Person    | Male  Died 13/1/1801

Francis Barber

Born in Jamaica circa 1742/3 with the name 'Quashey' (a common name for male slaves). He was brought to England by his owner, Colonel Richard Bathhurst, and was sent to school in Yorkshire and then to London as Dr. Johnson's valet. He was given his freedom in Bathurst's will, and after working for an apothecary and a period as a 'landman' aboard various ships he became Johnson's servant. After Johnson's death, he moved to Lichfield and opened a small village school in nearby Burntwood. Died in the Staffordshire Royal Infirmary. The portrait is in Dr Johnson's house in Gough Square. It is usually thought of as being of Barber, although there is no definite confirmation of this.

 

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

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:
Francis Barber

Commemorated ati

Francis Barber

The plaque is on the railings below the Royal Society of Arts one. Dec 2020:...

Read More

Other Subjects

Albert Woodfox

Albert Woodfox

Albert Woodfox was an American known as one of the Angola Three (Robert King, Herman Wallace and Woodfox) former prisoners who were held at Louisiana State Penitentiary in solitary confinement for ...

Person, Law, Race Issues, Tragedy, USA

1 memorial
Stephen Lushington

Stephen Lushington

Doctor of Civil Law, judge, MP, supporter of the campaigns for the abolition of slavery and of capital punishment.  Born Berkshire.  Died Surrey.

Person, Law, Politics & Administration, Race Issues

1 memorial
Dr John Lettsom

Dr John Lettsom

Physician, philanthropist, abolitionist and entomologist. Born British Virgin Islands into a Quaker family. Aged 6 was sent to England to be educated. Came to London in 1766 to train at St Thomas' ...

Person, Medicine, Philanthropy, Race Issues, Virgin Islands

2 memorials
Kelso Cochrane

Kelso Cochrane

Came to London in 1958, lived in Notting Hill and worked as a carpenter.  Murdered by a group of white youths.  The race riots the previous year, the increase in racist activities by Fascist groups...

Person, Race Issues, Tragedy, Antigua

1 memorial
Henry Peter, Lord Brougham

Henry Peter, Lord Brougham

Born in Edinburgh. Died in Cannes, France, where, despite the plaque in Grafton Street, he apparently spent much of his last 30 years, indeed he seems to have effectively created Cannes. As a young...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, France

2 memorials

Previously viewed

Henry Hugh Armstead

Henry Hugh Armstead

Sculptor and illustrator. Born Bloomsbury. Executed a large number of public statues and funerary works, and worked closely with George Gilbert Scott on the Albert Memorial. Died at home 52 Circus ...

Person, Art

68 memorials
Miss F. E. Cherry

Miss F. E. Cherry

Lady District Officer in the St John Ambulance Brigade, No. 1 District, 1915-1942. Serving Sister in the Order of St John.

Person, Emergency Services, Medicine, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
J. Wisden & Co

J. Wisden & Co

Wisden's Almanack, the 'Bible of Cricket' was first published by John Wisden.  It appears annually and contains a vast amount of information about English and overseas cricket, including scores of ...

Media, Journalism / Publishing, Sport / Games

1 memorial
Bankers Clearing House - 1

Bankers Clearing House - 1

EC4, Lombard Street, Post Office Court

At the north end of Post Office Court, attached to the west wall adjoining St Mary Woolnoth, are six salvaged carved panels. We have numb...

4 subjects commemorated
Edward Willis

Edward Willis

From Historic England: Engineer and architect to the Chiswick Urban District Council in 1921. Also designed the Memorial Fund's Chiswick War Memorial Rest Homes, Burlington Lane. Housing disabled s...

Person, Architecture, Engineering

2 memorials