9 greats from the North West are inducted into Oxford Dictionary of National Biography after their deaths

The Oxford DNB is the national record of people who have shaped British history, worldwide, from prehistory to the year 2021. From June 2025 the dictionary includes biographies of more than 63,000 individuals, written by over 14,000 contributors, and with more than 12,000 portrait images.

Among those added this year is the managing director of Lofthouse of Fleetwood, Doreen Lofthouse (1930–2021), whose family created the internationally popular Fisherman's Friend lozenges, and whose success made her one of the wealthiest women in Britain and a great benefactor to local causes. She had a very strong local connection to Fleetwood: born at 70 Kemp Street, she worked as a shop assistant in the chemist Lofthouse & Co before marrying into the family and making the company’s fortune promoting Fisherman’s Friend lozenges.

Under Doreen, Lofthouse of Fleetwood became the town's largest employer and in 1994 she set up the Lofthouse Foundation to provide funding for community projects in Fleetwood. The foundation contributed to the renovation of Fleetwood Hospital, the refurbishment of the promenade, improvements to the shopping centre, and the refurbishment of the gardens of The Mount. It also paid for floodlights for Fleetwood Town FC, bought a replica of the statue of Eros in Piccadilly Circus and erected it on the roundabout at the entrance to the town, and financed the town's 150th anniversary celebrations. Doreen Lofthouse was appointed MBE and then in 2008 OBE for her work for charity. Awarded the freedom of the borough of Wyre in 2007, she became known as ‘the mother of Fleetwood’.

Trevor Hemmings

Trevor Hemmings (1935–2021) made a fortune in property development and the leisure industries, and in 2010 acquired Preston North End FC. He moved to Lancashire as a child when his father had been transferred to the new Royal Ordnance factory at Chorley, and they had moved to 9 Lynton Avenue, Leyland. He took a four-year apprenticeship as a bricklayer with day-release at Lancashire College. In 1955, at the parish church in Seascale, while still apprenticed, he married Eva (Eve) Rumney.

He won the Grand National a joint record three times and provided the horse, High Kingdom, on which the Queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall won a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympics. His charity work and long-term support of the Princess Royal’s Carers Trust brought the award of a CVO in 2011.

Shirley Williams, Baroness Williams of Crosby (1930–2021), one of the best-known politicians of her generation, advocated for social justice and education reform throughout her political career and served as secretary of state for education and science in Jim Callaghan’s Labour government. In 1981, she was a co-founder of the Social Democratic Party, when she won the by-election in Crosby, though she lost the seat two years later; in 1988, the SDP merged with the Liberal Party to form the Liberal Democrats. She took a life peerage in 1993 as Baroness Williams of Crosby.

Roger Hunt

The striker Roger Hunt (1938–2021) played with Liverpool FC for eleven seasons and set the club’s scoring record with 285 goals until he was surpassed by Ian Rush. He was born at 167 Warrington Road, Glazebury, and grew up as a fan of Bolton Wanderers. He failed to impress in a trial for Bury FC before joining Liverpool.

Anwar Ditta

The British-Pakistani anti-deportation activist Anwar Ditta (1953–2021) campaigned against the Home Office in the 1970s and 1980s to be reunited with her children. As a child, Anwar lived with her parents and sister Hamida in Rochdale. After a period living in Pakistan, Ditta returned to Rochdale with her husband in 1975, and lived latterly onCrawford Street, Rochdale.

Sir David Hull

In the field of infant care, Sir David Hull (1932–2021) contributed to life-saving research into neonatal temperature management while advocating for broader reforms in paediatric medicine and professional education across the National Health Service. He was born at Springfield maternity home, Blackburn, Lancashire. At the time of his birth the family lived at 157 Bolton Road, Blackburn.

Ron Hill

The acclaimed marathon runner Ron Hill (1938–2021) founded Ron Hill Sports in 1970, which pioneered an array of products for both amateur and professional runners. He was born at 73 Dale Street, Accrington, and attended Springhill Primary School and Accrington Grammar School. He developed an early interest in running thanks to the weekly Rover.

Eric Grove

Naval historian Eric Grove (1948–2021), born at Townleys Hospital, Farnworth, advised policy-makers on contemporary naval issues by drawing on his study of maritime strategy across centuries, connecting technological developments with broader geopolitical contexts.

Hugh Wood

The composer Hugh Wood (1932–2021), born in Lancashire, developed an idiosyncratic contemporary musical style that blended elements of formal serialism with more lyrical, communicative tones. His BBC commission Scenes from Comus premiered at the Proms in 1965 to wide acclaim, followed in subsequent years by further Proms and festival premieres. He was born at The Firs, 69 The Common, Parbold.

They join around 3,000 people with Lancashire connections in the dictionary including the actress Anne Kirkbride and the novelist Josephine Cox.