Plaque

YMCA

Inscription

Here in 1844 George Williams with eleven other young men employed in the City of London who shared his zeal and vision founded the Young Men's Christian Association in a drapery house on this site in which he worked and lived.

From its beginning in this place inspired of God the Association grew to encompass the world.

Williams was working as a buyer at Hitchcock, Rogers & Co., a large retail drapers at 72 St Paul's Churchyard. The situation of workers in such establishments living on the premises is described in the novel "Kipps" by H. G. Wells, who based it on his own unhappy experience of the same employment in the early 1880s.
This plaque looks like it was designed for a different placement, probably an earlier building, and has been re-erected on this site. Note the stylish letters, with, for example "the" having the "t" and the "h" elided.

Site: Freemasons, YMCA & Castle Baynard Ward Club (3 memorials)

EC4, St Paul's Churchyard

The two plaques face each other, on the inside walls of the arcade. The Castle Baynard tree is the one to the right in the photo.

2019: A London Inheritance has a post about the building that was on this site up until WW2, the offices, factory and warehouses of Hitchcock, Williams & Co.. The firm moved into number 72 sometime after 1853 and then expanded to take in many of the surrounding buildings. The buildings were destroyed by bombs on 29 December 1940.

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:
YMCA

Subjects commemorated i

Young Men's Christian Association / YMCA

Founded in 1844 by George Williams, the YMCA built their first gym in 1881 an...

Read More

Sir George Williams

Founder of the Young Men's Christian Association. Born Somerset. Died in a ho...

Read More

This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
YMCA

Also at this site i

Castle Baynard Ward Club

Castle Baynard Ward Club

Planted by the Chairman of the Castle Baynard Ward Club, Professor Anthony Tr...

Read More

Freemasons

Freemasons

Corporation of the City of London Near this site the Grand Lodge of English ...

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Ford Madox Brown

Ford Madox Brown

NW5, Fortess Road, 56

Brown lived here from 1855 to 1865.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Davis Theatre

Davis Theatre

CR0, High Street Croydon, 81

Google Street View shows this plaque in situ 2008 - 2014 but lost by June 2015. We have the Russian Embassy to thank for drawing this lo...

3 subjects commemorated, 2 creators
Jim Gaffney

Jim Gaffney

WC1, Brunswick Square, Coram Family

Jim Gaffney, 1941 - 2002. Jim spent his life helping vulnerable children. His friend, Gillian Pugh, decided to continue his work by don...

3 subjects commemorated
V&A façade foundation stone, Victoria

V&A façade foundation stone, Victoria

SW7, Cromwell Road

This was the Queen's last official appearance. Via Londonist we found this V&A page that tells the story. The stone was unveiled on a...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Wakefield and the TA

Wakefield and the TA

SW17, Balham High Street, 213, Fusilier House

The plaque is below the window to the left of the ornate entrance. Presumably this is a foundation stone or a building opening stone for ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator