tag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-14:61366jackjackjack2012-11-29T12:46:23Ztag:dreamwidth.org,2009-04-14:61366:805426Most famous alumni2012-11-29T12:46:23Z2012-11-29T12:46:23Zpublic22A 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]<br /><br />I thought "there must be really good answers for Cambridge". And then I hesitated -- who is the <i>most</i> famous? Especially considering that people I consdier famous other people often have never heard of and vice versa.<br /><br />Hawking? Newton? Darwin? I think Darwin is probably one of the most famous scientists<br /><br />Cromwell? I'd think so, but I bet he's comparatively unknown outside Britain and Ireland.<br /><br />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?<br /><br />Is there an obvious best answer?<br /><br />What about other famous universities?<br /><br /><b>Footnotes</b><br /><br />[1] I think you can count "taught there". But not "had a college named after them" else Jesus and Wolfson would win every time :)<br /><br />[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 :)<br /><br /><img src="https://www.dreamwidth.org/tools/commentcount?user=jack&ditemid=805426" width="30" height="12" alt="comment count unavailable" style="vertical-align: middle;"/> comments