Accrington Academy

History

Former schools

Notable former pupils

Accrington Moorhead Sports College

Accrington Grammar School

• Sir Kenneth Barnes CB, Permanent Secretary from 1976-82 of the Department of Employment
• Jim Bowen, comedian, and former host of Bullseye
• Oliver Bulleid CBE, Chief Mechanical Engineer from 1937-48 of the Southern Railway, and President from 1946-47 of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, and assistant to Sir Nigel Gresley at the LNER works at Doncaster, helping to develop the LNER Class A4 and LNER Class P1
• Prof Wesley Cocker, developed methyl methacrylate for Perspex at ICI Dyestuffs at Blackley
• Harold Davenport FRS, mathematician, known for the Davenport–Schinzel sequence, Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics from 1958-69 at the University of Cambridge
• Sir James Drake CBE, civil engineer, designed the UK's first motorway when with Lancashire County Council
• Graeme Fowler, cricketer
• Harry Hill
• Ron Hill, marathon runner in the 1964 Tokyo and 1972 Munich Olympics, and won the gold at the 1970 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games
• Prof OBE, Henry Overton Wills Professor of Mathematics, University of Bristol
• Eric Kinder, Chairman from 1990–97 and Chief Executive from 1982-90 of Smith & Nephew
• Prof CBE, James Watt Professor of Electrical Engineering from 1961-91 at the University of Glasgow, President from 1970-2 of the British Society of Rheology
• Bryan Langton CBE, Chairman and Chief Executive from 1990-96 of Holiday Inn
• Rev Fred Lord, Editor from 1941-56 of The Baptist Times
• James Prescott CBE, FRS, Professor of Agricultural Chemistry from 1924-55 at the University of Adelaide and Director of the Waite Agricultural Research Institute
• Sir John Tomlinson CBE, bass
• Prof John Wallwork CBE FRCS FMedSci, performed the first artificial heart transplant on 26 August 1994 at Papworth Hospital, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon from 1981-2011 and Director of Transplantation from 1989-2006
• Graham Walne, theatre lighting designer
• Harry Yeadon, civil engineer, worked with James Drake on the UK's first motorway

  Accrington High School for Girls

• Julie Hesmondhalgh, actress
• Gwen Mayor, primary school teacher who died at the Dunblane massacre
• Val Robinson OBE, played for Great Britain
• Hazel Townson, children's author
• Jeanette Winterson, author