Concept From 1870

Bovril

The trademarked name of a thick, salty meat extract developed in the 1870s by John Lawson Johnson. It is made in Burton upon Trent and is now (2013) owned and distributed by Unilever UK. The first part of the product's name comes from the Latin 'bos' meaning ox or cow, and 'vril' from Edward Bulwer-Lytton's novel 'The Coming Race', the plot of which revolves around a superior race of people, the Vril-ya, who derive their powers from an electromagnetic substance named Vril.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Bovril

Commemorated ati

East Ham tram depot

{Two trams; one bears the destination 'Docks' and the number 216; the other b...

John Lawson Johnston

John Lawson Johnston, 1839 - 190, inventor of Bovril, owned and lived here at...

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Other Subjects

Hindoostane Coffee House

London's first curry restaurant. Opened and run by Sake Dean Mahomed.

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Aldermanbury water conduit

Erected under the will of Sir W. Eastfield. Destroyed in the Great Fire but rebuilt. Finally removed in the 18th century. 2023: A London Inheritance has a very informative post, with photos of t...

Building, Food & Drink

1 memorial

Freemasons' Tavern

The first, 1775, building (in the picture) was replaced by a four storey building in 1803. It was rebuilt again in 1864 by the Freemasons who, in 1909, renovated it and changed its name to the Conn...

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2 memorials

St Clement Danes well

Place, Food & Drink

1 memorial

Saracen's Head Inn

Mentioned in 1522 as an inn with 30 beds and stalls for four horses. Removed (as shown in the picture) for the formation of Holborn Viaduct and its approaches 1868.

Building, Commerce, Food & Drink

1 memorial

Previously viewed

World War 1

We'd always assumed that this war was known as the Great War until WW2 came along at which point it was renamed as World War One or the First World War. But the term was first used in print in 1920...

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403 memorials

Transport Trust

The Transport Trust is a charitable institution that aims to increase and channel support for transport preservation, acting as the hub of the transport preservation movement. More about their pla...

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