Step 1 : Introduction to the question "Who was the first non-royal pictured on a British postage stamp?"
...William Shakespeare is one of Britain's most beloved sons. In commemoration of his 400th birthday in Stratford-upon-Avon, in 1964, he became the first non-royal, or commoner, featured on a British postage stamp. The stamp set was the artistic creation of David Gentleman. The stamps depicted a montage of some of Shakespeare's most notable plays. Included was "A Midsummer's Night Dream," "Twelfth Night," and "Romeo and Juliet." The Queen reportedly described the designs as "striking and of high quality." Source: StanleyGibbons.com