Group    From 1754 

Royal Society of Arts

Categories: Art, Commerce

Founded by William Shipley as the "Society of Arts" in Rawthmell's Coffee House. They carried on meeting in coffee houses and taverns but as the society grew they needed more space. Shipley rented a house in Craig's Court, SW1 and In February 1755 he rented out two rooms to the society. June 1756 the society moved to a house in Castle Court, Strand. In 1759 they purchased the lease of a warehouse in Denmark Court, north of the Strand and Sir William Chambers altered it to meet their needs.

They then had the building in the Adelphi built by the Adam brothers for their use, 18 John Street, now 8 John Adam Street.

In 1908 the society was granted permission to add "Royal" to the name.

Initiated the blue plaque scheme in 1866, now run by English Heritage.

Information from Soane Museum and ODNB.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Royal Society of Arts

Commemorated ati

William Shipley

This plaque commemorates the tercentenary of Shipley's birth and the site of ...

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This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Royal Society of Arts

Creations i

Dickens plaque - EC1

But he did not live in the building here today, he lived in Furnival's Inn.

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Fanny Burney

Erected in 1885 this is the oldest surviving "blue" plaque to a woman.

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Garrick plaque - gone

Garrick died in this house.

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George Cruikshank

George Cruikshank, artist, lived here, from 1850 to 1878. B: Sept.27th 1792....

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Harry Vane

Sir Harry Vane, statesman, lived here. Born 1612. Beheaded 1662. {Almost hid...

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Other Subjects

David Cox

David Cox

Landscape painter.  Born near Birmingham. Came to London in 1804 as a theatre scenery painter.  He was a teacher and wrote some influential instruction books.  A very successful water colour painte...

Person, Art

2 memorials
Nicolas Poussin

Nicolas Poussin

Artist. Born in Les Andelys, Normandy. He spent a large part of his life in Rome, producing many paintings with an historical theme, such as 'The Adoration of the Golden Calf'.

Person, Art, France, Italy

2 memorials
Ronald Searle

Ronald Searle

Artist and cartoonist. Born Cambridge and studied art. In WW2 at the start of 1942 he was in the Royal Engineers in Singapore which fell to the Japanese and he was taken prisoner and spent the rest...

Person, Art

1 memorial
Gordon Home

Gordon Home

Author, historian and artist. Gordon Cochrane Home. From London SE1: "...writer and artist who produced many pen and ink sketches of cathedrals, including Southwark, for A & C Black, J M Dent ...

Person, Art, History

1 memorial
John V. Doubleday

John V. Doubleday

John V. Doubleday was born on 9 October 1947 in Langford, Maldon, Essex, the youngest of the three children of Gordon Vincent Doubleday (1914-1993) and Margaret Elsa Verder Doubleday née Harris (19...

Person, Art, Sculpture

3 memorials