Page 45 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - London

L ONDON A T A GLANCE  43

Plaques
All over London, the
former homes of well-
known figures are marked
by plaques. Look out for
these, especially in
Chelsea, Kensington
and Mayfair, and see
how many names No. 3 Sussex Square, No. 27b Canonbury Square, No. 56 Oakley Street,
you recognize. Kensington Islington Chelsea

Singer Sargent (1856–1925) had Sloane Street, near the Cadogan poverty-stricken childhood in
studios in Tite Street. Hotel, where the flamboyant the slums of London.
Throughout the 20th Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) was In the 20th century, a school
century, independent galleries arrested in 1895 for homo- of fine actors blossomed at
located in Cork Street, Mayfair, sexuality. Playwright George the Old Vic, including Sir John
launched the careers of many Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) lived Gielgud (1904–2001), Sir Ralph
London-based artists, including at No. 29 Fitzroy Square in Richardson (1902–83), Dame
Irish-born Francis Bacon (1909– Bloomsbury. Later the same Peggy Ashcroft (1907–91) and
1992). Bacon is, however, most house was home to Virginia Laurence (later Lord) Olivier
associated with the Soho of Woolf (1882–1941) and became (1907–89), who was appointed
the 1950s and 60s, where his a meeting place for the Blooms- the first director of the National
set, including painter Lucian bury Group, which included Theatre. Today, numerous
Freud (1922–2011), gathered. Vanessa Bell, John Maynard London-born actors who have
In the late 1980s, a group of Keynes, E M Forster, Roger Fry achieved a global level of fame
artists known as the Young and Duncan Grant. Current on the big screen have chosen
British Artists, including authors with works set in to return to the London stage,
Damien Hirst and Tracey modern London include including Benedict Cumber-
Emin, emerged from Monica Ali, who wrote batch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jude
Goldsmiths College of Art. Brick Lane, Ian McEwan Law, Tom Hiddleston and
They were associated with and Zadie Smith, who Carey Mulligan.
Hoxton and the East End, often focuses on her
where the art scene native northwest
has thrived in London. Sarah
recent decades. Waters has explored
Artist duo Gilbert the city through
& George also novels set in
live and work different historic
in the area, periods, as has
incorporating Peter Ackroyd, also
photographs of the writer of the
the East End into magisterial London:
their work. Novelist Zadie Smith The Biography and
Thames: Sacred River.
Writers
Actors
Geoffrey Chaucer (c.1345–1400),
author of The Canterbury Tales, Nell Gwynne (1650–87) won
was born in Upper Thames more fame as King Charles II’s
Street, the son of an innkeeper. mistress than as an actress. Benedict Cumberbatch
William Shakespeare (1564–1616) However, she did appear on
and Christopher Marlowe (1564– stage at Drury Lane Theatre; Where to Find Historic
93) were both associated with she also sold oranges there. London Homes
the theatres in Southwark, and The Shakespearean actor
may have lived nearby. Edmund Kean (1789–1833) and Thomas Carlyle p200
Poets John Donne (1572–1631) the great tragic actress Sarah Charles Dickens p132
and John Milton (1608–74) were Siddons (1755–1831) were more Sigmund Freud p250
both born in Bread Street in the distinguished players at Drury George Frideric Handel p101
William Hogarth p265
City. Donne, after a profligate Lane. So were Henry Irving Sherlock Holmes p230
youth, became Dean of St Paul’s. (1838–1905) and Ellen Terry Dr Samuel Johnson p144
The diarist Samuel Pepys (1633– (1847–1928), whose stage John Keats p237
1703) was born off Fleet Street. partnership lasted 24 years. Sir John Soane pp140–41
The young novelist Jane Austen Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977), Duke of Wellington pp100–101
(1775–1817) lived briefly off born in Kennington, had a

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