Erection date: 14/2/1911
Sir Joseph Banks, President Royal Society, 1743 - 1820, naturalist, lived here.
LCC
When the plaque was erected the house was occupied by the National Hospital for Diseases of the Heart. When the house was demolished in 1937 the plaque was retrieved and is now held at the (not open to the public) English Heritage archives in Wrest Park, Bedfordshire. It can be seen briefly in the hands of Howard Spencer, Senior Historian (blue plaques) in a highlighting a number of 'orphaned' plaques in their possession, released in April 2024. That's the source of the image on this page.
We thank Steve Roffey for his work on the history of this plaque. See also .
Site: Botanists in Soho Square (2 memorials)
W1, Soho Square, 31-32
The blue plaque was erected on the historic house. When that was demolished and replaced with the large 1930s block, the inscribed stone was erected as a sort of replacement.
In our photo the Botanists inscription is above the right-most potted scrub. Incidentally, this photograph of the building catches a typical London sight - a van driver trying to escape before the uniformed warden completes his parking ticket.
Banks’ library and collection was held here 1777 – 1827. Banks himself lived here from August 1777 and spent at least part of each year here, possibly until he died in 1820.
Robert Brown and David Don were respectively and consecutively librarians for Banks and the Linnean Society, which met here 1821 - 57.
The current (2025) building was formerly known as Twentieth Century House since it was the HQ of 20th Century Fox.
2025: for a covered alley through this site, between Soho Square and Dean Street.
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