Plaque (lost): Keats, D'Israeli, Clarke at Enfield
LONDON BOROUGH OF ENFIELD
In a house on this site
ISAAC D’ISRAELI
1766 – 1848
Author
(Father of Benjamin D’Israeli)
was born
CHARLES COWDEN CLARKE
1787 – 1877
Author
was born and
JOHN KEATS
Poet
was educated
(The house became Enfield’s first railway station in 1849)
According to Enfield Borough this plaque, together with the remaining plaque, was "at Enfield Town Railway Station in lobby, on east wall, above head height" but is now missing.
We are not convinced about Isaac D'israeli being born here - see his page.
Site: John Keats - Enfield (2 memorials)
EN1, Southbury Road, Enfield Town Railway Station
The plaque is on the left hand side of the entrance hall.
Francis Frith has a photo of the station in 1945, showing the Victorian buildings that replaced the old school building.
Mapping Keats's Progress provides some information about Keats and this school: At the time Southbury Road was known as Nags Head Road and the school was sometimes called Enfield School or Academy. It was a progressive boarding school for boys, run by Reverend John Clarke. It had been attended by a couple of Keats's mother's brothers. Then Keats attended with his brother George, and later his youngest brother Tom followed. Keats became a keen and critical reader while at the school.
