Group    From 1754 

Royal Society of Arts

Categories: Art, Commerce

Founded by William Shipley as the "Society of Arts" in Rawthmell's Coffee House. They carried on meeting in coffee houses and taverns but as the society grew they needed more space. Shipley rented a house in Craig's Court, SW1 and In February 1755 he rented out two rooms to the society. June 1756 the society moved to a house in Castle Court, Strand. In 1759 they purchased the lease of a warehouse in Denmark Court, north of the Strand and Sir William Chambers altered it to meet their needs.

They then had the building in the Adelphi built by the Adam brothers for their use, 18 John Street, now 8 John Adam Street.

In 1908 the society was granted permission to add "Royal" to the name.

Initiated the blue plaque scheme in 1866, now run by English Heritage.

Information from Soane Museum and ODNB.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Royal Society of Arts

Commemorated ati

William Shipley

This plaque commemorates the tercentenary of Shipley's birth and the site of ...

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This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Royal Society of Arts

Creations i

Dickens plaque - EC1

But he did not live in the building here today, he lived in Furnival's Inn.

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Fanny Burney

Erected in 1885 this is the oldest surviving "blue" plaque to a woman.

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Garrick plaque - gone

David Garrick, actor, lived here. B: 1716. D: 1779. {Almost hidden in the dec...

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George Cruikshank

George Cruikshank, artist, lived here, from 1850 to 1878. B: Sept.27th 1792....

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Harry Vane

Sir Harry Vane, statesman, lived here. Born 1612. Beheaded 1662. {Almost hid...

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Other Subjects

Dave Binnington

Dave Binnington

Mural artist active in 1976.  See Rochfort.

Person, Art

1 memorial
Hannah Barlow

Hannah Barlow

Born Bishop's Stortford. Studied at Lambeth School of Art where she was a student of John Sparkes. Began work at Doulton's in 1871, the first female employee, she specialised in painting animals. H...

Person, Art, Craft / Design

1 memorial
Vincent van Gogh

Vincent van Gogh

Vincent came to London in June 1873 aged 20 as an art dealer, in the firm Goupil. He was in England for two and a half years during which he had two short periods working in the Paris branch. Goupi...

Person, Art, Seriously Famous, France, Netherlands

2 memorials
London Arts Board

London Arts Board

One of ten regional arts boards which were eventually absorbed to become Arts Council England.

Group, Art

1 memorial
Dame Laura Knight

Dame Laura Knight

Painter. Born Derbyshire with the surname Johnson.  Met her future husband Harold at Nottingham Art School, though they did not become romantically involved until 1894, after they had both left, an...

Person, Art

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Reverend Ernest Arthur Blackwell Sanders, M.A.

Reverend Ernest Arthur Blackwell Sanders, M.A.

Vicar of St Marks, Dalston in 1898. As rector in Whitechapel he built the St Mary's Clergy House (still there, immediately south of this Whitechapel drinking fountain) in 1894–5, also with Herbert ...

Person, Religion

1 memorial
Sir Sydney Waterlow - SW1 statue

Sir Sydney Waterlow - SW1 statue

SW1, Palace Street, Westminster City School

This statue is a copy of the one in Highgate.

1 subject commemorated
Southall rail crash

Southall rail crash

An InterCity 125 high speed passenger train from Swansea failed to slow down in response to warning signals and collided with a freight train crossing its path. Seven people were killed and 139 inj...

Event, Tragedy, Transport

3 memorials
William Willson Yeates

William Willson Yeates

Born in Lewisham. His children included Rose Mary Crawshay and 3 daughters who died in quick succession, aged 1,3 and 4. William is often described as “of Caversham Grove” and we think this means ...

Person, Friend / family

1 memorial