De la Beche
Site: Imperial College (34 memorials)
SW7, Prince Consort Road, Imperial College
This building, the Royal School of Mines, (1906, Aston Webb). has 34 memorials: a foundation stone, 2 busts and 30 scientists' surnames plus Prince Albert, inscribed above the first floor windows.
The Beit bust is to the right of the entrance, Wernher's to the left. The foundation stone is on the front of Wernher's plinth.
The names read, left to right, starting in Exhibition Road: Tredgold, Rankine, Hopkinson, Watt, Whitworth, Wolfe Barry, Fairbairn, Armstrong, Stephenson, Brunel, Hawksley, and on Prince Consort Road: Bateman, White, Froude, Smeaton, Telford, Rennie, Unwin, Baker, Coode, Wheatstone, Kelvin, (entrance), Siemens, Percy, Murchison, HRH Prince Albert, De la Beche, Lyell, Bessemer, Ramsey, Judd
The names for Wolfe Barry, Unwin and Prince Albert are presented in decorative cartouches.
Apart from their association with this building and the surname we have no information about who these men are. The archivist at Imperial College could not help so we have done the best we can to identify them. Siemens was a large and successful family but we believe we have chosen the right one. We are very open to corrections, so let us know if you think we've got any of these names wrong.
