Famous First Names

Arthur Holly Compton

(1892 - 1962), American physicist. He was a researcher into X-rays, gamma rays and nuclear energy, and discovered the Compton effect. In 1927 he was awarded the Nobel prize for physics.

Francis Chichester

[Sir], (1901 - 72) English yachtsman and aviator. He made the first solo round-the-world voyage in his yacht Gipsy Moth IV (1966 - 67).

Ernest Henry Shackleton

[Sir], (1874 - 1922), Anglo-Irish explorer. He served in Robert Scott's Antarctic expedition, and later commanded two further expeditions - in 1908-09 and 1914-16.

Joseph Mallord William Turner

(1775 - 1851), English painter. He exhibited his first work aged just 15. His famous paintingsinclude "The Battle of Trafalgar", "The Fighting Temeraire Tugged to Her Last Berth to Be Broken up" and "Rain, Steam and Speed � The Great Western Railway".

Neil Armstrong

(b. 1930), US astronaut. On the 21st of July 1969 he became the first man to set foot on the moon.

Scott Joplin

(1868 - 1917), American pianist and composer. His ragtime composition the "Maple Leaf Rag", was very successful.

Harold Pinter

(1930 - 2008), English playwright, screenwriter, actor and theatre director. He wrote many plays including "The Caretaker", "The Homecoming" and "Betrayal".

Kenneth Grahame

(1859-1932), Scottish author. He wrote the classic children's story "The Wind in the Willows".

James Arthur Baldwin

(1924 - 87), American novelist, dramatist, essayist and civil rights activist. His novels include 'Go Tell it on the Mountain' and 'Another Country'.

John Logie Baird

(1888-1946), the pioneer of television in the UK.