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.

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:
William Blake

Commemorated ati

Bunhill burial ground - 2

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

Read More

Linnell & Blake

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

Read More

Spirit of Soho Mural

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

Read More

William Blake - Marshall Street

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

Read More

William Blake - SE1

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

Read More

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 ...

Read More

Iolo Morganwg

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

Read More

Start of the third Millennium in Belgrave Square

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

Read More

Other Subjects

Henry Krokatsis

Henry Krokatsis

Born and works in London.

Person, Art

2 memorials
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
E. H. Shepard

E. H. Shepard

Painter and illustrator, most famously of Winnie the Pooh.   Ernest Howard was born 55 Springfield Road, St John's Wood.  His art school nickname, Kipper, stayed with him for life.  Served in WW1 e...

Person, Art, Children

1 memorial
Glyn Philpot

Glyn Philpot

Glyn Warren Philpot. Artist, known for his portraits. Born Clapham but brought up in Kent. It's fixed now, but when we first did the research Wikipedia had Philpot "married" to Vivian Forbes long b...

Person, Art

1 memorial
William Faithorne

William Faithorne

Draughtsman and engraver

Person, Art

1 memorial

Previously viewed

G. J. Ashford
War dead, WW1
1 memorial
People's Gospel Mission Hall - B

People's Gospel Mission Hall - B

N19, Winscombe Street

Above the door on the left is inscribed "1892". On the south face of this building are 4 inscribed stones laid by (left to right) JC Ran...

2 subjects commemorated
Charity School - Hatton Garden

Charity School - Hatton Garden

Possibly designed by Wren.  Built by Lord Hatton following the loss of St Andrews church Holborn in the Great Fire.  In 1721 converted to house St Andrew's Parochial School.  It was given two entra...

Building, Children, Education

3 memorials
Roman wharf - Fish Street Hill

Roman wharf - Fish Street Hill

A piling from the Roman river wall found in Fish Street Hill in 1931 is thought to date from AD 75 and to have been destroyed in the AD 120 fire that destroyed Roman London.  That's the second Grea...

Building, Romans

1 memorial
Olaudah Equiano

Olaudah Equiano

Born in an African village, he was sold into slavery, first locally, then in England, then in America where he managed to buy his freedom. He returned to England and wrote the first autobiography o...

Person, Literature, Race Issues, Africa

6 memorials