Person    | Male  Born 4/6/1738  Died 29/1/1820

King George III

Born in St James's Square (not the public garden, one of the houses, obviously). Crowned in 1760, the first monarch since Queen Anne to be truly British. It was during his rule that many of the American colonies were lost in the American Revolutionary War. Later in life suffered from an intermittent mental illness which made him eventually too mad to rule and his eldest son ruled as Prince Regent, becoming George IV on his father's death, at Windsor. His consort was Queen Charlotte. In recent years the accepted diagnosis has been manic depression.

George III was a strong supporter of Eton College (his local school) and, in return, the school made the King's birthday a holiday and the 'Fourth of June' became a traditional day of festivities even though it is seldom celebrated on June 4.

Journal of the American Revolution describes the toppling of a Manhattan statue of George III in 1776. This had been erected only about 10 years previously but when the States declared their independence a group of New Yorkers celebrated by pulling it down.  A 2021 meme: "After hearing a reading of the newly adopted Declaration of Independence, New Yorkers "Destroy History" by toppling a statue of King George III. And that's why no one knows who won the American Revolution.”

Invested in and was governor of the South Sea company whose trade was slavery. During the campaign to end the slave trade George supported neither side, which, given his position, was helpful to those in favour of retention.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
King George III

Commemorated ati

Duke of York's column

Bronze statue by Westmacott of "The Grand Old Duke of York" of nursery rhyme ...

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General Roy's cannon - south

The cannon was installed in 1791 by Mudge. The plaque came later in 1926. Fr...

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George III at Trinity House

This building was erected during his reign.

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George III in Cockspur Street

Considered to be Wyatt's best work.

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George III with the River god

Bronze statue erected in 1789 showing the king who had commissioned the rebui...

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East India Company

Formed as a trading company but went on to effectively rule India, on behalf of the British. Was involved in the slave trade.

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5 memorials
Sam King, MBE

Sam King, MBE

Born in Jamaica, he served in the R.A.F. during the second world war. Along with other Jamaican airmen, he was ordered to leave the service at the end of the war. He returned to Britain as part of ...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Jamaica

1 memorial
Henry Sylvester Williams

Henry Sylvester Williams

Anti-slavery and civil rights campaigner.  Born Trinidad.  After the USA he arrived in London in 1896 to study.  Qualified in law.  Elected in 1906 for Church Street Ward, the first black councillo...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Caribbean Islands

1 memorial
James Stephen

James Stephen

Anti-slavery campaigner.  Born Dorset.  Trained in law and worked for a time in the Carribean where he saw the cruelty to slaves and became an abolitionist.  The death of his first wife deepened hi...

Person, Law, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Religion, Caribbean Islands

1 memorial
Herman Wallace

Herman Wallace

In 1972 a prison guard was murdered in Angola Prison, Louisiana, USA, where Herman Wallace, Robert King, and Albert Woodfox were prisoners.  Wallace and Woodfox were convicted of the murder; King w...

Person, Law, Race Issues, Tragedy, USA

4 memorials