Discover the notable alumni of Balliol College, Oxford. The list includes people like George Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, Chris Patten, William Beveridge, Seretse Khama & Rory Kinnear. This list of notable alumni is loosely sorted by popularity and has people from different domains of life, such as miscellaneous, writers, intellectuals & academics, leaders and media personalities etc.
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1
Adam Smith(18th Century Scottish Economist Who is Considered the Father of Modern Economics)
Birthdate: June 5, 1723
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Kirkcaldy, Fife, Scotland
Died: July 17, 1790
Widely considered The Father of Economics, Adam Smith was a Scottish philosopher and economist. A pioneer of political economy, Adam Smith played a major role during the Scottish Enlightenment. His book The Wealth of Nations is regarded as the first modern work of economics and a forerunner of today's academic discipline of economics.
2
Aldous Huxley(Writer and Philosopher Best Known for His Novels: ‘Brave New World’, ‘Island’ and ‘Point Counter Point’)
Birthdate: July 26, 1894
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Godalming, England
Died: November 22, 1963
English writer and philosopher Aldous Huxley wrote countless books, including novels, short stories, non-fiction, and poems. He is best remembered for his science-fiction novels Brave New World and Island. The seven-time Nobel Prize nominee was also a Companion of Literature of the Royal Society of Literature and a Vedanta believer.
3
Christopher Hitchens(British-American Author Who is Known for Excoriating Criticisms of Public Contemporary Figures)
Birthdate: April 13, 1949
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Portsmouth, England
Died: December 15, 2011
Christopher Hitchens was an advocate for New Atheism and a harsh critic of religion and of famous personalities such as Bill Clinton and Mother Teresa. He authored and edited many books on socio-political issues. As a journalist, he wrote for well-known publications such as New Statesman and The Weekly Standard.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: February 10, 1961
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Fall River, Massachusetts, United States
George Stephanopoulos is an American political commentator and TV host. Currently serving as the chief anchor for ABC News, Stephanopoulos plays an important role in deciding the format of shows like Good Morning America. A well-known figure in popular culture, Stephanopoulos inspired the character of Henry Burton in the novel Primary Colors, which was later adapted into a film.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: February 21, 1937
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Skaugum, Norway
Harald V of Norway ascended the throne after the demise of his father, King Olav V. A sports enthusiast, he represented Norway in sailing at three Olympic Games. He also became a patron of World Sailing. The King is an admiral, the Supreme Commander of the Norwegian Armed Forces and a four-star general.
6
H. H. Asquith(Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1908 to 1916)
Birthdate: September 1, 1852
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Morley, England
Died: February 1, 1928
H. H. Asquith was an English politician and statesman best remembered for serving as the prime minister of the UK from 1908 to 1916. He was the last PM to command a majority government from the Liberal Party. Great Britain entered the First World War under his prime ministership, a move which is often criticized by modern-day critics and scholars.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: July 2, 1903
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Sandringham, Norfolk, England
Died: January 17, 1991
Olav V of Norway served as the king of Norway from 1957 to 1991. Olav became heir apparent to the throne in 1905 when his father was crowned king of Norway. His leadership skills during World War IIearned him the position of Norwegian Chief of Defence in 1944. Nicknamed The People's King, Olav was popular for his down-to-earth style.
Birthdate: January 5, 1941
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Bhopal, India
Died: September 22, 2011
Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi was an Indian cricket player. Entrusted with the responsibility of captaining the Indian cricket team, at the age of 21, Pataudi went on to become one of the greatest Indian cricket captains of all time. Also known for his fielding abilities, he was described by many as thebest fielder in the world during his playing career.
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Rory Stewart(British Politician Who Served as Minister in Theresa May's Cabinet)
Birthdate: January 3, 1973
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: British Hong Kong
The son of a soldier and intelligence officer, Rory Stewart was educated at Eton and Oxford and was also a tutor to princes William and Harry. Apart from being a diplomat and MP later, he also traveled across several countries on foot and wrote about this remarkable journey in a bestselling book.
10
Julian Huxley(Biologist)
Birthdate: June 22, 1887
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: London, England
Died: February 14, 1975
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Seretse Khama(Politician)
Birthdate: July 1, 1921
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Serowe, Botswana
Died: July 13, 1980
Birthdate: March 5, 1879
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Rangpur, Bangladesh
Died: March 16, 1963
Born to a British civil servant in British India, William Beveridge was educated at Oxford. While he initially excelled in math and classics, he later studied law. A leading economist, he created the Beveridge Report, which formulated the welfare state policies in the U.K. after World War II.
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Yvette Cooper(Political Leader)
Birthdate: March 20, 1969
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Inverness, Scotland, UK
14
Dan Snow(Best Known as the Host of BBC History Shows Like Battlefield Britain and Montezuma)
Birthdate: December 3, 1978
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Westminster, London, England
Height: 6'6" (198 cm)
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Rachel Luttrell(Actress)
Birthdate: January 19, 1971
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Tanzania
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
16
Hilaire Belloc(Poet and Author Best Known for His Humorous Poem ‘Cautionary Tales for Children’)
Birthdate: July 27, 1870
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: La Celle-Saint-Cloud, France
Died: July 16, 1953
British-French writer Hilaire Belloc is one of the most controversial figures of England from the 20th century, owing to the accusations of anti-semitism and marked Catholic influence in his works. Remembered for his Cautionary Tales for Children, he continued to move from place to place, thus depleting his finances.
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John R Hicks(One of the Most Influential Economists of the 20th Century and 1972 Nobel Prize Winner in Economics)
Birthdate: April 8, 1904
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Warwick, England, United Kingdom
Died: May 20, 1989
Noted British economist Sir John Hicks, counted among the leading economists of the twentieth century, made significant contributions to general equilibrium theory and welfare theory for which he jointly received the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. His book Value and Capital is regarded as a classic exposition of microeconomic theory and includes extension of general equilibrium theory.
18
Edward Heath(Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1970-1974))
Birthdate: July 9, 1916
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Broadstairs, England, United Kingdom
Died: July 17, 2005
Edward Heath served as the British prime minister from 1970 to 1974. He reformed the local governments and introduced many metropolitan counties. He supported the European Communities and attempted to curb trade unions, with a view to deregulate the economy. He was the Father of the House for 9 years.
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: January 11, 1859
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Kedleston, Derbyshire, England
Died: March 20, 1925
20
Denis Healey(Politician)
Birthdate: August 30, 1917
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Mottingham, London, England
Died: October 3, 2015
Recommended Lists:Birthdate: June 19, 1964
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Upper East Side, New York, United States
The current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson has been active in politics for over two decades. Prior to joining politics, he worked as a journalist. His supporters hail him for unconventional image and sense of humor while his detractors criticize him for being “ruthless, elitist, and biased".
Birthdate: December 25, 1961
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Maisons-Laffitte, France
Daughter of publishing tycoon, late Robert Maxwell, Ghislaine Maxwell is a socialite infamous for her involvement with the convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein. Charged with sex trafficking of minor girls, she is under investigation by the US Virgin Islands Department of Justice.
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Nevil Shute(Best Known for His Novels, Which Often Have an Aviation Theme)
Birthdate: January 17, 1899
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Ealing, Middlesex , England
Died: January 12, 1960
British-Australian novelist Nevil Shute was also an aeronautical engineer and had fought in World War I. Of the 25 books he had penned throughout his lifetime, On the Beach remains one of the most notable. Most of his works reflected his cynicism regarding humanity in a war-ravaged society.
24
J. L. Austin(Philosopher of Language Best Known for Developing the 'Theory of Speech Acts')
Birthdate: March 26, 1911
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Lancaster, England
Died: February 8, 1960
Philosopher J. L. Austin is remembered for his study on ordinary-language philosophy and is also considered a pioneer of the theory of speech acts. His lectures at Harvard were later collected in How to Do Things with Words. He died of cancer while developing a theory on sound symbolism.
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John Templeton(Investor)
Birthdate: November 29, 1912
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Winchester, Tennessee, United States
Died: July 8, 2008
26
Rory Kinnear(Stage and Film Actor Known for His Role of 'Bill Tanner' in Numerous James Bond Films)
Birthdate: February 17, 1978
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Hatfield, Hertfordshire, England
Olivier Award-winning Shakespearean theater actor Rory Kinnear is best known as MI6 agent Bill Tanner James Bond films such as Quantum of Solace and Skyfall. The son of actors Roy Kinnear and Carmel Cryan, he was never a stranger to showbiz. He also delivered an award-winning role in the series Penny Dreadful.
Recommended Lists:27
Matthew Syed(British Journalist, Broadcaster and Former Table Tennis Player)
Birthdate: November 2, 1970
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Reading, Berkshire, England
28
George Steiner(Literary critic, Essayist, Philosopher, Novelist)
Birthdate: April 23, 1929
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
Died: February 3, 2020
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Robert Peston(Political Editor of 'ITV News' and Host of the Weekly Political Discussion Show 'Peston')
Birthdate: April 25, 1960
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: London, England
ITV News political editor and the host of Peston, journalist Robert Peston has also established the education non-profit Speakers for Schools. He has also worked for BBC and penned books such as WTF? and Who Runs Britain? He has also won numerous awards, including the RTS’s Journalist of the Year.
30
Edward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon(Foreign Secretary)
Birthdate: April 25, 1862
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: London, England
Died: September 7, 1933
Sir Edward Grey spent a long 11-year stint as the British foreign secretary, the longest uninterrupted tenure anybody has had in the same post. He is known for his support of France in the Moroccan crises and his iconic “the lamps are going out” remark made to the Westminster Gazette.
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Adrian Carton de Wiart(British Army officer)
Birthdate: May 5, 1880
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Brussels, Belgium
Died: June 5, 1963
Adrian Carton de Wiart was a British Army officer who served in the Boer War, World War I, and World War II. He suffered several injuries during his service; he was shot in the face, ankle, leg, stomach, head, hip, and ear. He also lost vision in his left eye. He was honored with many awards, including the Victoria Cross.
32
Francis Ysidro Edgeworth(Anglo-Irish Philosopher and Political Economist)
Birthdate: February 8, 1845
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Edgeworthstown, County Longford, Ireland
Died: February 13, 1926
Francis Ysidro Edgeworth was an Anglo-Irish economist and statistician, known for his significant contributions to the methods of statistics. An autodidact in mathematics and economics, he imaginatively applied mathematics to the fields of economics and statistics, writing several books, including Mathematical Psychics, presenting new ideas on various topics like on the generalized utility function, the indifference curve etc. .
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Leo Amery(Politician)
Birthdate: November 1, 1873
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Gorakhpur, India
Died: September 16, 1955
34
L.P. Hartley(Novelist)
Birthdate: December 30, 1895
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Whittlesey, England
Died: December 13, 1972
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Olaf Stapledon(British Philosopher and Author of Science Fiction)
Birthdate: May 10, 1886
Sun Sign: Taurus
Birthplace: Seacombe, Wallasey, Cheshire, England
Died: September 6, 1950
British philosopher and sci-fi author Olaf Stapledon had been part of the Friends’ ambulance unit during World War I and had also won the Croix de Guerre. He was initially gearing up for an academic career but stepped into full-time writing after his novel Last and First Men became a success.
36
Charles Tilly(American Sociologist, Political Scientist and Historian)
Birthdate: May 27, 1929
Sun Sign: Gemini
Birthplace: Lombard, Illinois, United States
Died: April 29, 2008
Hailed by many as the founding father of 21st-century sociology, Charles Tilly was not only a revered sociologist, but also an influential political scientist and historian. Considered a major figure in the development of historical sociology, he published numerous books, monographs and scholarly articles, providing an insight into urban sociology, European nation-state formation, democracy, social movements, labor, and categorical inequalities
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Kim Beazley(33rd Governor of Western Australia)
Birthdate: December 14, 1948
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Subiaco, Australia
38
Christopher Hill(English Marxist Historian and Academic)
Birthdate: February 6, 1912
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: York, Yorkshire, England
Died: February 23, 2003
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Ernest Gellner(British-Czech Philosopher and Social Anthropologist)
Birthdate: December 9, 1925
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Paris, France
Died: November 5, 1995
Ernest Gellner was a British-Czech philosopher and social anthropologist who was considered one of the leading theoreticians on nationalism. A prolific author, he was able to attract critical attention with his very first book, Words and Things, in which he fiercely attacked what he called linguistic philosophy. He eventually developed an interest in social anthropology, before turning his attention to nationalism.
40
Robert Reed, Baron Reed of Allermuir(President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom)
Birthdate: September 7, 1956
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Scotland
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Peter Benenson(British Lawyer, Human Rights Activist and the Founder of Human Rights Group Amnesty International (AI))
Birthdate: July 31, 1921
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: London, England
Died: February 25, 2005
Peter Benenson was a British human rights activist and lawyer. He is credited with establishing the popular human rights group and an international non-governmental organization Amnesty International (AI). In 2001, Peter Benenson agreed to receive the prestigious Pride of Britain Award after refusing to accept all honors throughout his career.
42
Bob Rae(25th Canadian Ambassador to the United Nations)
Birthdate: August 2, 1948
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Ottawa, Canada
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
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Thomas Byles(Priest)
Birthdate: February 26, 1870
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Leeds, Yorkshire, England
Died: April 15, 1912
44
A. V. Dicey(British Whig Jurist and Constitutional Theorist)
Birthdate: February 4, 1835
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: England
Died: April 7, 1922
British jurist A. V. Dicey is best known for his Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution, which forms the basis of the modern British constitution. Apart from teaching law at Oxford, he also served as the principal of the Working Men’s College of London.
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Nicholas Katzenbach(Lawyer)
Birthdate: January 17, 1922
Sun Sign: Capricorn
Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: May 8, 2012
46
R. W. Southern(Historian)
Birthdate: February 8, 1912
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Died: February 6, 2001
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Harold Nicolson(Member of Parliament for Leicester West (1935 -1945))
Birthdate: November 21, 1886
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Tehrān, Iran
Died: May 1, 1968
Born to a British diplomat father in Persia, Harold Nicolson was a well-traveled child, due to his father’s international postings. He grew up to be a diplomat and became famous for his travel accounts and novels. Diaries and Letters remains one of his most notable collections of essays and journals.
48
R. H. Tawney(British Economic Historian, Social Critic, Ethical Socialist and Christian Socialist)
Birthdate: November 30, 1880
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Kolkata, India
Died: January 16, 1962
English economic historian, Christian socialist, ethical socialist and social critic Richard Henry Tawney was also an advocate of adult education. He penned several books, including The Acquisitive Society (1920), Religion and the Rise of Capitalism (1926) and Equality (1931) that made him an influential historian, social critic and reformer of his time.
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Adam von Trott zu Solz(German Diplomat and Lawyer)
Birthdate: August 9, 1909
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: Potsdam, Germany
Died: August 26, 1944
50
Anthony Hope(British Novelist and Playwright Known for His Work 'The Prisoner of Zenda')
Birthdate: February 9, 1863
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Lower Clapton, London, England
Died: July 8, 1933
Best known for his iconic novel The Prisoner of Zenda, Anthony Hope specialized in cloak-and-sword romances and eventually created a separate genre, known as the Ruritanian romance, set in the mythical country of Ruritania. He was also knighted for his achievements but eventually succumbed to throat cancer.
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