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

Karl Pearson

Karl Pearson

Pioneer statistician and eugenicist. Born 14 Albion Road, Islington. Had a long-running feud with his successor as Galton Professor of Eugenics at University College London, Roland Fisher. Died whi...

Person, Race Issues, Science

1 memorial
Maria Hawes Ware

Maria Hawes Ware

Daughter of Sir John Gurney.  Her husband, Robert Ware was a significant slave owner in British Guiana. When he died in 1824 he left 148 slaves. After a legal battle she inherited all his wealth in...

Person, Benefactor, Race Issues

1 memorial
Edward Geoffrey Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby

Edward Geoffrey Stanley, 14th Earl of Derby

Tory politician. Born at Knowsley Park, Lancashire. Overcame his early boisterous jollity and three times became Prime Minister, each time a coalition caretaker between the giants: Peel and Gladsto...

Person, Politics & Administration, Race Issues

6 memorials
Brick Lane bomb

Brick Lane bomb

The bomb was planted by Neo-Nazi David Copeland, who was also responsible for the attacks in Brixton (17 April) and the Admiral Duncan pub (30 April) in Soho. Brick Lane  has a large Bangladeshi c...

Event, Race Issues, Terrorism

1 memorial
Newman Hall

Newman Hall

Non-conformist minister and hymn writer. Born Maidstone, Kent as Christopher Newman Hall. 1854 became minister of Surrey Chapel. Promoted the abolition of slavery and in 1867 visited North America,...

Person, Music / songs, Race Issues, Religion

2 memorials

Previously viewed

George Furness

George Furness

Contractor responsible for the construction of the Northern Outfall Sewer in 1862-3.

Person, Engineering

1 memorial
George Eliot

George Eliot

Novelist.  Born Chilvers Coton, Warwickshire.  Pen name of Mary Ann (or Marian) Evans. Spent her first 21 years on a farm, now (2015) the Griff House Beefeater Grill restaurant on the Coventry Road...

Person, Literature, Seriously Famous

3 memorials
John Oakes

John Oakes

Poplar councillor imprisoned during the 1921 rates protest.

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Aysha Frade

Aysha Frade

Died in an act of terrorism on 22 March 2017 on Westminster Bridge. Aysha Frade had been walking across Westminster Bridge to pick up her two young daughters from school when she was killed. The Br...

Person, Tragedy

1 memorial
William Curtis Green

William Curtis Green

Architect and designer, based in London for much of his career. London works include: the Dorchester Hotel, Wolseley House at 160 Piccadilly, New Scotland Yard. Around 20 of his designs are listed ...

Person, Architecture, Craft / Design

1 memorial