Person    | Male  Born 11/6/1572  Died 6/8/1637

Ben Jonson

Categories: Theatre

Countries: Scotland

Playwright and poet. Born in Westminster, possibly, and a committed Londoner, though also of proud Scottish descent. Imprisoned three times, once for his first play which was deemed to be "lewd, seditious and sklandrous". His first hit was at The Curtain Theatre with Shakespeare in the cast. Best known for his satirical plays, such as 'Volpone' and 'The Alchemist'. In 1618 he walked from London to Scotland in 10 weeks, for a bet, it is thought.

In a duel on 22 September 1598 at Pimlico Tavern in Hoxton Jonson killed the actor, Gabriel Spencer.  The cause of the duel is unknown but Spencer had, two years previous in Shoreditch, killed someone else, James Feake, in what sounds like an argument that got out of hand. We're not suggesting that the two murders were related, just that the times were tough. Spencer somehow escaped any serious punishment, as did Jonson by pleading "benefit of clergy" which sounds like a get-out-of-jail-free card. He did get a brand on his left thumb.

Long rumoured to have been buried standing up, which would mean the coffin was interred vertically. Luckily for us the grave had to be disturbed in the C19th to allow another burial and there are reports that indeed Jonson was vertical, but the coffin-bearers got it wrong and buried him upside down. Great story, hope it's true.

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This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Ben Jonson

Commemorated ati

Curtain Theatre - Hewett Street

Near this site stood The Curtain Theatre, 1577 - c.1627, second English publi...

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Pimlico Hostelry and Pleasure Gardens

The Pimlico Tavern was in Hogsden (now Hoxton), close to The Curtain, The The...

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This section lists the memorials created by the subject on this page:
Ben Jonson

Creations i

Evelina Children's Hospital at Guy's

Jonson seems to have had a special ability with elegies for children, not lea...

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Other Subjects

People's Palace

People's Palace

Proposed by Walter Besant, the first People's Palace was built by the Beaumont Trustees, ‘Unitarian philanthropists’, to replace Beaumont's Philosophical Institution which had been in Beaumont Squa...

Building, Education, Sport / Games, Theatre

3 memorials
Bud Flanagan

Bud Flanagan

Born Reuben Weinthrop above his family fried fish shop in Hanbury Street, where the plaque now is. The first half of the Flanagan & Allen double act, with Chesney Allen. These two were also bot...

Person, Humour, Music / songs, Theatre

1 memorial
St Martin's Theatre

St Martin's Theatre

Designed by Sprague, this theatre is one of a pair (the other being the Ambassadors next door) commissioned by Richard Verney Lord Willoughby de Broke, an aristocrat and politician with an interest...

Group, Theatre

1 memorial
John Wright

John Wright

Puppeteer. Born in South Africa. He started work as a farmer in Cape Town, before moving to England in 1935 where he became assistant stage manager for the Ballet Rambert. He toured Europe and Sout...

Person, Theatre, South Africa

1 memorial
Sir John Gatti

Sir John Gatti

Born Giovanni Maria Emilio in Switzerland, son of Agostino, of the Gatti family.  Barrister, with inherited business interests in the theatre and electrical power supply.  Westminster councillor fr...

Person, Commerce, Politics & Administration, Theatre, Switzerland

1 memorial