Person    | Male  Born 28/11/1757  Died 12/8/1827

William Blake

Categories: Art, Poetry, Seriously Famous

Poet and artist. Except for 3 years spent on the coast near Bognor, Blake lived his whole life in London, making his living as an engraver. Born at 28 Broad Street, now Broadwick Street (the memorial being in Marshall Street). 1782 married Catherine.

Wrote Jerusalem in his rooms in South Molton Street, the only one of his London homes to survive, other homes being: 28 Broad Street W1; Green Street, near Leicester Square (briefly, no plaque); 28 Poland Street (no plaque);  Hercules Road SE1; 3 Fountain Court at the Strand where he lived his last 7 years and died a poor man. See Tate's William Blake's London for more details.

His friend George Richmond closed Blake's eyes "to keep the vision in". Buried in Bunhill Fields Dissenters' Burial Ground. This was damaged during WW2 and restored in 1960 by which time the precise location of Blake's remains had been forgotten, or at least lost in the archives.

In 2007 there is a campaign to re-mark the grave and to build a monument to this truly great Londoner. And 2018: iNews reports that a new gravestone, in the correct location, will be unveiled in August.

The Blake Archive web site, given as the Picture Source is a magnificent site.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
William Blake

Commemorated ati

Bunhill burial ground - 2

In this ground are the vaults of {see the Subjects commemorated for the list ...

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Linnell & Blake

Greater London Council John Linnell, 1792 - 1882, painter lived here. Wil...

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Spirit of Soho Mural

Interesting that Coca Cola are specifically mentioned on the panel but not as...

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William Blake - SE1

The shield with the red crosses is from the Coat of arms of the City of Londo...

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William Blake - SE1 - lost plaque

This plaque, shown in both this drawing (by Adcock from Culture 24) and the p...

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Show all 7

This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
William Blake

Creations i

British Library - Newton

Bronze, 12 foot high (and he's sitting down).  Via Facebook Henri Hudson has ...

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Iolo Morganwg

The plaque of Anglesey Stone designed and carved by Morris was unveiled at mi...

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Start of the third Millennium in Belgrave Square

The poetry is from "Auguries of Innocence" by William Blake.For other armill...

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Other Subjects

Marcus Stone

Marcus Stone

Born Marcus Clayton Stone in London, the son of artist Frank Stone who was friends with Thackeray and Dickens. Trained by his father, he was exhibiting at the Royal Academy before he was eighteen. ...

Person, Art

1 memorial
Lucien Pissarro

Lucien Pissarro

Painter, printmaker and wood engraver. Born in Paris, the eldest child of Camille Pissarro. He visited England on several occasions, becoming a British citizen in 1916. A founder member of the Camd...

Person, Art, France

2 memorials
Spencer Gore

Spencer Gore

Spencer Frederick Gore, painter. Born Epsom, Surrey, son of the sportsman also called Spencer Gore. Clearly a clubable man he was a member of the New English Art Club, founding member of the Fitzro...

Person, Art

1 memorial
Mary Tourtel

Mary Tourtel

Author and artist. Born Mary Caldwell. She studied art and became a children's book illustrator. Her husband Herbert Tourtel, was news editor of the Daily Express. In 1920 the newspaper was looking...

Person, Art, Children, Literature

1 memorial
Sir Osbert Lancaster

Sir Osbert Lancaster

Cartoonist and writer. Son of Robert, grandson of Sir William, he was born at the Notting Hill house with the plaque. At Oxford University he became friends with Betjeman and after art school worke...

Person, Art, Humour

1 memorial