Residents and Visitors
Over the past two centuries many well-known authors, politicians and others have made their homes in Torquay. Most have arrived from other parts of the country but a small number, including Torquay's most famous name of all, Agatha Christie, were born in the town. Whilst this is not the complete record of those who are known to have been resident, it does list the names of people likely to be recognised in the late 20th century. The Torquay Directory, which started publishing in 1839, issued regular lists of "arrivals and "departures" for many years.
- Acland, Sir Henry; author
- Adams, Captain James; poet
- Aggett, Thomas Henry; railway poet of the west
- Alexandra, Queen, stayed at Sutherland Towers
- Argyll, Duke of; author
- Barratt, Edward Moulton; brother of Elizabeth: drowned in Babbacombe Bay; buried in Torre Churchyard
- Barratt, Elizabeth; later married Robert Browning: novelist and invalid: stayed at Regina Hotel in 1838
- Beecher, Henry Ward; theologian
- Booth, General William; founder of Salvation Army, guest of Sir St. Vincent Hammick of Treneer: spoke at Public Hall
- Bourget, Paul; French poet, critic and novelist
- Bowring, Sir John; political economist, governor of Hong Kong born and died at Exeter, lived at Westhoe, St Lukes Road
- Bright, John; theologian
- Brown, Ernest, MP; politician; born 1881. held offices of Minister of Labour, 1935-40; Minister of Health, 1941-43; Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, 1943-45
- Brownlow, William Robert; author, archaeologist & historian
- Brunel, Isambard Kingdom; railway engineer and resident at Watcombe, also stayed in Stitchill and at Hesketh Crescent
- Burghard, Sydney G; novelist (Ridgewell Cullum, pseud.)
- Burton, Sir Richard, translator of the Arabian Nights; born in Torquay on 19th March 1821
- Caine, Hall; novelist
- Castle, Egerton & Mrs; novelists
- Chambers, Dr Robert; publisher: lived in Torquay in 1870
- Christie, Agatha nee Miller; novelist, born Barton Road, Torquay.
- Coleridge, Christobel; novelist: lived in Bridge Road/Torre Vicarage
- Coutts, Angela Burdett; philanthropist, lived in Chestnut Avenue
- Crute, H E., pottery decorator & artist, painted many South Devon scenes
- Darwin, Charles; wrote Origin of Species; stayed at Hesketh Crescent
- Dickens, Charles; stayed in Babbacombe, lectured at Theatre Royal
- Dickens, Charles, son of above; stayed at Royal Hotel; readings at Bath Saloons
- Disraeli, Benjamin; politician; stayed at Mount Braddon and Royal Hotel
- Doveton, Frederick, author, poet, lived at Babbacombe
- Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan; novelist and spiritualist
- Drury, Anne, novelist, lived in Lower Warberry Road & Vansittart Rd
- Dyer, William Henry, artist; lived at Babbacombe in 1930s
- Eugenie, Empress, pupil of William Pengelly
- Fairless, Michael, authoress, pseud of Margaret Fairless Barber
- Findlater, Jane & Mary, novelists, lived at Mount Stuart, Higher Woodfield Road(1902) and Southfield Mount, Paignton (1912)
- Fletcher, Percy, musician
- Fradd, Martin, founder of the London Evening News
- Froude, James Anthony, historian, one-time curate of St Marychurch
- Froude, Richard Hurrell, tractarian; brother of James and William
- Froude, William; pioneer of ship design: lived at Chelston Cross.
- Galsworthy, John, lived at Manaton, wife in Bronshill Road
- Gladstone, William Ewart, politician, stayed at Rock House
- Gordon, W N, short story writer
- Gosse, Philip Henry, naturalist and author: lived at Sandhurst in St. Marychurch
- Gosse, Sir Edmund; son & author
- Grant, General Ulysees, former US President, stayed at Manor House, 1889
- Haliburton, Thomas Chandler, Canadian judge and author of Sam Slick, lived at Culross, Bronshill Road (b.1796, d. 27 Aug 1865)
- Heaviside, Oliver; mathematician, physicist and eccentric. Lived in Warberries; plaque there to his memory.
- Hocking, Joseph, novelist
- Hocking, Silas, novelist
- Holland, Queen Sophie of; "La Reine Rouge", stayed at Royal Hotel, 1868
- James, Henry, novelist
- Keble, John (1792-1866), poet, tractarian, lived at Enderlie, Croft Road
- Kingsley, Charles; author, clergyman and naturalist: stayed at Livermead House, explored in seashore, and wrote Glaucus based on his findings
- Kingsley, Mary, traveller
- Kipling, Rudyard; novelist and poet; stayed at Watcombe, 1896-7
- Krupp, Arnold; ironfounder, stayed at Charente, arrived in yacht, Sep. 1871
- Law, Bonar; politician
- Lee, John Henry; the Babbacombe murderer.
- Lemon, Mark; editor of Punch, 1843-70, founder of Field
- Locke, W J; novelist
- Lytton, Edward Bulwer; novelist: lived Argyll Hall, Warren Road, 1856-73
- McEnery, John; explorer of Kents Cavern: priest at Torre Abbey.
- Mallock, William Hurrell (1849-1923); author, lived at Lauriston Hall
- Mount Temple, Lady Georgina; philanthropist; lived at Babbacombe - drinking fountain in her memory on the Downs
- Muller, Friedrick Max; philologist, visited Kingsley, 1853-54
- Napoleon III, of France, stayed Imperial & Royal Hotels, 1861, 1868, 1870
- Newnes, Sir George; publisher, stayed at Hesketh Crescent
- Nicholas, Prince, pupil of William Pengelly, 1859-60
- Norris, William E; barrister & novelist, lived at Underbank, 1888-92
- O'Casey, Sean; Irish playwright: lived at St Marychurch
- Peard, Frances Mary, novelist, lived in Croft Road, 1864-95
- Pengelly, William; explorer of Kents Cavern.
- Phillpotts, Eden; author and playwright: lived in Oak Hill Road.
- Phillpotts, Henry, bishop of Exeter, built Bishopstowe
- Reade, Brian; writer & deputy keeper of V & A; born in Torquay, 1913
- Ridley, Arnold; schoolmaster (TGBS) & writer of The Ghost Train
- Rowcroft, Ella; philanthropist: lived at Rowcroft and the Rainbow
- Scoresby, William; Arctic explorer, scientific philosopher
- Shaw, George Bernard; playwright & novelist, resident in 1915
- Shelley, Percy Bysshe; poet
- Sladen, Douglas, "the Australian poet", lived at Bannercross, Abbey Rd
- Smiles, Samuel; author & social reformer
- Stabb, John; historian, lived at Clanmarina
- Stevenson, Robert Louis; poet & novelist, stayed at Torbay Hotel
- Sweet, Robert; horticulturalist, born at Rose Cottage, Cockington
- Tennyson, Alfred. Lord, poet, stayed in Torquay, 1838
- Trent, Paul; novelist
- Tweedale, Violet; writer, lived at Villa Languard and White Court
- Thrupp, Frederick; sculptor; died March 1895 at Thurlow
- Upward, Allen; barrister, author & novelist
- Vivian, Edward, (1828-93); banker & journalist
- Walker, Henry G; artist and engraver: lived at Babbacombe
- Wallace, Edgar; novelist, stayed at the Grove in Babbacombe for some months in 1921
- Wills, Dame Violet; philanthropist; lived at Rowcroft and Bel Alp, Haytor
- Wilde, Oscar; playwright: stayed at Babbacombe
- Winsor, Charlotte; "baby farmer" (child murderer): lived at Lawes Bridge
- Yates, Edmund, (1831-1894); author & novelist
- Yonge, Charlotte M., authoress, lived at Cheyne, Bridge Road
