The latest update to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography – published 9 January 2020 – adds biographies of 228 men and women who died in 2016, and who left their mark on British national life. Of these, the earliest born is the author E.R. Braithwaite (1912-2016) and the latest born is the geriatrician and campaigner for compassionate care in health services, Kate Granger (1981-2016).

It was often remarked at the time that 2016 was the worst year ever for what were termed ‘celebrity deaths’, and there are many new entries that provide corroboration for this lament. David Bowie (real name David Robert Jones) and George Michael (born Georgios Kyriacos Panayiotou) were both global celebrities, who not only shaped and transformed popular music, but also challenged conventional attitudes to sexuality and gender identities. The release also contains a number of popular TV personalities and presenters, notably Sir Terry Wogan, Sir Jimmy Young, and comedian Ronnie Corbett.

The political lives included are in contrast hardly figures of the first rank, let alone celebrities. Cecil Parkinson was a favourite of Margaret Thatcher’s, but his wayward private life meant he never achieved the highest office, while Thatcher derided Jim Prior as one of the ‘wets’ in her cabinet. More poignantly, is the tragic figure of Jo Cox, sadly murdered during the 2016 referendum campaign at the age of only 41.

Scholars and scientists include forensic scientist Margaret Pereira, historian Asa Briggs, Baron Briggs, and chemist Sir Harry Kroto. As ever, we have a free selection of these new entries, together with a full list of the new biographies

Dr. Anders Ingram, Research Editor, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography