Person    | Male  Born 16/4/1660  Died 11/1/1753

Sir Hans Sloane

Physician, benefactor of the British Museum and an early benefactor to the Chelsea Physic Garden. Responsible for the addition of milk to chocolate to produce a palatable drink. Born Killyleagh, Ireland. He married a wealthy sugar plantation heiress and partly funded his collection from enslaved labour on Jamaican sugar plantations. President of the Royal Society and of the College of Physicians.

In 1737 bought the dilapidated Beaufort House in Chelsea and demolished it. Died at home, the Manor House in Cheyne Walk, which was demolished soon after his death. Buried at Chelsea Old Church.

August 2020: The Guardian reported that, following the Black Lives Matter protests, the British Museum announced that they had removed a bust of Sloane into a glass cabinet where Sloane's links to slavery will also be displayed.

From the British Library: "Hans Sloane was born in Ulster ... and trained as a physician. An avid collector from an early age, he acquired over 200,000 plant and animal specimens, 71,000 objects, and over 50,000 books, manuscripts, prints and drawings. These later became the foundation collection of the British Museum. Sloane travelled to Jamaica in 1687 as physician to the island’s British colonial Governor and worked as a doctor on slave plantations. Using the expertise of enslaved West Africans and English planters, he collected hundreds of plant and animal specimens. When he returned to London, Sloane married Elizabeth Langley Rose, an heiress to sugar plantations in Jamaica. He was a shareholder in the Royal African and South Sea Companies, both of which profited from the slave trade. His medical income, his investments, and the profits from the forced labour on his wife’s plantations enabled Sloane to build such a large collection."

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:
Sir Hans Sloane

Commemorated ati

Chelsea Physic Garden

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea The Chelsea Physic Garden was establ...

Read More

Dovehouse Green - blue plaques

{Top plaque:} To celebrate the silver jubilee of Elizabeth II 1952-1977 and ...

Read More

Henry VIII’s Manor House - Cheyne Walk

Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea King Henry VIII’s Manor House stood ...

Read More

Sir Hans Sloane - British Library

This bust is a 20th-century replica after Michael Rysbrack, 18th century.

Read More

Sir Hans Sloane statue - Duke of York Sq

{Front of plinth:} Sir Hans Sloane 1660-1753 {Rear of plinth:} Simon Smi...

Read More

Show all 7

Other Subjects

Richard Rieser

Richard Rieser

From World of Inclusion: "Richard Rieser is the managing director of World of Inclusion Ltd and is an expert disabled international equality trainer, consultant, film maker and writer and teacher."...

Person, Benefactor

1 memorial
Ifor Williams

Ifor Williams

At Annual report of the Royal Northern Hospital : 1946, in a "SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS" we found reference to "Capt. Ifor Williams’ Endowment Fund".  Possibly the son of the Welsh scholar Sir Ifor ...

Person, Benefactor

1 memorial
Ms Benett

Ms Benett

Daughter of William Benett.

Person, Benefactor

1 memorial
ICAP plc
1 memorial

Previously viewed

Sir Barnes Wallis

Sir Barnes Wallis

Designer and engineer. Born Barnes Neville Wallis in Ripley, Derbyshire. He was employed by Vickers for most of his working life and designed part of the R100 airship. His most famous achievement w...

Person, Aviation, Engineering

3 memorials
Worshipful Company of Firefighters

Worshipful Company of Firefighters

A late-comer to the City guilds.  Formed by Gerald Clarkson, in 1988.   13 June 1995 granted the status of a City Company without Livery.  23 October 2001 it became known as the Worshipful Company ...

Group, Armed Forces, Liveries & Guilds

1 memorial
Sir Henry Irving

Sir Henry Irving

Actor-manager. Born in Keinton-Mandeville, Somerset. Brought up in near poverty and was afflicted with a pronounced speech impediment. The first actor to be knighted. 1878 - 1902 he managed the Lyc...

Person, Theatre

8 memorials
Arthur Lowe

Arthur Lowe

Actor.  Born Derbyshire.  Played Captain Mainwaring in 'Dad's Army', 1968 - 1977. Collapsed in his Birmingham dressing room and died in a nearby hospital.  In 2007 a statue was erected in Thetford,...

Person, Humour, TV & Radio

2 memorials
J. M. W. Turner

J. M. W. Turner

Born (on St George's Day) in Covent Garden. Even as he became successful he refused to modify his working-class accent. Lived alone with his father. Had few friends, two mistresses but never marrie...

Person, Art, Seriously Famous

11 memorials