Plaque

Thomas Rainsborough

Erection date: 12/5/2013

Inscription

Thomas Rainsborough was buried in this churchyard on the 14th November 1648 after a funeral procession organised by the Leveller movement. Rainsborough was a spokesman for the Levellers and a colonel in the New Model Army. He was killed by a Royalist raiding party during the siege of Pontefract. On the day of the funeral a Leveller leaflet recorded the inscription on Rainsborough's tomb. It proclaimed Rainsborough had made 'King, Lords, Commons, Judges shake, Cities and Committees quake'. He was, it said, 'just, valiant and true'. It ended with the words that here Rainsborough 'bids the noble Levellers adieu'.

This plaque was unveiled by Cllr Rania Khan, writer John Rees and politician Tony Benn in 2013.

Tower Hamlets

Site: Thomas Rainsborough (1 memorial)

E1, Wapping High Street, St John's Churchyard

At the unveiling musketeers from the Rainsborough Regiment of the Sealed Knot fired a volley to mark the occasion.

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:
Thomas Rainsborough

Subjects commemorated i

Levellers

A group of political radicals during the Civil War and the interregnum.  Its ...

Read More

New Model Army

Created by the Parliamentarians to oppose the King's forces.  It was a profes...

Read More

Thomas Rainsborough

Grew up in Wapping.  A spokesman for the Levellers and a colonel in the New M...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Thomas Rainsborough

Created by i

Tower Hamlets Council

The name was originally applied to the Tower division of the county of Middle...

Read More

Tony Benn

Born as Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn.  Labour politician.  Inherited a title in...

Read More

Rania Khan

Councillor in Hackney council, on the right of this picture.  Born Tripoli.  ...

Read More

John Rees

Political activist and writer.  2012 co-authored 'A People's History of London'.

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Lord Boothby

Lord Boothby

SW1, Eaton Square, 1

Robert, Lord Boothby, 1900 - 1986, politician, author and broadcaster, lived here, 1946 - 1986.

1 subject commemorated
River Effra - Villa Road

River Effra - Villa Road

SW9, Villa Road

The hidden River Effra is beneath your feet.

1 subject commemorated, 3 creators
Manny Shinwell

Manny Shinwell

E1, Brune House, Toynbee Street

The plaque was not there when we first visited the site. We have returned several times over the years in case a replacement has been ere...

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

William Blake - SE1 - lost plaque

SE1, Hercules Road

This plaque, shown in both this drawing (by Adcock from Culture 24) and the photo of the house, was lost when the building was demolished...

2 subjects commemorated
Sir Isaac Newton's house- simple

Sir Isaac Newton's house- simple

WC2, St Martin's Street, 35, Westminster Reference Library

Londonist's post about this house and Newton's observatory is excellent. They have a picture of the house in about 1900 (from the lady's ...

1 subject commemorated

Previously viewed

Greenwich roundels - Cook

Greenwich roundels - Cook

SE10, King William Walk, Discover Greenwich (Royal Naval College, Pepys Building)

The roundels on the north, river-facing, frontage are occupied by, left to right: Anson, Drake, Cook, Howard, Blake, Benbow, Sandwich, Ro...

1 subject commemorated
Cyril Connolly

Cyril Connolly

Literary critic and writer.  Born Coventry and was brought up in South Africa and Ireland as well as England.  Educated, with George Orwell and Cecil Beaton, at a school in Eastbourne.  Edited Hori...

Person, Literature, Ireland, South Africa

1 memorial
42nd and 48th Royal Tank Regiment

42nd and 48th Royal Tank Regiment

The 48th regiment was an armoured division of the British army. It was originally formed as a duplicate of the 42nd Royal Tank Regiment. In 1943, during engagements before the Battle of Longstop H...

Group, Armed Forces

1 memorial