Accrington Academy

Accrington Grammar School had around 500 boys and 100 in the sixth form in the 1970s. Accrington High School for Girls had around 600 girls. Accrington Moorhead High School was on Cromwell Avenue off Queen's Road West.The school was founded in 1895 on Blackburn Rd, Accrington as a 'Technical School' In 1968, it moved to the Moorhead site. In 1975, following the Labour government's educational reforms, it ceased to exist.

Dominic Brunt, actor, known for his part in Emmerdale as Paddy Kirk.

Marathon runner Ron Hill in 1975

John Wallwork (left), heart surgeon, in June 1997

• Sir Kenneth Barnes CB, Permanent Secretary from 1976 to 1982 of the Department of Employment
• Jim Bowen, comedian, and former host of Bullseye
• Oliver Bulleid CBE, Chief Mechanical Engineer from 1937 to 1948 of the Southern Railway, and President from 1946 to 1947 of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), and assistant to Sir Nigel Gresley at the LNER works at Doncaster, helping to develop the LNER Class A4 and LNER Class P1
• Prof Wesley Cocker, developed methyl methacrylate for Perspex at ICI Dyestuffs at Blackley[2]
• Harold Davenport FRS, mathematician, known for the Davenport–Schinzel sequence, Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics from 1958 to 1969 at the University of Cambridge
• Sir James Drake CBE, civil engineer, designed the UK's first motorway when with Lancashire County Council
• Graeme Fowler, cricketer
• Harry Hill (cyclist)
• Ron Hill, marathon runner in the 1964 Tokyo and 1972 Munich Olympics, and won the gold at the 1970 Edinburgh Commonwealth Games
• Prof Leslie Howarth OBE, Henry Overton Wills Professor of Mathematics, University of Bristol (1964–76)
• Eric Kinder, Chairman from 1990 to 1997 and Chief Executive from 1982 to 1990 of Smith & Nephew
• Prof John Lamb CBE, James Watt Professor of Electrical Engineering from 1961 to 1991 at the University of Glasgow, President from 1970 to 1972 of the British Society of Rheology
• Bryan Langton CBE, Chairman and Chief Executive from 1990 to 1996 of Holiday Inn
• Rev Fred Lord, Editor from 1941 to 1956 of The Baptist Times
• James Prescott CBE, FRS, Professor of Agricultural Chemistry from 1924 to 1955 at the University of Adelaide and Director of the Waite Agricultural Research Institute (1938–55)
• Sir John Tomlinson CBE, bass
• Prof John Wallwork CBE FRCS FMedSci, performed the first artificial heart transplant on 26 August 1994 at Papworth Hospital, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon from 1981 to 2011 and Director of Transplantation from 1989 to 2006
• Graham Walne, theatre lighting designer
• Harry Yeadon, civil engineer, worked with James Drake on the UK's first motorway

• Julie Hesmondhalgh, actress
• Gwen Mayor, primary school teacher who died at the Dunblane massacre
• Val Robinson OBE, played for Great Britain
• Hazel Townson, children's author
• Jeanette Winterson, author