Bust

06 Croydon - Charles Darwin

Site: Whitgift and others (17 memorials)

CR9, Katharine Street, Croydon Public Library

Built in 1892 by Charles Henman Jr. this heavily decorated group of buildings makes up Croydon's Municipal buildings complex. The building and the roundels are covered at Ornamental Passions. Each of the five bays of the frieze carries three portrait roundels. The names, wreathed in either oak or laurel leaves, are given along the tops of the windows just below the pediments, listed here left to right. Ornamental Passions assumes they are all the work of Edwin Roscoe Mullins who did other work on this part of the building.

You would have thought that by 1892 the spelling of Shakespeare would have been sorted out. But this is not the first time we have seen it as "Shakespere" on buildings around this date. Perhaps it was a nod to the fashion for historical romanticism. Of course, in the 16th century, spelling had not settled down, to the extent that Shakespeare himself was inconsistent. His marriage certificate (necessary because at 18 he was under-age) has his name spelt as Shagspeare, accidentally, we are sure.

Archbishop Tillotson takes pride of place at the centre of these portraits. He was born almost 30 years after Whitgift's death and, like Whitgift, became Archbishop of Canterbury. Other than that we can find no reason for his honoured presence here.

Improbably, "Croydon" derives from the Anglo Saxon for "Crocus Valley" (ref: The Londonist)

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
06 Croydon - Charles Darwin

Subjects commemorated i

Charles Darwin

Charles Robert Darwin, father of the theory of evolution and natural selectio...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
06 Croydon - Charles Darwin

Created by i

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
06 Croydon - Charles Darwin

Also at this site i

Nearby Memorials

Grosvenor Hotel - head 12

Grosvenor Hotel - head 12

SW1, Buckingham Palace Road, Grosvenor Hotel

This 1860 building, by architect James Knowles Snr, is studded with many portrait busts of which we believe only these 14 are representat...

Colonial Office - B08 - Smith

Colonial Office - B08 - Smith

SW1, Whitehall, Foreign Office

Statues Hither and Thither has been invaluable in identifying some of the busts and most of the statues. The statues are not labelled and...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
National Portrait Gallery - Carlyle

National Portrait Gallery - Carlyle

WC2, Charing Cross Road

This building, 1896, designed by Ewan Christian, has 18 busts contained in medallions around the top of the facades. Starting at the east...

1 subject commemorated
RIPWC - Girtin

RIPWC - Girtin

W1, Piccadilly, 192-196

The building by E. R. Robson was erected for the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colour, founded in 1831 (the crest in the centre of...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Dickens bust - EC1

Dickens bust - EC1

EC1, Holborn, 273, Holborn Bars (ex-Prudential Building)

Dickens lodged at Furnival's Inn while writing the first part of Pickwick Papers.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator

Previously viewed

Jim Marshall - wrong location

Jim Marshall - wrong location

W7, Uxbridge Road, 147

The plaque was unveiled by Brian Poole (of Brian Poole and the Tremeloes). Poole wrote "This is where Jim’s first shop was and on the day...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator