Who do you think is the 'Greatest Briton' who ever lived?

[WickedPerdition]

I am currently watching Churchill: The Long Grass, which traces the political career of Sir Winston Churchill, generally considered in the modern era, as the 'greatest Briton in history'.
For the purpose of this thread, I am citing the BBC poll held in 2002, which is probably the definitive version of recent polls on the subject.
I must admit that some of the candidates proposed in this poll entitled, '100 Greatest Britons', are totally ludicrous suggestions, because their contributions to the advancement of humanity can easily be discarded.
For example, Guy Fawkes, Richard III, and Michael Crawford were included in the poll, believe it or not.
I know the poll is nearly 20 years old now but Michael Crawford was, at the time, deemed 'the greatest living person'! Hmm, Betty... or should it be, 'Music Of The Night'? Stop the world, I want to get off!

I will list those who were voted in the Top Ten:
1. Winston Churchill
2. Isambard Kingdom Brunel
3. Diana, Princess of Wales
4. Charles Darwin
5. William Shakespeare
6. Sir Isaac Newton
7. Elizabeth I
8. John Lennon
9. Lord Horatio Nelson
10. Oliver Cromwell

I am baffled how Diana, Princess of Wales made the list. I think it was probably a sentimental nomination.
Surprisingly, there were no black Britons on the full list. I wonder if that would be different now?
What I am asking, therefore is: Who do YOU think is, or was, the 'greatest ever Briton'?

 

[Shuashua]

Probably colonel Thomas Moore!!

 

[ladymuck]

What about King Athelstan, who united the kingdom under one ruler? Or Queen Boadicca who fought the Romans? There have been many great Britons over the centuries, so don't just think of the more recent ones.

 

[Shuashua]

What about King Athelstan, who united the kingdom under one ruler? Or Queen Boadicca who fought the Romans? There have been many great Britons over the centuries, so don't just think of the more recent ones.

Ofocurse he just resonated recently

 

[Manorgasmian]

Would it be narcissistic to suggest ones self or are we bowing down to celebrity culture?

 

[Billyliar]

Our greatest queen ever boadicca.
Ever been to loughton camp, ladymuck, where they say she made her last stand?

 

[WickedPerdition]

Would it be narcissistic to suggest ones self or are we bowing down to celebrity culture?

Keep it real, Manorgasmian. Even I did not propose myself. This poll was undertaken long before 'celebrity culture' was even a concept.

 

[ladymuck]

Our greatest queen ever boadicca.
Ever been to loughton camp, ladymuck, where they say she made her last stand?

No sadly, there are many historical sites I haven't had the opportunity to see.

 

[Manorgasmian]

Keep it real, Manorgasmian. Even I did not propose myself. This poll was undertaken long before 'celebrity culture' was even a concept.

Still think I could definitely make the too 10 in a poll, but if I was forced to champion a cause, Issac Newton all day long, his legacy to man is immense and still felt every day in every land in the world and all without war mongering yet showing wit ,manners and humanity in all his varied walks of life.

 

[DanNorfolk]

This poll was undertaken long before 'celebrity culture' was even a concept.

Celebrity culture wasn't a thing in 2002, are you for real, or was it an April Fool?


Where you hiding behind your sofa when the Oasis frontman was all over the news pictured hugging the newly crowned King Tony Blair in 1997 and Big Brother launched etc.

 

[Manorgasmian]

Celebrity culture wasn't a thing in 2002, are you for real, or was it an April Fool?


Where you hiding behind your sofa when the Oasis frontman was all over the news pictured hugging the newly crowned King Tony Blair in 1997 and Big Brother launched etc.

So celebrity is back in the game, my imdb profile is bound to push me up in the standings. Tony Blair might have committed his biggest crime yet!

 

[LadyOnArooftop]

Some of the names on that poll are laughable. John Lennon at number 8? crazy! (was he even better than McCartney?)
I can well understand Churchill being listed as the greatest ever Briton. Let me put forward a name most will never have heard - R J Mitchell, the man who designed the Spitfire. Could we have won the Battle of Britain without that aeroplane? just think for a moment what this country would be like today if we had lost that war. But my own choice goes to Elizabeth I, who heralded in England's golden age.

 

[DanNorfolk]

my imdb profile is bound to push me up in the standings.

Sounds like the format for a futuristic quiz show.

Joe Biden, congratulations on your 134th birthday, how many men women, and children did you murder with American drone strikes last week.

1.12
2.34
3. 49

 

[Shuashua]

Would it be narcissistic to suggest ones self or are we bowing down to celebrity culture?

Your a hero tooo broooo

 

[Manorgasmian]

Your a hero tooo broooo

Nice to hear the world appreciates what I do for it ! If I keep trending this fast the poll will be a formality!

When I am king you will be amongst the last against the wall.

 

[TeslaDroid]

The present Elizabeth is the one i would choose. She's the r, deal deal, monarch, statesman, brave, dignified, mother, wife and human being, the full monty.

 

[WickedPerdition]

Celebrity culture wasn't a thing in 2002, are you for real, or was it an April Fool?


Where you hiding behind your sofa when the Oasis frontman was all over the news pictured hugging the newly crowned King Tony Blair in 1997 and Big Brother launched etc.

Where (were*) just for starters.
Allegedly, in 1968, Andy Warhol said, "In the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes". That's how disposable 'celebrity' status was then and is probably even more so now! Does anyone know what a 'celebrity' is any more? I certainly don't.
I haven't looked further down the list but I can guarantee that many so-called 'celebrities' were nominated for the poll.
When you find that Sir Alexander Fleming only made No. 20, you really have to worry about the voting population in this country!
It would be interesting to know the votes cast in relation to age/generation of the apparent 1 million voters involved in the poll.

 

[WickedPerdition]

The present Elizabeth is the one i would choose. She's the r, deal deal, monarch, statesman, brave, dignified, mother, wife and human being, the full monty.

Good choice. She is the constancy in a country, if not a world, of inconstancy. She would very likely get a nomination if a new poll was instigated.

 

[DanNorfolk]

Where (were*)

I typed"where" because that's "where" you were. A bit complicated for you?

I don't take any notice of polls where the OP hasn't given her or his own opinion. A sign of weakness and bad character.

 

[Wojcik]

It depends what we consider "great" in this case. How did they make an impact on our lives, and how did they change the world we live in. I mean no Frank Whittle, who was credited for invented the jet engine? Or Alan Turing, who created the Universal Turing Machine, which was the basis for the first computer.