Editing Chatham, Kent (section)

==Notable people==
[[File:ChathamOrdnanceTerr2791.JPG|thumb|right|Ordnance Terrace in October 2007]]
[[Charles Dickens]] lived in the town as a boy, both in 'The Brook, Chatham' and in Ordnance Terrace before [[Chatham railway station, Medway|Chatham railway station]] was built just opposite. He subsequently described it as the happiest period of his childhood, and eventually returned to the area in adulthood when he bought a house in nearby [[Higham, Kent|Gad's Hill]]. [[Medway]] features in his novels. He then moved to Rochester, a nearby town, also part of the Medway Towns.

Others who were born or who lived or live in Chatham:
*Sir [[Jacob Ackworth]] (1668–1748) shipbuilder
*[[Asquith Xavier]], ended a [[colour bar]] at [[British Rail]]ways in [[London]] by fighting to become the first non-white [[train guard]] at [[Euston railway station]].
*[[Percy Whitlock]], [[organist]] and [[Post-romanticism|post-romantic]] composer<ref>{{cite ODNB |url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-55920 |title=Whitlock, Percy William (1903–1946) |last=Riley |first=Malcolm |date=23 September 2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/55920 |access-date=17 February 2019}}</ref>
*[[Kid Harpoon]], singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. Born and lived in Chatham. Working with award-winning artists including [[Jessie Ware]], [[Shawn Mendes]], [[Harry Styles]], [[Florence & the Machine]], [[Haim (band)|Haim]] and [[Years & Years]].
*[[Richard Dadd]], [[Victorian era]] painter and [[patricide]]<ref>{{cite ODNB |url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-37337 |title=Dadd, Richard (1817–1886) |last=Allderidge |first=Patricia H. |date=23 September 2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/37337 |access-date=18 February 2019}}</ref>
*[[William Coles Finch]], author and historian, lived at Luton, Chatham.
*[[Elizabeth Benger]], biographer, novelist and poet, was brought up here between 1782 and 1797.<ref>{{Cite ODNB|title=Benger, Elizabeth Ogilvy (1777–1827), historian and novelist|url=https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-2093|access-date=2022-03-18|year=2004|doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/2093|isbn=978-0-19-861412-8|last1=Mitchell|first1=Rosemary}}</ref>
*[[Billy Childish]], artist, poet, and musician
*[[Tracey Emin]], artist and member of the [[Young British Artists]]
*[[Zandra Rhodes]],  designer
*[[Bill Lewis]], poet, painter, storyteller and [[mythographer]]
*[[William Ridsdel]], [[The Salvation Army]] [[Commissioner in The Salvation Army|Commissioner]], lived in the town from 1877 to 1878.
*[[William Cuffay]], [[Chartism|Chartist]] leader and tailor, born in Chatham in 1788<ref>{{cite ODNB |url=http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-71636 |title=Cuffay, William (''bap''. 1788, ''d''. 1870), Chartist |last=Fryer |first=Peter |date=23 September 2004 |doi=10.1093/ref:odnb/71636 |access-date=18 February 2019}}</ref>
* [[Gemma Lavender]], astronomer, journalist and author, born in Chatham in 1986
*[[Thomas Hodgskin]], an early socialist, was born and raised in Chatham. His work would go on to influence [[Karl Marx]].
* [[Joe Machine]], artist and poet

===Entertainers===
*[[Tommy Knight]], actor
*[[Stel Pavlou]], author and screenwriter, attended the [[Chatham Grammar School for Boys]]
*[[Lee Ryan]], boy-band singer, also attended the Chatham Grammar School for Boys
*[[Ben Mills]], singer and X-Factor contestant
*[[Anne Dudley]], composer, pop musician and member of [[The Art of Noise]]
*[[Kevin Eldon]], stand-up comedian
*[[Glenn Shorrock]], entertainer, birthplace (Little River Band founder, lead singer)
*[[River Medway (drag queen)]], entertainer ([[RuPaul's Drag Race UK]])
*[[Balvinder Sopal]], actress ([[EastEnders]])

===Sportsmen===
*[[Dave Whitcombe]], twice [[BDO World Darts Championship]] Finalist.
*[[Kevin Hunt (footballer, born 1975)|Kevin Hunt]], former captain of the [[Bohemian F.C.|Bohemians]], a [[League of Ireland]] club
*[[Ashley Jackson (field hockey)|Ashley Jackson]], England international hockey player
*[[Keith Donohue (cricketer)|Keith Donohue]], [[Devon County Cricket Club|Devon]] cricketer
*[[Chris Smalling]], [[England national football team|England international]] footballer, attended Chatham Grammar School for Boys.
*[[Andrew Crofts (footballer)|Andrew Crofts]], professional footballer, who played for [[Newport County A.F.C.|Newport County]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.newport-county.co.uk/teams/first-team/midfielder/andrew-crofts/|title=Andrew Crofts – Midfielder – First Team – Newport County|website=newport-county.co.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218093219/https://www.newport-county.co.uk/teams/first-team/midfielder/andrew-crofts/|archive-date=18 February 2019|url-status=dead|access-date=18 February 2019}}</ref>
*[[Neil Shipperley]], professional footballer, formerly of [[Crystal Palace FC]] and [[Wimbledon FC]].
*[[George Boyd (footballer)|George Boyd]], professional footballer, who played for [[Peterborough United]] and was born in Chatham
*[[Lee Minshull]], professional footballer, [[AFC Wimbledon]] and was born in Chatham.
*[[Johnny Armour]], professional boxer, British Commonwealth, European and World Boxing Union bantamweight champion was born and resides in Chatham.
*[[George Thorne (footballer)|George Thorne]], professional footballer, was born in Chatham.
*[[Ryan Richards]], professional basketball player, drafted by the [[San Antonio Spurs]] in the [[2010 NBA draft]]