Person    | Male  Born 1350  Died 23/3/1423

Dick Whittington

Born in Pauntley, Gloucestershire, second son of a wealthy man. Thrice Lord Mayor of London: 1397, 1406 and 1420 (actually four times but two were consecutive). Three times Master of the Mercers' Company. The Museum of London tells his story well but we first learnt the story from the Ladybird book (see the picture) and many British children learn it from Christmas pantomimes.

A fact not mentioned there we learnt from Londonist: the hellish Newgate Prison was known as 'the Whit' because it "was rebuilt in the early 15th century at the bequest of Mayor Dick Whittington".

Another fact that the Ladybird book did not mention, but was brought to our attention by Camden History Society, is that Whittington also bequeathed funds for a public toilet, the first split by gender, with 64 seats for each. On Cheapside, its ditch was flushed by the Thames tide twice daily - so nice and hygienic then.

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:
Dick Whittington

Commemorated ati

Dick Whittington and his cat - Highgate

British History Online (1878) says that in about 1795 "the original stone, be...

Read More

Guildhall - Whittington statue

Dick stands in front of a milestone showing he is in Highgate (3 miles from L...

Read More

Whittington's church

Richard Whittington, four times Mayor of London, founded and was buried in th...

Read More

Whittington's house

The house of Richard Whittington Mayor of London stood on this site 1423. Co...

Read More

Whittington statue - Archway - lost

For other almshouse statues that have moved see the Fishmongers James Hulbert...

Read More

Show all 8

Other Subjects

Sir Alan Herbert

Sir Alan Herbert

Author and politician. Born Alan Patrick Herbert at Ashtead Lodge, Ashtead, Leatherhead. He was called to the bar, but never practised. Joined Punch magazine as a writer in 1924 and went on to writ...

Person, Literature, Music / songs, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
John le Carré

John le Carré

Pen name of espionage novel writer, David John Moore Cornwell. Born in Poole, Dorset. He took up writing when he was working for MI5 and MI6 in the 1950s and 60s. Best known for the novels 'The Spy...

Person, Literature

1 memorial
Dickens Fellowship

Dickens Fellowship

A worldwide association of people who share an interest in the life and works of Charles Dickens, based at the Charles Dickens Museum since 1925.

Group, Community / Clubs, Literature

3 memorials
Wilkie Collins

Wilkie Collins

William Wilkie Collins was a writer of thriller novels such as The Woman in White, The Moonstone. Born 11 New Cavendish Street. A great friend of Charles Dickens, to the extent that they grew beard...

Person, Literature

3 memorials
Charles Cowden Clarke

Charles Cowden Clarke

Author and Shakespearian scholar. Born in Enfield, at the school run by his father, Reverend John Clarke. John Keats was a pupil at the school for about 7 years (1803-10). Charles taught him and e...

Person, Literature, Poetry, Italy

1 memorial

Previously viewed

World War 1

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...

Event, Armed Forces, Tragedy

402 memorials