Editing Pontefract (section)

==Notable people==
[[File:Pontefract Library (1).JPG|thumb|right|Opening in 1975, [[Pontefract Library]] is one of the last buildings to have been designed by Pontefract architect [[John Poulson]].]]
* [[Darren Appleton]] (1976&ndash;) Professional pool player, 9 ball world champion, 10 ball world champion.
* [[Thurstan]] of Bayeux, (c.1071–1140), archbishop, died in Pontefract.
* [[Richard de Pontefract]] (?–1320?), [[Dominican Order|Dominican]] [[friar]]
* [[John Ramsden (died 1646)|John Ramsden]] (1594–1646), [[High Sheriff of Yorkshire]], MP for Pontefract in the [[Short Parliament]], and [[Cavalier|Royalist]] soldier
* [[John Jackson (MP for Pontefract)|John Jackson]] (1595?–1637), MP for Pontefract during the [[Happy Parliament]]
* [[Francis Drake (antiquary)|Francis Drake]] (1696–1771), [[antiquary]] and surgeon
* [[Robert Monckton]], (1726–1782), [[Pontefract (UK Parliament constituency)|MP for Pontefract]] and [[British army]] general
* [[John Smyth (1748–1811)|John Smyth]] (1748–1811), MP for Pontefract
* [[Jesse Hartley]] (1780–1860), civil engineer and Superintendent of the Concerns of the Dock Estate, Liverpool; built the Albert Dock and many other parts of Liverpool Docks
* [[Charles Coleman (English painter)|Charles Coleman]] (1807–1874), English painter
* [[Isaac Cole]] (1886–1940), rugby union and league player who represented [[England national rugby league team|England]]
* [[Edward Upward]] (1903–2009), novelist, lived in Pontefract from 2004 until his death in 2009
* [[Barbara Castle]] (1910–2002), Labour Party politician
* [[John Poulson]] (1910–1993), architectural designer and businessman
* [[Don Robinson (rugby league)|Don Robinson]] (1932–2017), [[1954 Rugby League World Cup]] winning rugby league footballer who represented Great Britain, Wakefield Trinity, Leeds, and Doncaster
* [[Malcolm Kirk|Mal Kirk]] (1936–1987), wrestler
* [[Margaret Drabble]] (1939–), novelist, was evacuated to Pontefract during WW2<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/analysis/my-yorkshire-margaret-drabble-1-2300135|title=My Yorkshire: Margaret Drabble|newspaper=The Yorkshire Post|access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref>
* [[Harvey Proctor]] (1947–), Conservative Member of Parliament<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aJPGCwAAQBAJ|title=Credible and True: The Political and Personal Memoir of K. Harvey Proctor|first=K. Harvey|last=Proctor|date=29 March 2016|publisher=Biteback Publishing|isbn=9781785900594|via=Google Books}}</ref>
* [[Mick Jackson (singer)|Mick Jackson]] (1947–), musician, writer of "[[Blame It on the Boogie]]"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pressreader.com/uk/halifax-courier/20101228/281638186636362|title=Winter chills, boogie nights and dark side of the moon|work=Halifax Courier|date=28 December 2010|via=PressReader|access-date=30 April 2019}}</ref>
* [[Kevin Moreton]] (1959&ndash;), actor known for ''[[Coronation Street]]''
* [[Jane Collins]] (1962–), politician, [[UKIP]], [[Brexit Party]] [[Member of the European Parliament|MEP]] [[Yorkshire]] (2014–2019)
* [[Paul Crichton]] (1968–), former footballer who currently serves as the goalkeeping coach for [[Huddersfield Town]]
* [[Helen Baxendale]] (1970–), actress known for ''[[Cold Feet]]'', ''[[Friends]]'', and ''[[Cuckoo (TV series)|Cuckoo]]''
* [[Paul Newlove]] (1971–), English rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s
* [[Dave Smith (darts player)|Dave Smith]] (1971–), professional darts player from [[Knottingley]], [[Wakefield]], [[West Yorkshire]]
* [[Robert Hanby]] (1974–), former footballer
* [[Dexter Tucker]] (1975–), footballer
* [[Chris Silverwood]] (1975–), [[cricketer]] who represented [[Yorkshire County Cricket Club|Yorkshire]], [[Middlesex County Cricket Club|Middlesex]], and England. Former coach of the [[England cricket team|England Men's Cricket team]]
* [[Jamie Davis (actor)|Jamie Davis]] (1981–), actor best known for his roles in Footballers' Wives, Hex, and currently in ''[[Casualty (TV series)|Casualty]]'' as [[Characters of Casualty#Max Walker|Max Walker]]
* [[Rob Burrow]] (1982–2024), former rugby league footballer with [[Leeds Rhinos|Leeds]]; he also has represented both England and Great Britain
* [[Toby Kebbell]] (1982–) actor known for "[[Black Mirror]]", "[[RocknRolla]]", "[[Dawn of the Planet of the Apes]]", "[[Warcraft]]", and "[[Kong: Skull Island]]"
* [[Jamie McCombe]], (1983–), footballer who currently plays for [[Doncaster Rovers F.C.|Doncaster Rovers]]
* [[Paul Green (footballer born 1983)|Paul Green]] (1983–), footballer who plays for Oldham in the [[EFL League One|English Football League]]
*[[James Willstrop]] (1983–) squash player and gentleman. Attended [[Ackworth School]] and in 2012 became World No.1 in squash by beating David Palmer.
* [[Tim Bresnan]] (1985–), cricketer who represented [[Yorkshire County Cricket Club|Yorkshire]], [[Warwickshire County Cricket Club|Warwickshire]] and [[England national cricket team|England]]
* [[Ben Parker (footballer)|Ben Parker]] (1987–), former footballer who played for [[Leeds United F.C.|Leeds United]] and represented [[England national under-19 football team|England U19]]
* [[Oliver Hindle]] (1988–), artist and musician, best known for his band project Superpowerless
* [[Max Litchfield]] (1995–), swimmer, silver medallist in the 400m medley at the European Long Course Championships
* [[Joe Litchfield]] (1998–), swimmer and brother of Max
* [[Joe Westerman]], [[rugby league]] footballer
*Dr [[Harold Shipman]] spent some time working here.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/town-haunted-by-memory-of-young-harold-shipman-7907265.html|title=Town haunted by memory of young Harold Shipman|date=22 January 2005|website=The Independent|accessdate=29 January 2022}}</ref>