Plaque

Orwell - Pond Street

Erection date: 1969

Inscription

George Orwell, writer, 1903 - 1950, lived and worked in a bookshop on this site, 1934 - 1935.

English Heritage blue plaques may be technically the best but individual plaques like this lift the spirits. Margaret Drabble helped erect this plaque and arranged for Sonia, Orwell's widow, to unveil it.

The head is modeled on a half-size bust by David Hadfield, owned by Richard Blair.

Site: Orwell - Pond Street (1 memorial)

NW3, Pond Street, 3 Warwick Mansions

The bookshop here where Orwell worked was 'Booklovers' Corner'.

October 2010: The local paper reported that the face on this plaque has been chipped off.  January 2013 Nick Booth sent us a photo showing exactly that - very sad.  Then, October 2014: The Ham and High reports that the face is back.  Hoorah!  Not exactly the same; the new one is bronze coloured and looks fatter.  We'll keep our picture so you know what the original looked like.

July 2015: The CNJ reports that this head has been unveiled for the third time.  Now cast in resin everyone is hopeful that it will be the last.

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:
Orwell - Pond Street

Subjects commemorated i

George Orwell

George Orwell was born in Bengal as Eric Arthur Blair, his father was a Briti...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Jerome K. Jerome - SW1

Jerome K. Jerome - SW1

SW1, Chelsea Bridge Road, 91-94 Chelsea Gardens

The lettering on this plaque looks so odd, that we actually had to check that it is an official EH plaque. An off day for the EH plaque-m...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Spencer Gore

Spencer Gore

NW1, Mornington Crescent, 31

Spencer Frederick Gore, 1878 - 1914, painter, lived and worked here, 1909 - 1912. English Heritage

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Julian Huxley

Julian Huxley

NW3, Pond Street, 31

Possibly the loveliest plaque in London, though it has strong competition from Sir Edward Elgar and Sophie Fedorovitch.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Adams-Acton

Adams-Acton

NW8, Langford Place, 14, Sunny Side

The plaque is just visible in our photo, peeping out from behind the foliage to the upper left of the door. 2023: this house was for sal...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
William Blake - SE1 - lost plaque

William Blake - SE1 - lost plaque

SE1, Hercules Road

Prior to erecting a 1907 Blake plaque in Broadwick Street the LCC investigated Blake’s various addresses. Doing this they discovered the ...

2 subjects commemorated

Previously viewed

George Lethbridge

George Lethbridge

Architect known for his war memorial designs. Born Devon. Married Jessie Naismith Morton (sister of Sarah Reid Anderson) in Edinburgh and they had seven children, the third born was the architect J...

Person, Architecture

2 memorials