Bust

Keats House at Guy's - bust 3 - Hippocrates

Erection date: 1863

We are reasonbly happy with our identifcation of this head.

Site: Keats House at Guy's (4 memorials)

SE1, St Thomas Street, 24-26, Keats House

The ground floor of the right-hand side is used as a doctor's surgery and we asked at reception for information about the building. A lady there was very helpful, telling us that it was built in 1863 as part of nearby Guy's Hospital. However, they have tried and failed to discover the identity of the busts. And we've struggled.

These busts are displayed in the arches above the first floor windows. On the second floor the same spaces above the two outer windows carry a shield device with a circular belt "dare quam accipere" - Guy's Hospital's motto, "it is better to give than to receive".

We'd expect the heads to show men either connected with Guy's Hospital and/or medicine more generally, with Thomas Guy and John Keats being very likely candidates. Bust 2 could be either of them but Keats is consistently shown with a centre parting which suggests number 2 represents Thomas Guy, but we are not certain.

The last two seem to be in Greek-Roman togas. In images Hippocrates is almost always bald and bearded so he could be number 3. And so we expected number 4 to represent Galen but he is never shown with such wild hair so we are stumped.

Surprisingly the building does not seem to be Listed, so no help there. Assistance needed.

2018: Phil Sutters came to the rescue. He pointed us to the excellent book 'Public Sculpture of South London' by Terry Cavanagh. Here our William Harvey and Hippocrates are confirmed. Sir Astley Paston Cooper is strongly suggested for bust 4. Portraits of him on-line show the same swept-back hair, long nose and slightly bulging eyes - we're convinced. But Cavanagh has nothing to offer for Bust 2. Phil thinks it must be (a late, and not well) Keats (given the name of the building) but we think it could equally well be Thomas Guy (compare with his statue at Guy's Hospital) although Phil points out that the clothing is anachronistic. It actually doesn't look much like either of them (meaning their portraits available on-line) so it could be another man entirely. Cavanagh gives the sculptor of all four busts as J. W. Seale, with the building designed by Newman & Billing.

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:
Keats House at Guy's - bust 3 - Hippocrates

Subjects commemorated i

Hippocrates

Greek physician, known as the father of medicine. Born in 460 BC on the isla...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Keats House at Guy's - bust 3 - Hippocrates

Created by i

John Wesley Seale

Sculptor. Born Wiltshire. His son, J. H. G. and his grandsons, J. H. and A. B...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Keats House at Guy's - bust 3 - Hippocrates

Also at this site i

Keats House at Guy's - bust 1 - William Harvey

Keats House at Guy's - bust 1 - William Harvey

The collar, the hair-line, the facial growths - we hope you agree that this i...

Read More

Keats House at Guy's - bust 2 - Thomas Guy?

Keats House at Guy's - bust 2 - Thomas Guy?

We are not certain of the identification.

Read More

Keats House at Guy's - bust 4 - Astley Paston Cooper

Keats House at Guy's - bust 4 - Astley Paston Cooper

Apologies for the lack of focus on this one - partly due to the carving being...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

The George

The George

W1, D'Arblay Street, 1

There has been a public house of this name here since at least 1739 but the bust is a very good likeness of George IV, regent 1811 - 1820...

1 subject commemorated
Lord Wolfson bust

Lord Wolfson bust

WC1, Queen Square, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery

The Leonard Wolfson Experimental Neurology Centre is located in the hospital behind the bust. Opened 15 November 2013 this was funded by ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
William Morris - Bexleyheath bust

William Morris - Bexleyheath bust

DA6, Bexleyheath Market Place

Morris lived very nearby in The Red House for 5 years. This bust was unveiled to mark the centenary of his death.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Victoria - Oxford Street

Victoria - Oxford Street

W1, Oxford Street, 105, Hat factory - Henry Heath

These two relief roundels are above the two central third floor windows but even people who examine this facade may miss the royal visage...

2 subjects commemorated
Hyde Park Barracks - Hill

Hyde Park Barracks - Hill

SW7, Kengsinton Road, Hyde Park Barracks - Officers' Mess

Inside this building on the upper-ground floor there are 4 busts - 2 in the foyer area at the entrance from the pavement (at the west) an...

1 subject commemorated

Previously viewed

850th anniversary and Plant a Tree Year

850th anniversary and Plant a Tree Year

EC1, Cloth Fair, St Bartholomew the Great graveyard

The millennium tree (in 2008 still a sapling) is in front of the half-timbered wall. The two yews commemorating the 850th anniversary are...

2 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
F. E. Smith, Earl Birkenhead

F. E. Smith, Earl Birkenhead

Lawyer and politician. Born Frederick Edwin Smith in Pilgrim Street, Birkenhead. Called to the bar in 1899 and entered parliament in 1906. He became Attorney-General and Lord Chancellor. Successful...

Person, Law, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
A. H. Blackman, Jnr.

A. H. Blackman, Jnr.

Co-partner or employee of the South Suburban Gas Company. Served but did not die in WW1.

Person, Armed Forces

War served, WW1
1 memorial
Nike Statue - Plaque 1

Nike Statue - Plaque 1

SE18, Number 1 Street, Main Guardhouse

{Below an image of the Olympic torch:} A gift from the people of ancient Olympia to the people of London. To commemorate the hosting of t...

1 subject commemorated