Greatest Janner: You choose Tom Daley as Plymouth's favourite
By PATRICK DALY Herald Reporter
THE city has spoken. You have decided the greatest Janner is none other than Olympic diving sensation Tom Daley.
Voters decided that the 18-year-old bronze medal winner is the greatest Plymothian to have ever lived, beating famous figures such as Sir Francis Drake, Lady Nancy Astor – the first woman to take her seat in Parliament – and explorer Robert Scott.
Tom Daley claimed the top spot polling 36 per cent of the vote, beating Sir Francis Drake to the top spot by an impressive 26 per cent.
The third place spot was taken by Chris Webb, President of Argyle Football Club, weighing in with nine per cent of the vote.
Young diver and Plymouth College student Tom said he could not believe he had won the title of Greatest Janner, the voting for which opened in January.
"It is crazy that I've won," he told The Herald.
"I don't know how it has happened. All the others are such big national and even world figures – I'm honoured that people came out and voted for me.
"I knew from Twitter that people had been voting for me, but to have been named the greatest, I'm just really happy. It's hard to know what to say."
"Maybe in 20 years when everyone has forgotten about me, the result will be different but to have won this is huge."
And Plymouth's homegrown star says he is proud to be known as a Janner.
"Some people might be embarrassed to be called a Janner but I'm not. I'm proud to be one – I love it."
Sir Francis Drake, the Tavistock born Vice Admiral who helped defeat the invading Spanish Armada fleet in 1588, took second place in the online poll while Chris Webb, Argyle club president came third.
Chris was previously chair of Plymouth Argyle Fans' Trust and spear headed the campaign to save the football club during their financial crisis.
The Pilgrims owner James Brent told The Herald: "It does not surprise me that Chris has been recognised in this way. He led the fans effort to make sure their club did not die and he now spends a huge amount of personal time and effort trying to get it back to what it used to be.
"Chris is desperately proud of Plymouth. This accolade will not change anything for him at all. He is a real ambassador for the city and the region."
Dawn French, the comic and author – famous for her Vicar of Dibley role – came fourth in the poll, while Royal Navy officer Robert Falcon, who led two excursions to the Antarctic early in the 20th Century, came fifth.
The Herald contacted DawnFrench's agent for comment but received no reply.
RUNNER UP: SIR FRANCIS DRAKE
THE Tavistock-born seafarer was a prolific figure during 16th Century Elizabethan England.
Drake was the first Englishman to sail around the globe in 1577, setting sail from Plymouth and arriving back three years later. It was only the second time someone had completed the feat.
Later in 1588, he helped lead the English fleet to victory over the invading Spanish Armada serving as Vice Admiral to Lord Howard of Effingham.
Legend has it that when Drake was told of the approaching Spanish fleet, he insisted on finishing his game of bowls on the Hoe before engaging in attack.
Sir Francis Drake had lifelong links to the city. He married Mary Newman in 1569 in St Budeaux Parish Church and served as both Mayor and a Member of Parliament for Plymouth.
PLYMOUTH Argyle club president Chris Webb, a lifelong Pilgrims fan, was influential in assuring the club’s survival after it went into administration in 2011.
The former postman and chairman of the Argyle Fans’ Trust galvanised the Green Army support during a troubling time for the club.
At the time of takeover, owner James Brent said: “Many deserve credit for saving the club but the club owes no more to any single person than it does to Chris.”
The 32-year-old, who is also South West representative for the Communication Workers’ Union, was given the ambassadorial role of club president in November 2011.
RUNNER UP: CAPTAIN ROBERT FALCON SCOTT
THE Antarctic explorer and Royal Navy captain was born in 1868 near Devonport to a military family.
Scott gained notoriety for leading two expeditions to the Antarctic in an attempt to be the first to reach the South Pole.
The captain died during the failed second trip – the Terra Nova Expedition – in 1912 after reaching the most southerly point only to find that he had been beaten there by Norweigian explorer Roald Amundsen.
Scott perished in the 800-mile trek back.
The Devonport man became a British legend for his heroic attempts to reach the South Pole.
He was later criticised for his part in the Terra Nova’s failure, although modern scholarship indicates he may not have been to blame.
BAFTA-winner Dawn French was born to an RAF family in North Wales but was educated at St Dunstan’s Abbey School boarding school, now Plymouth College.
She became friends with career comedic partner Jennifer Saunders in 1977 at the London Central School of Speech and Drama, collaborating together for over 30 years.
The 55-year-old’s big break came on Channel 4’s The Comic Strip Presents programme in 1982 and she has since gone on to win acclaim for her part in French & Saunders and The Vicar of Dibley, winning a British Comedy award in the process.
French is the author of two novels as well as her autobiography, Dear Fatty .
