemented by some sort of deeper/greater contribution if the person him/herself is to be counted as the Greatest Living Englishman?

I mean, Bryony Shaw might be a lovely person; I have no idea one way or the other. But I would hardly think that being a windsurfer carries her to transcendent levels of national contribution.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 5:24 pm
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bikebuoy, don't you think a person's athleticism needs to be supplemented by some sort of deeper/greater contribution if the person him/herself is to be counted as the Greatest Living Englishman?

Being English would be a bigger help.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 5:30 pm
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The evil genius! :mrgreen:

[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 5:32 pm
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[IMG] [/IMG]

Eddie Baby


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 5:33 pm
 mt
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Les Cagill!


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 5:37 pm
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I think you probably need to be a member of the Order of Merit to be even considered so that excludes everyone suggested apart from Hockney and Attenborough. Although Roger Bannister has been pretty special in two areas.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 5:42 pm
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Michael Caine.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 5:48 pm
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I am still struggling to recall greatest living English person ...

Aaarrghhh ... where are your greats? Where?

Most of the ones you lot have posted are 60% nearly person.

Where are your least offensive greats that know how to do the right things?


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 6:38 pm
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Alan Hinkes

[url= https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Hinkes ]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Hinkes[/url]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 6:50 pm
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Aaarrghhh ... where are your greats? Where?

Order of Merit

[url= https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Merit ]Link[/url]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 6:54 pm
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mefty - Member
Aaarrghhh ... where are your greats? Where?

Order of Merit

Link

Where is the ordinary mortal in that list?


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 7:02 pm
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Are you fishing for a nomination Chewy?


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 7:04 pm
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bearnecessities - Member
Are you fishing for a nomination Chewy?

I am not great so no need to be nominated. :mrgreen:

p/s: slight hijack ...

This Lord is tasked with reforming NHS - Ara Darzi, Baron Darzi of Denham ... very intelligent person and he is a surgeon ...

The Junior Doctors are arguing against him and his NHS reform? 😆

[url= https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ara_Darzi,_Baron_Darzi_of_Denham ]Here the information. [/url]


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 7:07 pm
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[img] [/img]
1988 Pipe Smoker of the Year 😀


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 7:09 pm
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[img] [/img]

won an olympic gold at a time when we didn't win much and didn't really have any cash or organisation
set records that still stand and others that stood for 10/20 years
did pretty well as a clean pro against others that were usually as dirty as a monkeys bum
then he goes on to help set up a resurgent sport and push the technology advances
then sets up a successful uk company that gets loads of people out on bikes
then becomes an advocate for cycling provision and changing attitudes to cyclists to help get people out on bikes of all types, for all who want to
pretty good commentator too


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 8:06 pm
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Joss Naylor.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 8:10 pm
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The climber Joe Brown.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 8:20 pm
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Joss Naylor.

+1

Bonnington could also make the shortlist.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 8:20 pm
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Of the top of my head either Tim Berners-Lee or Jonathan Ive (I'm no apple fan but he's had a huge impact globally).

With Mick Jagger and John Cale for contributions to music.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 8:52 pm
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Where is the ordinary mortal in that list?

The question posed is who is the greatest living Englishmen, one would hope he/she is not a ordinary mortal.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 9:07 pm
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Bonnington could also make the shortlist.

hated by quite a few people for his lack of Shackleton esque leadership


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 9:17 pm
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Andy Green.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 9:21 pm
 DanW
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Not a particular fan but as a sportsman Mo Farah must be up there. Olympic and World 5000m and 10000m champion.

First clean athlete too!

"Which living English-person has made the greatest contribution to our humble little planet" would be my criteria. Sports people are just doing something they are talented at for our casual amusement 😉 🙂 The answer... no idea


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 9:35 pm
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scotroutes - Member
Surely it's Cliff?

No, he's a Barbarian or something like that now. 🙂


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 9:47 pm
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Most of the ones you lot have posted are 60% nearly person.

It generally takes a few years to achieve greatness.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 9:51 pm
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Paul Gascoigne probably defined a generation but not always in a good way.
But I the Eddie Izzard one; its a good shout.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 10:06 pm
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hhmmm ... still struggling to see your living greats. Where are they hiding?

mefty - Member
Where is the ordinary mortal in that list?

The question posed is who is the greatest living Englishmen, one would hope he/she is not a ordinary mortal.

Yes, but the problem is that most of them are ordinary.

If an ordinary mortal can be in that list then s/he is no ordinary mortal. Yes? See?

slowoldman - Member
Most of the ones you lot have posted are 60% nearly person.

It generally takes a few years to achieve greatness.

I doubt that is possible coz they are either born with greatness or they merely pretending to be great.


 
Posted : 20/05/2016 11:28 pm
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if Group Captain Geoffrey Leonard Cheshire, Baron Cheshire VC, OM, DSO & Two Bars, DFC was still alive then all your suggestions would seem ludicrous in comparison.


 
Posted : 21/05/2016 8:50 am
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If I had to pick an entertainer...
[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 21/05/2016 8:57 am
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I doubt that is possible coz they are either born with greatness or they merely pretending to be great.

I think you are mis-remembering Malvolio:
In my stars I am above thee; but be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em.


 
Posted : 21/05/2016 9:45 am
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Lord Norman Foster without a doubt.


 
Posted : 21/05/2016 9:58 am
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Obvious, had more balls than any Englishman that I know![u][/u]
[img] [/img]


 
Posted : 21/05/2016 12:10 pm
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[img] [/img]

No explanation required.


 
Posted : 21/05/2016 12:16 pm
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[img] [/img]

*Runs away...


 
Posted : 21/05/2016 12:17 pm
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I'll change my mind from earlier and agree with Mackem...big Sam Allardyce (for us up and sending the Toon doon).


 
Posted : 21/05/2016 12:36 pm
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