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Plaque

Laurence Cowen

Inscription

The Fortune
This theatre owes its inception and erection to Laurence Cowen, author and playwright, January 1923 - March 1924.
Builders: Bovis Limited

The dates on the plaque indicate the anticipated period of construction, but in the event the theatre did not open until November 1924.

Site: Fortune Theatre - WC2 (4 memorials)

WC2, Russell Street

The SWET plaque is towards the left of the building. The blue plaque is over at the right, near the corner. The grand entrance with the wooden doors leads to Crown Court Church of Scotland.

The Leggatt plaque is in the foyer facing the entrance doors (and is highly reflective which makes it deucedly difficult to photograph). The Laurence Cowen plaque is also in the foyer, to the left of the entrance, between the two staircases. Below the Leggatt plaque is another, in the same lovely style as the Cowen plaque, but not a memorial, reading "There is a tide in the affairs of men, which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune" a quote from Shakespeare's 'Julius Caesar'. We wonder if this is a reference to the difficulties and delays encountered during the theatre's construction.

Sources include: , , , , .

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

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This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Laurence Cowen

Subjects commemorated i

Fortune Theatre - WC2

Designed by Ernest Schaufelberg, this was the first London theatre to be buil...

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Bovis Ltd

Contractors active 1926.

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Laurence Cowen

Scriptwriter, playwright, film and theatre director, and author. Born Laurenc...

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This section lists the other memorials at the same location as the memorial on this page:
Laurence Cowen

Also at this site i

Fortuna figure

Fortuna figure

Known as Terpsichord/e, Fortune or Fortuna. Searching for information on thi...

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Fortune Theatre - WC2

Fortune Theatre - WC2

{Above a stylised picture of two performers:} Fortune Theatre. A 'jewel of a ...

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Hester Leggatt

Hester Leggatt

A musical comedy 'Operation Mincemeat' with a plot based on the WW2 Operation...

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Nearby Memorials

Elizabeth line

Elizabeth line

W2, Eastbourne Terrace, Paddington station

This must have been one of the Queen's last plaques.

2 subjects commemorated, 1 creator
Eduard Suess

Eduard Suess

N1, Duncan Terrace, 4

In this house was born Eduard Suess (1831 - 1914) geologist, economist, statesman. Erected by the Geological Society of London

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Short Brothers - NW2

Short Brothers - NW2

NW2, Ranulf Road, 1

The plaque was erected in or before May 2009.

1 subject commemorated
Lime Grove Studios

Lime Grove Studios

W12, Lime Grove, Gainsborough Court

Lime Grove Panorama, Doctor Who and Breakfast Time made here 1949 - 1992. BBC Heritage Trail

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Sir Edward Elgar - NW3 - gone

Sir Edward Elgar - NW3 - gone

NW3, Netherhall Gardens, 42 - 44

The photograph of the plaque is taken from Derek Sumeray's book 'Discovering London Plaques'. We are so grateful that Sumeray captured th...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator