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.

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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...

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Charles Babbage - W1

This is where Babbage died.

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Other Subjects

Royal Society

Royal Society

Also known as the Royal Society of London (for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge). A learned society for science, granted a royal charter by King Charles II.  Wren was a founding member. The Soc...

Group, Community / Clubs, Race Issues, Science

4 memorials
Sir Charles Wheatstone

Sir Charles Wheatstone

Born at Barnwood Manor House, Barnwood, near Gloucester. Knighted 30 Jan. 1868. Died Paris. Inventor of things such as the English concertina and the stereoscope but best known for the Wheatstone b...

Person, Science, France

2 memorials
John Heathcoat

John Heathcoat

Inventor and businessman. Born Derbyshire. Invented a machine for manufacturing a new type of lace, bobbin net, and went on to manufacture and sell lace. 1815 he bought a mill in Tiverton, moved th...

Person, Commerce, Industry, Science

1 memorial
William Curtis

William Curtis

Botanist and entomologist. Born Alton, Hampshire. Worked at the Chelsea Physic Garden. Set up a garden at Bermondsey and a larger one, the London Botanic Garden at Lambeth Marsh. His publication 'F...

Person, Science

2 memorials
William Glanville

William Glanville

Engineering research. FRS.  Born 75 Kempe Road, Willesden.  Carried out research on concrete at first the Building Research Station and then the Road Research Laboratory.  During WW2 he was scienti...

Person, Engineering, Science

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Frederick Lockyear

Frederick Lockyear

Worked for the Royal Arsenal Co-operative Society. Was on the building committee for the Abbey Wood branch in 1912.

Person, Commerce, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Westminster School - old boys - 2 - Edward the Confessor

Westminster School - old boys - 2 - Edward the Confessor

SW1, Broad Sanctuary

From Westminster's Conservation Audit: This Listed grade II monument was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. It is in a high Victorian ...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
L. Hastings

L. Hastings

Name on one of the main panels of the East Ham WW1 memorial.

Person

War dead, WW1
1 memorial
men of Great Northern Railway who gave their lives in WW1

men of Great Northern Railway who gave their lives in WW1

Forgive us, we've used this page as somewhere to hold the picture of the memorial in its original 1920 location.

Group, Transport

3 memorials