Person    | Male  Born 10/3/1858  Died 26/12/1933

Henry Watson Fowler

Categories: Literature

Lexicographer, grammarian and schoolteacher. Born at Tonbridge, Kent. He taught at Fettes College in Edinburgh and Sedbergh School in Yorkshire. Best remembered for 'A Dictionary of Modern English Usage' (first published 1926 and still considered by many to be definitive) and his work on the Concise Oxford Dictionary, Died at his home, Sunnyside, Hinton St George, Somerset.

More details of his life can be found on his Wikipedia page and our colleague, Andrew Behan, found that when aged 57 years on 6 April 1915 he claimed that he was just 44 years of age to enable him to enlist in The 23rd (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusliers (First Sportsman's) and his name is listed on the Battalion's nominal roll. He entered France on 22 November 1915 but he suffered greatly from rheumatism in the trenches and was medically discharged on 5 May 1916 when his true age of 58 years was discovered. He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal 1914-1918 and the Victory Medal, together with a Silver War Badge. 

When probate was granted on 28 February 1934, his estate totalled £3,270-14s-9d.

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:
Henry Watson Fowler

Commemorated ati

Henry Watson Fowler

Henry Watson Fowler, 1858 - 1933, grammarian and lexicographer, lived here 19...

Read More

Hodge the Cat

Hodge is sitting on a leather-bound book ("A Dictionary of the English Langua...

Read More

Other Subjects

William Harnett Blanch

William Harnett Blanch

Historian. Born into a family of gun and rifle manufacturers, he was a prolific writer of books, mainly about the local history of London. He also founded The London Thirteen Club as a means of de...

Person, Engineering, Literature

1 memorial
Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf

Born as Adeline Virginia Stephen in Hyde Park Gate, London. Drowned herself in the River Ouse Rodmell, Sussex by filling pockets with stones. Virginia and Leonard Woolf lived at no. 52 Tavistock S...

Person, Literature, Seriously Famous

9 memorials
Dick Whittington

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' C...

Person, Literature, Lord Mayor, Politics & Administration, Theatre

8 memorials
George Lillie Craik

George Lillie Craik

Born Kennoway, Fife. Literary scholar and writer. Created professor of English literature and history at Queen’s College, Belfast in 1849. Buried at Holywood, near Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Person, Education, History, Literature, Ireland, Scotland

1 memorial
Eric Benfield, FRSA

Eric Benfield, FRSA

Eric Benfield was born on 9 June 1902 in Swanage, Dorset, the third of the four children of Charles Benfield (1866-1936) and Adelaide Benfield née Smith (1868-1943). His birth was registered in the...

Person, Literature, Peace, Sculpture, Tragedy

1 memorial

Previously viewed

James McMullan

James McMullan

SE1, Borough High Street

This plaque was brought to our attention by Lionel Wright. The erection date is unknown but it was before 3 June 2022 when the official m...

2 subjects commemorated
Dee Smith

Dee Smith

Mosaic artist active in 2012.

Person, Craft / Design

1 memorial
Radclyffe Hall

Radclyffe Hall

Novelist and poet.  Born as Marguerite Radclyffe Hall in Bournemouth into a wealthy family. From 1917 until her death Hall lived with Una Troubridge but had a number of affairs with other women.  T...

Person, Gender Issues, Literature, Poetry

1 memorial
Frieze of Parnassus - Chaucer

Frieze of Parnassus - Chaucer

SW7, Kensington Road

The monument, officially titled the Prince Consort National Memorial, celebrates Victorian achievement and Prince Albert's passions and i...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Agatha Christie book

Agatha Christie book

WC2, Cranbourn Street

Unveiled on the 60th anniversary of The Mousetrap, this bronze, 2.5 m high 'book' was commissioned by The Mousetrap's producer Sir Stephe...

11 subjects commemorated, 3 creators