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F A M O U S S I D N E Y S |
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Not all of the Sidney's listed here are genuine. Some have changed their names for artistic purposes but I have included these for completeness. The names have come from various reference books, Internet resources and a chance encounter at a race course on a wet Sunday afternoon. If you know of a famous Sidney or Sydney that I have not yet entered in the Hall of Fame or you can fill in details on some of those already listed then please let me know. |
| Name | Claim to Fame |
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Algernon Sidney | Algernon Sidney was born at Penshurst Place, Kent in 1622. He became a parliamentarian cavalry officer during the civil war and was seriously wounded during the battle of Marston Moor in July 1644. Algernon fell out of favour with Oliver Cromwell and withdrew from politics for a while. He went into exile when Charles II was returned to the throne in 1660. On his return to England he re-entered politics and was drawn into the Whig party. He was later arrested and implicated in the Rye House plot to assassinate the king and his brother, James. He was beheaded on December 7th 1683 although his guilt was never established. He became a republican martyr within the Whig party and this recognition was responsible for the use of Sidney as a first name. Algernon's publication Discourses Concerning Government became a popular revolutionary textbook in North America and Hampden-Sydney College is named after him. |
Ann Sidney |
Film actress and Miss World 1964. |
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Basil Sydney |
Film actor who acted in many British films from the 20's to 1960 Romance (1920) |
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Derek Sydney |
Film actor.
Hot ice (1952) |
George Sidney |
American film director and former musician. A selection of films directed by George |
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George Sidney |
Film actor The latest from Paris (1928) |
H. S. Sidney | Champion jockey at Cheltenham in 1900. During his championship year he rode 53 winners which compared favorably with other jockeys of the period. Records at Cheltenham only go back to 1902 when H. won three races - one in April and a double in November.
15th Apr 1902 Coronation Handicap Chase on Tom Tit |
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Henry Sidney | Sir Henry Sidney, was born in London on July 20th 1529 and became a favorite of king Edward VI. He was later made Lord deputy of Ireland by Queen Elizabeth I and served his post during a period of several rebellions. The rebellions were eventually quelled but Henry resigned his post in 1571 resenting the Queen's lack of support. |
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Henry Sidney | Henry Sidney, Earl of Romney, Viscount Sidney of Sheppey, Baron Milton was born in Paris on April 8th 1961. The son of Robert Sidney, 2nd Earl of Leicester, Henry entered politics in 1679 and played a leading role in the 1688/89 revolution when king James II was deposed by William of Orange. Henry served as secretary of state and lord lieutenant of Ireland (1692/93) but his career faded under the rule of Queen Anne. He died unmarried, a proud but drunken man. |
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Jon Sidney |
Film actor. Snapshot (1979) |
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Jocelyn Sidney |
Jocelyn was the youngest son of Robert Sidney (4th Earl of Leicester) and was the last Earl of Leicester in the Sidney family. Jocelyn died without a legitimate heir although far from childless. See The descendants of Jocelyn Sidney for more information. |
Margaret Sidney |
Margaret Sidney was the pseudonym of Harriet Mulford Lothrop an American writer known for her children's books published an the 1880's |
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Lady Morgan Sydney
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Novelist - there is a portrait in the National Gallery by William Behnes |
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Neilma Baillieu Gantner Sidney | Writer born in USA on 7th November 1922. |
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P. Jay Sidney |
Film actor who acted in Trading places (1983) as Heritage club doorman and A kiss before dying (1991) as bellman. |
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Philip Sidney | Sir Philip Sidney is best remembered for his poetry but he only took this up after displeasing the Queen and retiring from court to stay with his sister. It is probably true of Philip that the things he most aspired to were those for which he was least suited. He would have liked to have been a successful statesman but the Queen was unimpressed by his diplomatic intrigues in Europe - he was altogether too optimistic. His knighthood, too, was granted so that he might stand in for a friend at a ceremony and not through any great feat of his own. He eventually managed to persuade the Queen to allow him to join the war against Spain and it was during this campaign that he received the injury that killed him. Although none of his poetry was published in his lifetime he was nonetheless regarded as the greatest writer of his time and the epitome of chivalry. His works had a major influence on Elizabethan literature and was an inspiration to other poets of the period. The life of Sir Philip Sidney is described in more detail on the Penshurst pages. For more information about Philip's works try the OldArcadia or Luminarium websites. |
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Robert Sidney |
Sir Robert Sidney, 4th Earl of Leicester and owner of Penshurst Place had no less than 15 children. Three of his sons succeeded him but none of them produced an heir to the Penshurst estate. |
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Richard Chase Sidney |
Solicitor and Author of "The life of Algernon Sidney" See The descendants of Jocelyn Sidney for more information. |
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Robert Sidney |
Film Choreographer in the 1950's responsible for Jumping Jacks (1952), The Opposite sex (1956), Party girl (1958) and others. |
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Samuel Sidney | Agricultural journalist and author. Born in Birmingham, England |
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Scott Sidney |
Film Director and writer who directed several of the early Tarzan films as well as Charley's Aunt in 1926. |
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Sydney Sidney-Humphries | Sydney was born in Blakebrook house, in Worcestershire, England on 7th August 1862. His father was Humphries so, presumably, his mother (Elizabeth?) was a Sidney. He was an Historian and writer. |
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Sylvia Sidney |
American film actress, born in New York 0n 8th August 1910, who started her career in the 1920's and continued making films until her death. She became famous in the 1930's and starred in more than 20 films during this decade. As well as being a great actress she has also written several books on the subject of Needlepoint. Filmography (a sample) |
Thomas Sidney | Lord mayor of London 1853 - 1854 |
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Thomas Stafford Sidney | Attorney general of the Leeward Islands (1909 - ????) |
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Viscount Sydney |
The city of Sydney, Australia and the town of Sydney in Canada were both named after this statesman and member of parliament. He had a stormy political career but was obviously popular with explorers who named many newly discovered places after him. He was made home secretary and Baron Sydney in 1783 and Viscount Sydney in 1783 Thomas was the great-great-grandson of Lucy Sidney, second daughter of Robert Sidney the second Earl of Leicester. This makes Sir Philip Sidney his great-great-great-great-uncle! The motto of Viscount Sydney is DROIT ET AVANT which translates as Just and Forward |
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Sir William Robert Sydney |
Parliamentary agent Knighted in Ireland by Arthur Wellsley See The descendants of Jocelyn Sidney for more information. |
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Other Sidney's at the Movies |
D.J. Sidney Goldie & the boxer go to Hollywood (1981) |
| Key to the symbols used | |
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| Sidney's in the movies |
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| The Sidney's of Penshurst Place |
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| Sidney writers |
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| Sidney officials |
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| Other Sidney's |