Northwich’s Famous and Prominent People
Northwich is the home of various famous people. From actors to musicians and athletes, the South Cheshire town with a population of 19,924 people has a lot to be proud of. Let’s explore the biographies and the accomplishments of several prominent individuals born in Northwich.
Tim Burgess
Born in 1967, Tim Burgess is a musician, songwriter and record label artist. His career gained traction when Burgess joined The Charlatans, a band that was heavily influenced by acid jazz. The band composed its music and performed in Northwich, as well for many local people.
Apart from his performances with the band, Burgess launched a solo career in the early 2000s. His first solo album called I Believe was released on September 3, 2003. His second solo album became a fact in 2012.
In 2011, Burgess found his own record label called O Genesis.
Finally, Burgess has had an impact on film music, as well. He’s participated in the creation of various movie soundtracks like the ones for The World’s End, The Inbetweeners, Teleport, 90s Rockers and The Noise.
Paula Radcliffe
The English long-distance runner was born in Northwich in 1973. Despite being an asthma and anemia sufferer, Radcliffe was interested in sports from an early age. She started running at the tender age of seven. The decision was influenced by Radcliffe’s father who was passionate about marathons.
Currently, Paula Radcliffe is the record holder in the 42.195 kilometer marathon. Her unparalleled time of completion is 2 hours, 15 minutes and 25 seconds. Radcliffe has also won the London marathon three times, she’s won the New York and the Chicago marathons.
Apart from being a phenomenal athlete, Radcliffe has spoken out against the use of doping in professional sport. Ever since her early activism, she wears a red ribbon on her arm during competitions. The ribbon is indicative of Radcliffe’s support for blood tests as a method of identifying doping use accurately.
Steve Hewitt 
The former Placebo drummer was also born in Northwich. The musician was born on March 22, 1971. From an early age, Hewitt was influenced by famous rock musicians and performers. A performance of Ace of Spades by Motorhead changed his life and inspired him to pursue the career of a drummer.
His commercial success came during Hewitt’s years with alternative band Placebo. The cooperation began in 1991 when Hewitt met Brian Molko – Placebo’s lead vocalist. Since he was still under a contract with a different label, Hewitt had his face blurred out in the Nancy Boy video clip.
Hewitt went on several tours with Placebo and he contributed to the creation of four albums with the band. The most prominent single and the first one that featured Hewitt’s participation as a band member is Pure Morning.
In 2007, Hewitt departed from Placebo. According to an official announcement on the band’s website, the decision was made due to “musical differences.” Due to a feeling of betrayal after leaving Placebo, Hewitt cooperated with many bands and musicians without committing firmly to one of them.
Charles James Hughes
Charles James Hughes is the co-founder of the Northwich Victoria Football Club. He was born in 1853 and over the years, he was a professional footballer and referee.
Hughes is the person credited for the establishment of the local football league. In addition, he had a profound impact on the development of professional football throughout England. Due to an ankle injury, his footballer career ended at an early age. As a result, Hughes worked as a referee and he established several organizations aimed at promoting sports in Cheshire and England.
From 1891 to 1894, Hughes was a FA Cup finals referee. He also acted as a linesman in various international football matches. Even today, football professionals in the UK say that few people have done as much for the development of the sport as Charles James Hughes.
