Person    | Male  Born 26/12/1791  Died 18/10/1871

Charles Babbage

Categories: Science, Seriously Famous

Mathematician and pioneer of the modern computer. Probably born in Crosby Row on what is now Walworth Road. Went to school at Freeman's academy in Enfield.

He was critical, to the point of rudeness, of the Royal Society, its officers and other scientists. Even his friend, Herschel, wrote that he would like to give Babbage "a good slap in the face". After his death he was described as "an irascible genius". Ada Lovelace seems to have been able to cope with him. He died at home, 1 Dorset Street.

Most of him is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery but his brain was felt too special to be allowed to turn to dust. Half is held at the Hunterian Museum and half at the Science Museum. We learnt this at Londonist's splendid post about the Cemetery.

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

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Charles Babbage

Commemorated ati

Charles Babbage - SE17

Plaques really should contain enough information to explain their presence at...

Read More

Charles Babbage - W1

This is where Babbage died.

Read More

Other Subjects

Thomas Earnshaw

Thomas Earnshaw

Born Ashton under Lyme, Lancashire. Maker of watches and chronometers. Lived and worked mainly in London and Greenwich. He seems to have been a bitter man with whom it was unpleasant to do business...

Person, Commerce, Science

1 memorial
Edward Jenner

Edward Jenner

Spent most of his life in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, where he was born (in the vicarage) and died (at home,The Chantry). First doctor to study smallpox vaccine. Trained with John Hunter at St Georg...

Person, Medicine, Science

4 memorials
Festival of Britain

Festival of Britain

'A tonic for the Nation', The Festival was intended to cheer us all up after WW2, and incidentally to celebrate the centenary of the 1851 Great Exhibition. The symbol for the Festival was designed ...

Event, Art, Cinema, Science, Tourism / Traditions

20 memorials
Ordnance Survey

Ordnance Survey

Charles Close Society gives the history of OS Maps.

Media, Science

2 memorials
IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

IEEE, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers

This is a professional association for electronic engineering and electrical engineering (and associated disciplines) with its corporate office in New York City and its operations centre in Piscata...

Group, Community / Clubs, Science, USA

2 memorials