 Antarctic explorers Robert Falcon Scott and Frank Bickerton both lived in the city . Artists include Beryl Cook whose paintings depict the culture of Plymouth and Robert Lenkiewicz , whose paintings investigated themes of vagrancy , sexual behaviour and suicide , lived in the city from the 1960s until his death in 2002 . Illustrator and creator of children 's series Mr Benn and King Rollo , David McKee , was born and brought up in South Devon and trained at Plymouth College of Art . Jazz musician John Surman , born in nearby Tavistock , has close connections to the area , evidenced by his 2012 album Saltash Bells . The avant garde prepared guitarist Keith Rowe was born in the city before establishing the jazz free improvisation band AMM in London in 1965 and MIMEO in 1997 . The musician and film director Cosmo Jarvis has lived in several towns in South Devon and has filmed videos in and around Plymouth . In addition , actors Sir Donald Sinden and Judi Trott . George Passmore of Turner Prize winning duo Gilbert and George was born in the city , as was Labour politician Michael Foot whose family reside at nearby Trematon Castle . 
