I have recently moved back to the Hackney area (which I love!) and was recently debating the plethora of famous names that seem to use the trendy East London district as some sort of branding exercise. So I did a little poking around on the internet and quickly realised that loads of famous people are associated with Hackney, having either lived here, having workspace in Hackney or being born here.

I have put together a little list of my favourite Hackney people (with the help of Wikipedia) and was surprised to find some bizarre and interesting association with the area. My particular favourites include Alfred Hitchcock’s directorial career having started in Hackney, and leading to his title of “the master of suspense”. T-Rex’s Marc Bolan of Glam Rock fame, having been brought up in Stokie. Finally the fact that the first bomb dropped of the First World War was dropped on Nevill Road in Stoke Newington….

• Marc Bolan, musician was born at Homerton, and raised in Stoke Newington.
• Michael Caine, actor educated at Hackney Downs School.
• Phil Collen, guitarist with Def Leppard
• Pete Doherty, musician.
• Noel Fielding, comedian, as Vince Noir in The Mighty Boosh.
• Colin Firth, actor, lived at Sutton Place, Homerton.
• Alfred Hitchcock director, began career at Gainsborough Studios in Shoreditch.
• Nicko McBrain drummer for Iron Maiden.
• Martine McCutcheon, actress and singer.
• Mike Reid, actor and comedian.
• Adrian Smith, guitarist with Iron Maiden.
• John Simon Ritchie (Sid Vicious), musician and singer with the Sex Pistols.
• Rachel Whiteread, artist lives and works in Dalston.
• Barbara Windsor, actress was born in Shoreditch and lived in Stoke Newington.
• Ray Winstone, actor born in Homerton.

There’s loads of reasons to love Hackney and the East in general and I’m looking forward to finding all the best bits as I’m sure my limited knowledge will expand over the coming years!

If you love living in the East drop a comment about your favourite thing to do of a weekend so others can check it out