List of University of Hull people

This is a list of notable people associated with the University of Hull, including alumni, academics, and staff.

Notable academics

• Sir Hilary Beckles (born 1955) – Barbadian academic and historian, Vice-Chancellor of the University of the West Indies
• Richard Beeman – American history (1976–77)
• Malcolm Bradbury – Adult education (1959–61), novelist and academic
• Jacob Bronowski – mathematics (1934–42)
• Trevor Burnard - historian and director of the Wilberforce Institute for the Study of Slavery and Emancipation
• Edwin A. Dawes – Reckitt Chair in Biochemistry (1963–1990), magic historian
• Arthur Geoffrey Dickens – historian on The English Reformation (1949–1962)
• Richard A. Flavell – molecular biologist, and professor of immunobiology
• George William Gray FRS (also a Hull alumnus, PhD 1953) – instrumental in developing the materials which made liquid crystal displays possible (1946–1990), awarded Kyoto Prize and Leverhulme Medal of the Royal Society
• Brad K. Gibson – Australian-Canadian professor of Astrophysics (2015-2024)
• Sir Alister Hardy FRS – Marine biologist, the first Professor of Zoology at the University College of Hull (1928–1942)
• Clive Head – artist (1990–2000)
• Richard Hoggart – Staff Tutor in Adult Education (1946–1959), influential British academic and public intellectual
• Terence Wilmot Hutchison – Lecturer in Economics (1946–1947), influential as an economic methodologist and as a historian of economic thought
• Guido Imbens-Professor of Econometrics at Stanford University and fellow of the Econometric Society
• Ludwig Lachmann – German economist and member of the Austrian School of economics (1943–1948)
• Christian Langton – developed an early detection system for osteoporosis utilising ultrasonic waves
• Philip Larkin – University Librarian (1955–1985), poet, jazz critic and novelist
• Angela Leighton – Professor of English, literary scholar and poet
• Kathleen Lennon – Ferens Chair in Philosophy (2009–), feminist philosopher
• Sir Leslie Martin – Head of Architecture (1934–?), leading architect and designer of the Royal Festival Hall
• Rob Miles – computer scientist, Microsoft MVP
• Sir Andrew Motion – Lecturer in English (1976–1980), Poet Laureate (1999–2009)
• Bernhard Neumann – Lecturer in Mathematics (1946–1948), leading figure in group theory
• Hanna Neumann – Lecturer in Mathematics (1946–1958)
• Philip Norton, Baron Norton of Louth – professor of politics
• Stuart Palmer – responsible for breakthroughs in the field of ultrasound bone densitometry
• Michael Paraskos – writer and anarchist art historian (1994–2001)
• Bhikhu Parekh, Baron Parekh – professor of politics, specialist on the theory of multiculturalism (1964–2000)
• Daniel Parsons – professor of sedimentology
• Barrie Pettman, lecturer in Industrial Relations in the Department of Social Administration; publisher and philanthropist.
• John Guest Phillips FRS – endocrinologist and gerontologist, Professor of Zoology at Hull (1967–1979), Vice Chancellor of Loughborough University (1986–1987).
• Eric Roll, Baron Roll of Ipsden – Professor of Economics and Commerce (1935–1946), economist, civil servant and banker
• John Saville – Professor of History, marxist historian
• David Starkey – maritime historian (1994–)
• Richard Swinburne – Christian philosopher of religion, later professor of philosophy at University of Oxford

Notable alumni

• Michael Aldrich - online shopping pioneer, innovator, and entrepreneur (BA, 1962)
• Assem Allam - businessman and owner of Hull City football club
• Robert Allison – Vice-Chancellor and President, Loughborough University
• Faisal al-Qassem – Television personality
• Daniel Francis Annan – former Appeal Court Judge, member of the Provisional National Defence Council and Speaker of the Parliament of Ghana (1993–2001)
• Fred Apaloo, Chief Justice of Ghana (1977–1986) and later Kenya (1993–95)
• Koop Arponen – Finnish singer, winner of the fourth series of "Idols", a popular Finnish reality television talent show (Scarborough Campus)
• Len Arran, songwriter, composer
• Tony Badger – historian and Master of Clare College, Cambridge, 2003–14 (PhD American Studies 1974)
• Ronald Hugh Barker - a physicist, mathematician and pioneer in digital technology who invented Barker code (Bsc 1938)
• Erkin Bairam – Professor of Economics at the University of Otago (1991–2001)
• Lucy Beaumont – actor, writer, and stand-up comedian
• Georges Bégué MC – Special Operations Executive agent during World War II. Devised a system of coded communications via Radio Londres
• Ed Bicknell manager of Dire Straits (Social Science, 1969)
• Dan Billany – novelist
• Tracy Borman – historian and joint Chief Curator of Historic Royal Palaces (History, 1990–1997)
• Ana Brnabić – the Prime Minister of Serbia
• Colin Challen – Labour politician (BA, philosophy, 1983)
• Mark Chapman – BBC Radio 5 Live sports presenter
• Mark Charnock – actor and star of ITV soap opera Emmerdale
• Simon Cheshire – children's writer
• Neil Codling – keyboard player of the band Suede
• Richard Corbett – Member of the European Parliament for Yorkshire & Humber, Leader of Labour MEPs
• Patrick Cormack – Conservative politician, historian and journalist (BA 1961)
• Stuart Cosgrove – journalist, broadcaster and television executive (BA Drama and English 1974)
• Peter Cowgill – Executive Chairman of JD Sports
• Neil Coyle – Labour politician
• Tracey Crouch – Conservative politician
• Stan Cullimore – musician with The Housemartins (BSc, Maths, 1984)
• Alexander Apeatu Aboagye da Costa – Ghanaian politician
• Jeremy Darroch – Chief Executive of Sky
• Dehenna Davison – Conservative politician, MP for Bishop Auckland
• Richard Douglas – Director General and chief operating officer, Department of Health (BA, English, 1978)
• Douglas Dunn – Poet
• Rae Earl – author and broadcaster
• Robert Edric – English novelist
• Louise Ellman – Labour politician (BA Sociology and History, 1967)
• Robert Elstone – Chief Executive of Everton F.C.
• Barry Everitt – Professor of Neuroscience, Master of Downing College, University of Cambridge
• John Fallon – British business executive. He serves as the chief executive officer of Pearson PLC
• Frank Field – Labour politician
• Mark Fisher – cultural theorist, writer, critic, and former lecturer at Goldsmiths
• Anthony Forster – Vice-Chancellor of the University of Essex
• Stephen Gallagher – novelist, screenwriter
• Tony Galvin – former Tottenham Hotspur and Republic of Ireland footballer studied Russian and Politics
• Hazel Genn – Professor of Socio-Legal Studies at University College London
• Dennis Gibson – academic, Chancellor of the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Australia (BSc, 1963)
• Anthony Giddens – sociologist, government advisor, and writer; former director of the LSE
• Dame Sarah Gilbert – Saïd Professor of Vaccinology at the University of Oxford and Project Lead on the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine
• Helen Grant – Conservative Party politician
• Sarah Greene – actor and television presenter
• Matt Haig – Novelist and journalist
• Brenda Hale, Baroness Hale of Richmond – judge and President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
• Graeme Hall – dog trainer, TV presenter and author
• David Hanson – Labour Party politician
• Nick Hardwick – former Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons
• Maidin Hashim – Bruneian diplomat (BSc, 1976)
• Roy Hattersley – former Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection and Deputy Leader of the Labour Party
• Ayesha Hazarika – broadcaster, journalist and political commentator, and former political adviser
• Antony Higginbotham – Conservative politician
• Mark C. Hunter – naval historian
• Peter Kenny – Voice-over artist, actor, singer and designer
• Muhtar Kent – Turkish businessman and executive of the Coca-Cola Company
• Yahya Al Khusaibi – Undersecretary of the Ministry of Legal Affairs of the Sultanate of Oman
• Monika Kinley – art dealer, collector and curator
• Jonathan Kydd – Son of actor Sam Kydd. Actor, singer, voice over artist. Famous as the voice of Paddington Bear on TV
• Allan Levy QC – Barrister and children's advocate; chairman of the Pindown Inquiry
• Dorothy Lightbourne – Attorney General of Jamaica
• Sally Lindsay – actress
• Nicholas Liverpool (1960) – former President of Dominica
• Jason Lo – Malaysian music artist, music producer, DJ and entrepreneur
• Christine Loh – Hong Kong politician
• Magid Magid – politician, activist, and former Lord Mayor of Sheffield
• Maitha Al Mahrouqi – Oman's Undersecretary for Tourism
• John McCarthy – journalist
• Roger McGough – poet and presenter
• Judith McKenna – businesswoman and CEO of Walmart international division
• Kevin McNamara – Politician and MP for a number of Hull constituencies, Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
• Rosie Millard – journalist, columnist, and broadcaster
• Anthony Minghella – film director
• Eluned Morgan – (Baroness Morgan of Ely), Welsh politician and First Minister of Wales
• Juliet Morris (aka Julie) – broadcaster
• Chris Mullin – Labour politician, author, and journalist
• Jenni Murray – broadcaster and writer, host of BBC Woman's Hour
• Joanna Nadin – author
• Catherine O'Brien – former Senior lecturer in Film studies and lecturer at Kingston University, London
• Wale Ojo – actor and director (Drama, 1986)
• Keat Gin Ooi – academician and historian
• Ada Osakwe – economist, entrepreneur and corporate executive
• Tom Paulin – poet, and lecturer at The University of Oxford
• Genesis P-Orridge – Throbbing Gristle musician initially studied philosophy in 1968
• Greg Pope – former Labour politician
• Graham Potter – professional football manager
• John Prescott, Baron Prescott – former Deputy Prime Minister
• Sinéad Quinn – contestant in the first series of BBC's Fame Academy. (Scarborough Campus)
• Jonathan Raban – fiction and travel writer, including "Hunting Mister Heartbreak" and "Bad Land: An American Romance"
• Ken Reid – journalist and political editor at Ulster TV
• Sian Reese-Williams – actor and star of ITV soap opera Emmerdale
• Simon Rushton – academic
• Kevin Shinkwin, Baron Shinkwin – House of Lords
• Nancy Shukri – Malaysian politician
• The Silkie – 1960s folk band, all members of the band attended the university
• Keith Simpson – Member of Parliament for Broadland
• Malcolm Sinclair, actor
• Josephine Sinyo – Kenyan lawyer, politician and disability rights activist
• Jimmy Smith – Guitarist for the indie rock band, Foals
• Mike Stock – record producer
• Philip Sugden – historian
• Chris Tame – libertarian political activist and founder and Director of the Libertarian Alliance
• Tracey Thorn – Singer, songwriter and one half of Everything But The Girl
• Jon Trickett MP – Labour Politician
• Sam Troughton – actor, grandson of Doctor Who actor Patrick Troughton
• Karl Turner – MP and politician
• Wouter Van Besien – Belgian politician of the green party Groen!.
• Ben Watt – Musician, songwriter and one half of Everything But The Girl
• Tom Watson, Baron Watson of Wyre Forest – Deputy Leader of the Labour Party 2015–2019
• Jennifer Wilby – Director of the Centre for Systems Studies, University of Hull
• Dame Rosie Winterton MP – Labour Party politician (BA History, 1979)
• Rowan Oliver – Former drummer of Goldfrapp (current Director of Music at Hull University)

Other notable people

• Baron Robert Armstrong of Ilminster – former civil servant, and Chancellor (1994–2006)
• Robert Blackburn – aviation pioneer, and commemorated by the Robert Blackburn building
• Baroness Virginia Bottomley of Nettlestone – former Conservative politician, and Chancellor (2006–)
• James William Bruce – mathematics academic, and deputy Vice-Chancellor (2004–2009)
• Lord Henry Cohen – Chancellor (1970–1977)
• Stanley R Dennison – Economist, and Vice-Chancellor (1972–1979)
• David Dilks – Historian, and Vice-Chancellor (1991–1999)
• David Drewry – geophysicist, and Vice-Chancellor (1999–2009)
• Thomas Ferens – Liberal politician, philanthropist
• Brynmor Jones – science academic, and Vice-Chancellor (1956–1972)
• Professor Susan Lea – health academic, and Vice-Chancellor (2017–)
• Sir Roy Marshall – academic lawyer, and Vice-Chancellor (1979–1985)
• Lord Middleton – first Chancellor (1954–1969)
• Arthur Eustace Morgan – first Principal of University College (1926–1935)
• John H Nicholson – academic, Principal of University College (1935–1954), followed by first Vice-Chancellor (1954–1956)
• Calie Pistorius – Engineering academic, and Vice-Chancellor (2009–2017)
• William Taylor – English academic, and Vice-Chancellor (1985–1991)
• John Venn – Hull born mathematician, and commemorated by the Venn building
• Baron Richard Wilberforce, former Judge and Chancellor (1978–1994)