In 2002, the BBC conducted a viewers’ poll to derive a list of the
hundred ‘greatest’ Brits in order of popularity. I used this as a
reference when starting work on this book, and I kept about half
of them, having decided to exclude (with one or two exceptions)
monarchs and career politicians, as well as well-known moderns
who are likely to prove ephemeral. I did not, in any case, set out
to compile a list of ‘greatest’ Brits, since enthusiasm had to drive
my rhyming. I am afraid that a few short-listed worthies were
excluded because I found them dull.