Peter Ackroyd, English biographer and novelist, circa December 2004. Ackroyd graduated from Cambridge University with a double first in English Literature, and went on to become a highly acclaimed writer, specialising in the history and culture of London. Ackroyd is well-known for his biographies of literary figures such as William Blake, Charles Dickens and TS Eliot. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2003. (Photo by Eamonn McCabe/Popperfoto via Getty Images)
