Site: Francis Baily - WC1 (1 memorial)
WC1, Saint Pancras, Tavistock Place, 37
Francis Baily had lived at no.37 Tavistock Place. An shows this to have been a substantial house and garden. This was demolished and in 1898 the Passmore Edwards Settlement (later the Mary Ward Settlement/House) was built there.
So why is this pin not on Mary Ward House? A section of the road we now know as Tavistock Place (from Marchmont Street eastwards to Regent Square) used to be called Compton Street. In the late 1930s both sections were brought together under the name Tavistock Place and in 1938 the whole street was renumbered. This led to some confusion within the London County Council. Francis Baily had lived at the original no.37 Tavistock Place. In 1949 the LCC erected his plaque on the new no.37, an early 19th century building which still stands, shown in these photos. The blue dot on the photographs indicates where the plaque was located.
When the Survey of London spotted the error LCC was informed and in 1952 the plaque was removed.
