Derek John Hockridge (born 1934 in Cardiff, died 8th August 2013 in Poole, Dorset) appeared on Coronation Street in March 1971 as a photographer from the Weatherfield Gazette capturing the demonstration by the women of the street against the building of the Mark Brittain Warehouse.
Raised in Birmingham, he had three careers: one as an actor with roles for Granada Television in Crown Court, Brideshead Revisited and Brideshead Revisited, one as a teacher, working at Manchester Grammar School and Leicester Polytechnic and finally in his best known role as the translator (along with Anthea Bell) of the French comic books Asterix the Gaul into English. He was employed for this task because he was considered an expert on contemporary French society who would easily be able to pick up popular culture references in the books. Their work has been acclaimed as being "genius"-level for their wit and erudition.
