Person    | Male  Born 26/12/1791  Died 18/10/1871

Charles Babbage

Categories: Science, Seriously Famous

Mathematician and pioneer of the modern computer. Probably born in Crosby Row on what is now Walworth Road. Went to school at Freeman's academy in Enfield.

He was critical, to the point of rudeness, of the Royal Society, its officers and other scientists. Even his friend, Herschel, wrote that he would like to give Babbage "a good slap in the face". After his death he was described as "an irascible genius". Ada Lovelace seems to have been able to cope with him. He died at home, 1 Dorset Street.

Most of him is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery but his brain was felt too special to be allowed to turn to dust. Half is held at the Hunterian Museum and half at the Science Museum. We learnt this at Londonist's splendid post about the Cemetery.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

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

Commemorated ati

Charles Babbage - SE17

Plaques really should contain enough information to explain their presence at...

Read More

Charles Babbage - W1

This is where Babbage died.

Read More

Other Subjects

Johannes Kepler

Johannes Kepler

Mathematician, astronomer and astrologer.  Best known for his laws of planetary motion. 

Person, Science, Austria, Germany

1 memorial
Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin

Natural philosopher, writer, revolutionary politician and inventor.  Born Boston, Massachusetts. Crossed the Atlantic 8 times, living for many years apart from his wife and children. A keen swimmer...

Person, Politics & Administration, Science, Seriously Famous, USA

2 memorials
John Napier

John Napier

Mathematician. Born Merchiston Castle, Edinburgh, his family home. 7th Laird of Merchiston (though Wikipedia says 8th). Inventor of logarithms. Died Edinburgh.

Person, Science, Scotland

1 memorial
William Lilly

William Lilly

Master astrologer. Born Leicestershire. Allegedly predicted the Great Fire of London 14 years before it happened. He was accused of having started the fire and was tried but, there being no evid...

Person, Science

1 memorial
Alan Turing

Alan Turing

Mathematician, computer scientist and war-shortener. Born Alan Mathison Turing at Warrington Lodge, Warrington Avenue. He formalized the concepts of 'algorithm' and 'computation' and effectively in...

Person, Science, Seriously Famous

3 memorials