Plaque (lost): William Wollaston - lost plaque
Erection date: 4/7/1934
We 'discovered' this lost plaque while researching Sir Frederick Hopkins. From: “Whatever is Under the Earth the Geological Society of London 1807-2007, edited by G. L. Herries Davies”: "More than 100 years {after Wollaston's death} the Geological Society, in association with five other societies, erected a commemorative plaque upon 14 Buckingham Street, Fitzroy Square, the house where Wollaston had resided between 1801 and 1825. The plaque was unveiled by Sir Frederick Gowland Hopkins, the President of the Royal Society, on 4 July 1934."
Not long before his death Wollaston made significant donations to the Geological Society, the Royal Society and the Astronomical Society - so that identifies 2 of the other five societies involved in erecting the plaque.
Site: William Wollaston - lost plaque (1 memorial)
W1, Greenwell Street, 14
The book contains an image of the plaque but sadly this is not available on-line. The book is expensive so if any geologist out there has access and could take a photo we'd appreciate it. The picture caption contains the information that the plaque was ceramic, that the house no longer stands and that the plaque was returned to the Geological Society, with talk of its re-erection on the modern building on the same site.
Sometime after 1934 Buckingham Street was renamed Greenwell Street. Now, apart from a pub, it is entirely occupied by modern buildings, none of which is numbered higher than 8, so the site of number 14 is not immediately obvious, and there is no re-erected plaque to help us.
Go to map of other memorials in this area
