Most famous alumni
Nov. 29th, 2012 12:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
A thread on a message board asked, if you went to a university, who was the most famous person who studied there[1]. There were similar questions for "who's the most famous person from the town you were born in"?[2]
I thought "there must be really good answers for Cambridge". And then I hesitated -- who is the most famous? Especially considering that people I consdier famous other people often have never heard of and vice versa.
Hawking? Newton? Darwin? I think Darwin is probably one of the most famous scientists
Cromwell? I'd think so, but I bet he's comparatively unknown outside Britain and Ireland.
Prince Charles? Is he more famous than Charles Darwin? He probably is in Britain, but I don't think he'd win outside if he's not King yet. There must have been other famous monarchs, but which?
Is there an obvious best answer?
What about other famous universities?
Footnotes
[1] I think you can count "taught there". But not "had a college named after them" else Jesus and Wolfson would win every time :)
[2] I think Worcester is most famous for (1) being pronounced differently to how it looks, (2) Worcester sauce and (3) the end of the british monarchy. Except no-one seemed to have heard of #3 :)
I thought "there must be really good answers for Cambridge". And then I hesitated -- who is the most famous? Especially considering that people I consdier famous other people often have never heard of and vice versa.
Hawking? Newton? Darwin? I think Darwin is probably one of the most famous scientists
Cromwell? I'd think so, but I bet he's comparatively unknown outside Britain and Ireland.
Prince Charles? Is he more famous than Charles Darwin? He probably is in Britain, but I don't think he'd win outside if he's not King yet. There must have been other famous monarchs, but which?
Is there an obvious best answer?
What about other famous universities?
Footnotes
[1] I think you can count "taught there". But not "had a college named after them" else Jesus and Wolfson would win every time :)
[2] I think Worcester is most famous for (1) being pronounced differently to how it looks, (2) Worcester sauce and (3) the end of the british monarchy. Except no-one seemed to have heard of #3 :)
no subject
Date: 2012-11-29 08:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-29 09:26 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-11-29 09:55 pm (UTC)That said, the most famous person born in the town my parents were living in (Crowborough, East Sussex) at the time would have to be Arthur Conan Doyle.Stupid wikipedia page listing residents instead of persons born in :)