Plaque

Thomas Rainsborough

Erection date: 12/5/2013

Inscription

Thomas Rainsborough was buried in this churchyard on the 14th November 1648 after a funeral procession organised by the Leveller movement. Rainsborough was a spokesman for the Levellers and a colonel in the New Model Army. He was killed by a Royalist raiding party during the siege of Pontefract. On the day of the funeral a Leveller leaflet recorded the inscription on Rainsborough's tomb. It proclaimed Rainsborough had made 'King, Lords, Commons, Judges shake, Cities and Committees quake'. He was, it said, 'just, valiant and true'. It ended with the words that here Rainsborough 'bids the noble Levellers adieu'.

This plaque was unveiled by Cllr Rania Khan, writer John Rees and politician Tony Benn in 2013.

Tower Hamlets

Site: Thomas Rainsborough (1 memorial)

E1, Wapping High Street, St John's Churchyard

At the unveiling musketeers from the Rainsborough Regiment of the Sealed Knot fired a volley to mark the occasion.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the subjects commemorated on the memorial on this page:
Thomas Rainsborough

Subjects commemorated i

Levellers

A group of political radicals during the Civil War and the interregnum.  Its ...

Read More

New Model Army

Created by the Parliamentarians to oppose the King's forces.  It was a profes...

Read More

Thomas Rainsborough

Grew up in Wapping.  A spokesman for the Levellers and a colonel in the New M...

Read More

This section lists the subjects who helped to create/erect the memorial on this page:
Thomas Rainsborough

Created by i

Tower Hamlets Council

The name was originally applied to the Tower division of the county of Middle...

Read More

Tony Benn

Born as Anthony Neil Wedgwood Benn.  Labour politician.  Inherited a title in...

Read More

Rania Khan

Councillor in Hackney council, on the right of this picture.  Born Tripoli.  ...

Read More

John Rees

Political activist and writer.  2012 co-authored 'A People's History of London'.

Read More

Nearby Memorials

Henry Willis

Henry Willis

NW1, Rochester Terrace, 9

Greater London Council 'Father' Henry Willis, 1821 - 1901, organ builder, lived here.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Dr. Barnado - Coborn Street

Dr. Barnado - Coborn Street

E3, Coborn Street, 30

30 Coborn Street. Here Doctor Barnardo first lodged on coming to London in 1866. Historic buildings of Bow 

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Harry Beck - E10

Harry Beck - E10

E10, Wesley Road, 14

Note the use of London Underground’s own typeface, Johnston Sans.

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
6 - Rev. Toulson

6 - Rev. Toulson

N7, Caledonian Road, 426

These 6 plaques are on the east elevation of the building, below the ground floor windows. We have numbered the plaques left to right. F...

3 subjects commemorated
Sir Edward Elgar - NW3 (Lost)

Sir Edward Elgar - NW3 (Lost)

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