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 modern 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 - Marshall Street

William Blake was born on 23rd November 1757 in a house which stood on this s...

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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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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

Vernon Hill

Vernon Hill

Sculptor and illustrator.  Born Halifax, Yorkshire.  Other work in London in St Columba's Church, Pont Street and Church of St Thomas the Apostle, Hanwell.

Person, Art, Sculpture

1 memorial
William Cleverly Alexander

William Cleverly Alexander

A wealthy banker and art collector, who bought Aubrey House in 1873 for about £15,000. He was an important patron of Whistler. He died when he fell down the stairs of his country home Heathfield Ho...

Person, Art, Benefactor

1 memorial
Jill (Gillian) Greenwood

Jill (Gillian) Greenwood

March 2023: Susanna (Greenwood) Taylor contacted us to say that her mother painted the plaques for Julian Huxley and Maggie's Corner. "She was Huxley's cousin and her name was Jill (Gillian) Greenw...

Person, Art

2 memorials
Thomas Rowlandson

Thomas Rowlandson

Artist and caricaturist. Born Old Jewry. Died 1 James Street. The picture, by Rowlandson, includes a self-portrait, on the left.

Person, Art

2 memorials
Sir Richard Wallace

Sir Richard Wallace

An extremely rich art collector and Francophile. Sir Richard Wallace, 1st Baronet of Sudbourne Hall in Suffolk; of Hertford House in London; of Antrim Castle, County Antrim, Northern Ireland; of 2 ...

Person, Art, France

1 memorial

Previously viewed

National Bank Ltd - NW10

National Bank Ltd - NW10

NW10, Craven Park Road, 86

A lovely and unusual plaque - we cannot discover when, nor by whom, it was erected.

1 subject commemorated