Soho legends
Ten essential Soho experiences
10 Great Soho blue plaques
Willy Clarkson (1861-1934)
Theatrical wigmaker, lived at 41-43 Wardour St, W1. When Dr Crippen
killed his wife and fled the country with his mistress in 1910, they
were both disguised in Clarkson wigs.
Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822)
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Poet, lived at 15 Poland St, W1. One of the last people in the UK to be named Percy.
Canaletto (1697-1768)
Painter, lived at 41 Beak St, W1. Canal-obsessive. Rumours spread that
he was not really Canaletto and actually a second-rate impersonator.
Upset, he flounced back to Venice.
Thomas Sheraton (1751-1806)
Furniture designer, lived at 163 Wardour St, W1. Without him ‘Antiques Roadshow’ would be so much the poorer.
John Logie Baird (1888-1946)
Inventor, demonstrated television at 22 Frith St, W1. Before inventing the goggle box, Baird sold marmalade for a living.
Karl Marx (1818-1883)
Marxist, lived at 28 Dean St, W1.Three of Marx’s six children died while he was living in Dean Street.
William Hazlitt (1778-1830)
Essayist, died at 6 Frith St, W1. His final words were, ‘Well, I’ve had a happy life.’
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Composer, lived at 20 Frith St, W1. The young Mozart lived here while
his father advertised the possibility of hearing the young prodigy
perform.
John Polidori (1795-1821)
Poet and novelist, born and died at 38 Great Pulteney St, W1. Friend of
Shelley and Byron, he wrote one of the first vampire novels as part of
the same competition that produced ‘Frankenstein’.
John Hunter (1728-1793)
Surgeon, lived at 31 Golden Square, W1. Collected medical specimens and curiosities that form the Hunterian Museum.
3 comments
I went 2 c John Polidori's house again and someone has taken my bracelet, so I left him a little message instead! My love is eternal, Polly, bless you. xxxx
I visited Dr Polidori's house and if you pass, you may see a heart bracelet which I left for him. I love him by the way!
William Blake, visionnary poet -->born Poland Street