Plaque

(lost) Bentley Motor Car

Erection date: 1982

Inscription

This is the birthplace of the Bentley Motor Car. Number one was produced here in the year 1919.

Google Street View shows the plaque in place March 2022 but just an empty frame in August 2022.

Site: Bentley Motor Car (2 memorials)

W1, Chagford Street, 48

In July 2022 the Ham & High recounted the story of these plaques, as told to them by Alan Zafer who used to have an office in the building.

The first plaque (also blue) was erected at this site (date unknown but c.1960) and Zafer photographed Walter Owen Bentley (1888–1971) standing in front of it. This plaque was stolen in 1982. Zafer says "With the help of the Bentley Car Club I had a new one put up and we put it higher up so that nobody would steal it." But 27 June 2022 Zafer noticed that the second plaque had also been stolen. Actually, as we can see in the photo that we took, the second plaque was positioned within easy reach of any thieves.

November 2023: Mr Little confirmed that 21 September 2023 a third plaque was unveiled, on number 47, with a photo at Bentley Drivers Club.  We need to get along there and take our own photo before that too goes missing.

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:
Bentley Motor Car

Subjects commemorated i

Bentley Motor Car

Walter Owen Bentley (1888 - 1971), "W. O." to his friends, founded Bentley Mo...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Bentley Motor Car

Also at this site i

Bentley Motor Car - first lost plaque

Bentley Motor Car - first lost plaque

This image was taken by Alan Zafer and was published in the Ham & High.  ...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Kew Gardens war memorial

Kew Gardens war memorial

TW9, Kew Gardens, Temple of Arethusa

‘Floreat Kew’, meaning ‘May Kew Flourish’ is the motto of the Kew Guild. 

War dead | WW1, WW2
54 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Nancy's Steps - plaque 1

Nancy's Steps - plaque 1

SE1, Montague Close

The plaques both have the facts wrong; in the novel Nancy is murdered in her house. It is in the 1960 musical Oliver! that she is murdere...

5 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Hornsey Central Hospital - war memorial extension foundation stone, 1924

Hornsey Central Hospital - war memorial extension foundation stone, 1924

N8, Park Road, 151, Hornsey Central Health Centre

There are 10 memorials in this area around the the war memorial building in our photo. The two pier heads are to the right of the buildin...

5 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
West Side House

West Side House

SW19, West Side Common, 6

The plaque is placed on what appears to be the boundary wall of the house to the north, but the one in our photo matches the description ...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Salvation Army Ronalds Road - west

Salvation Army Ronalds Road - west

N5, Ronalds Road, 1, Citadel Court

The designer of the building clearly had the 'citadel' concept in mind. Strangely, some of these foundation plaques have had their inscri...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator

Previously viewed

Caxton Hall - head 6 - Chaucer

Caxton Hall - head 6 - Chaucer

SW1, Caxton Street, 10, Caxton Hall

This could equally well be Caxton (they are both always shown with this headgear, full beard and moustache) but the lack of sideburns see...

1 subject commemorated
George Peabody statue

George Peabody statue

EC4, Royal Exchange Buildings

Unveiled by the then Prince of Wales, unusually in the subject's lifetime. Too ill to attend the ceremony Peabody died 3 months later. At...

1 subject commemorated, 2 creators
Arthur Bourchier

Arthur Bourchier

Actor and theatre manager. Born in Speen, Berkshire. Made his first stage appearance in 1889, although his performances were met with less than critical acclaim. W. S. Gilbert said of his rendition...

Person, Cinema, Politics & Administration, Theatre, South Africa

1 memorial
James Thompson

James Thompson

Role on the lost expedition: Officer on SS Terror. See John Franklin.

Person, Exploring, Tragedy

1 memorial
Mosaics - emblem

Mosaics - emblem

EC4, New Change, One New Change - roof terrace

The star is surrounded by an English rose, a Scots thistle, an Irish clover sprig and a Welsh daffodil. This mosaic, the right most, doe...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator