Charles de Gaulle, 1890 - 1970, soldier, statesman and political reformer, general and leader of the Free French Forces during the war against Hitler, first President of the Fifth Republic of France, lived in this house.
Erected by the Hampstead Plaque Fund.
De Gaulle lived here with his family, September 1942-44 (though these dates vary slightly depending on source).
See for more information on this plaque (in French).
Site: Charles de Gaulle - NW3 (1 memorial)
NW3, Frognal, 99, St Dorothy's Convent, Frognal House
The plaque is not visible in our photo of the house; it's barely visible from the street. On the side of the house, it can be seen by peering over the top of the wall to the very right of our photo.
2017: We were contacted by Chris Kitching who is writing a book about Walter Rye, the athlete and antiquary, who lived at Frognal House 1891-9. His book (due end of this year or beginning of next) has a short section about the house.
2024: The have a very informative article about this house, prompted by a planning application (basement swimming pool, sauna, etc.). As is usual with houses of this importance a detailed historical study has been carried out, which the paper reports on. In brief: built on the site of an earlier dwelling in 1740 and the Catholic Kelly family lived there from the early 1800s for 50 years.
In 1853 until at least 1881 it was used by John Rowe, an “instructor of invalid pupils”. Rowe also ran the Sailors’ Orphan Girls’ School and Home. 1933 it was bought by Irish publisher Brian McPeake who added a new staircase and a roof-top sun room. 1942 Charles de Gaulle and his family moved in. McPeake and his family returned in 1946 but sold the house in the late 1960s to the Sisters of St Dorothy.
The building was last sold in 2021 and that's when a new plaque was added, which we have yet to collect.
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