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.

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:
King George III

Commemorated ati

Duke of York's column

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

Read More

General Roy's cannon - south

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

Read More

George III at Trinity House

This building was erected during his reign.

Read More

George III in Cockspur Street

Considered to be Wyatt's best work.

Read More

George III with the River god

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

Read More

Show all 16

Other Subjects

Nirmal Roy

Nirmal Roy

Nirmal Chandra Roy first stood as a Labour party candidate in the Adelaide Ward of the London Borough of Camden in the 1978 council elections and came 6th. Four years later in 1982 he stood in the ...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues

1 memorial
Ruy Barbosa

Ruy Barbosa

Born Ruy Barbosa D'Oliveira in Salvador da Bahia, Brazil. A defender of civil liberties, he fought for the abolition of slavery in Brazil. He fled to London after being accused of being a conspirat...

Person, Journalism / Publishing, Law, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Brazil

1 memorial
Dame Heather Rabbatts

Dame Heather Rabbatts

Lawyer, business woman and broadcaster. Born Jamaica, came to England aged 3. Chief Executive of London Boroughs of Merton and Lambeth, she has been a campaigner against corruption and for human ri...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, Jamaica

1 memorial
Frederick Horniman

Frederick Horniman

Tea merchant, benefactor and politician. Born Frederick John Horniman at Bridgwater, Somerset. He inherited his father's tea business, which by 1891 was described as the biggest tea firm in the wor...

Person, Benefactor, Commerce, Museums / Libraries, Politics & Administration, Race Issues, India, Sri Lanka

3 memorials
Rev. John Venn

Rev. John Venn

Clergyman and anti-slavery campaigner.  Born Clapham, son of the vicar at the time.  1792, under John Thornton's will, appointed rector of Clapham, a post he held until his death and where he was a...

Person, Race Issues, Religion

2 memorials

Previously viewed

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
Herbert Arthur Welch

Herbert Arthur Welch

Architect. He started his career with Raymond Unwin, working on Hampstead Garden Suburb, and Hendon Fire Station. He later joined Felix Lander and Cachemaille-Day. His surname is mistakenly given a...

Person, Architecture

2 memorials
A. A. Weller
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
Morley mosaics - KEW - Mary Seacole

Morley mosaics - KEW - Mary Seacole

SE1, King Edward Walk, Morley College

These 10 portrait mosaics are the result of a project by Morley College to celebrate the achievements of significant women who have lived...

2 subjects commemorated, 3 creators