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.

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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Previously viewed

Suffragettes - WC2 - previous building

Suffragettes - WC2 - previous building

WC2, Clement's Inn

'Lost' in this instance means moved to a different building.

7 subjects commemorated
Guildhall School of Music - Purcell

Guildhall School of Music - Purcell

EC4, John Carpenter Street

This complex of buildings was created to house the Guildhall School of Music, who had outgrown their premises at Aldermanbury. Designed b...

1 subject commemorated
Spitalfields weaving industry

Spitalfields weaving industry

Many of the Huguenots that arrived here in the 16th and 17th centuries were skilled silk weavers and set up looms in their homes in Spitalfields. The Spitalfields textile trade thrived until the mi...

Concept, Commerce, Craft / Design

2 memorials
Robert & Horace Walpole

Robert & Horace Walpole

SW1, Arlington Street, 5

Greater London Council Sir Robert Walpole, 1676 - 1745, Prime Minister, and his son Horace Walpole 1717 - 1797, connoisseur and man of l...

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Marian Mangini Brown

Marian Mangini Brown

Lived in Hertford Street near (Old) Park Lane in the 1870s. Married but possibly a widow. Did not approve of the opening up of Hamilton Place but still gave money for the Poets' Fountain to be erec...

Person, Benefactor

1 memorial