Person    | Male  Born 22/9/1791  Died 25/8/1867

Michael Faraday

Categories: Science, Seriously Famous

Experimental physicist, especially electro-magnetics (remember Faraday's Law?). Born in Newington Butts but brought up near Oxford Street. Trained as a bookbinder and here he was given tickets to some Davy lectures at the Royal Institution. This experience caused him to take up a scientific career, a novel idea in those days. Davy gave him a job as a laboratory assistant with accommodation at the RI, where he lived and worked, 1813 – 1858. The British Society for the History of Mathematics lists his achievements there. Invented the electric motor dynamo, designed the Bunsen burner, discovered electro-magnetic induction. Throughout his life he was an active member of a small Christian sect, the Sandemanian church, in which his parents had raised him. Died at home at The Green, Hampton Court, the grace and favour house to which he had moved in 1858, provided for him by Queen Victoria. Buried in Highgate cemetery.

A 2007 publication 'Maths Trails' states "There is a Southwark plaque on the south side of the Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre, near the Butts pub, but almost concealed by a large billboard just above it." We've repeatedly looked for this and cannot find one that meets the description but we think it might be this plaque, moved into a better position.

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:
Michael Faraday

Commemorated ati

Faraday on the ICI building entrance doors

These doors are in the centre of the river frontage of the building. Mapping...

Read More

Michael Faraday - Larcom Street

Michael Faraday, 1791 - 1867, scientific genius and discoverer of electromagn...

Read More

Michael Faraday memorial - substation

Michael Faraday (1791 - 1867) This stainless steel sculpture commemorates Eng...

Read More

Michael Faraday - N7 - M.F.

This extremely unusual memorial is a brass plate, only 4 or 5 inches across, ...

Read More

Michael Faraday - N7 - plaque

This plaque was first erected in the Sandemanian Chapel, at the same time, 19...

Read More

Show all 9

Other Subjects

Professor Sir Christopher Ingold

Professor Sir Christopher Ingold

Chemist. One of chief pioneers of physical organic chemistry. Born 142 Windsor Road, Forest Gate. Brought up on the Isle of Wight. Working in the Chemistry department, University College London, du...

Person, Science

1 memorial
Chaim Weizmann

Chaim Weizmann

Scientist and statesman.  Born Chaim Azriel Weizmann, at Motol, near Pinsk, Belorussia. (Modern day Belarus). He studied in Germany and Switzerland producing a number of patents on dyestuffs. In 19...

Person, Politics & Administration, Science, Germany, Israel/Palestine, Switzerland

1 memorial
Lydia Becker

Lydia Becker

President of NUWSS prior to Millicent Fawcett and campaigned for voting rights of unmarried women and widows. Also an amateur scientist with interests in biology and astronomy. Best remembered for ...

Person, Gender Issues, Journalism / Publishing, Science

1 memorial
Antoine Lavoisier

Antoine Lavoisier

Born in Paris to a family of nobility.  Considered "the father of modern chemistry", by the French anyway, who no doubt would also claim that he discovered oxygen, when we all know that was Priestl...

Person, Science, France

1 memorial