Infused with the potent bloodlines of not only the ancient Britons and Anglo-Saxons but also the Normans, bearers of the proud name of Steele are heirs to a rich and colourful heritage.

 

From religion and politics to film, music and sport, many of the name have stamped their mark at an international level.

 

In the boxing ring, Freddie Steele was the American boxer who held the title of Middleweight Champion of the World from 1936 to 1938 and who also acted as a double for Errol Flynn in the 1942 boxing-themed film Gentleman Jim.

 

In the world of entertainment, Thomas William Hicks, born in 1936, is the English singer and actor better known by his stage name of Tommy Steele; major hits he enjoyed in the 1950s include Singing the Blues, while as an actor he starred in the 1967 film Half a Sixpence.

 

The colourful and inspiring tale of the Steeles is chronicled here.