Builder and economist, a key figure in the rebuilding of London after the Great Fire. Laid out Essex Street in 1675. Also redeveloped Red Lion Fields and the Temple. It seems he was an extrovert rogue, dishonest and manipulative. Died, probably at his home in Osterley House, Middlesex, heavily in debt. Good write up at London Historians.
His father, a preacher and politician, had the unusual first name: "Praisegod". That we believe is true since the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography has an entry for Praisegod. Wikipedia's entry for Nicholas has his middle name as "Unless-Jesus-Christ-Had-Died-For-Thee-Thou-Hadst-Been-Damned". This is not mentioned in the ODNB so we wonder if it is one of those ho-ho-ho jokes for which Wikipedia's less-than-serious contributors are famed.
This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Nicholas Barbon
Commemorated ati
Essex Street & Essex Hall
This plaque was first erected at 7 Essex Street in 1962 and then re-erected h...
Other Subjects
Michael Ventris
Architect and decipherer of Linear B script. While still at school he heard about the discovery of Knossos by Arthur Evans, and about the undeciphered Linear B script on the tablets. This mystery ...
Robert Banks-Martin
Architect and East Ham Mayor, 1914-18. Born Norfolk. He visited troops from East Ham on the western front.
Lewis H. Isaacs
Architect. Born Manchester (or Lancaster depending on source) as Lewis Henry Isaacs. In 1860 he was living in London and appointed Captain in the 40th Middlesex Rifle Volunteer Corps. 1872 he was p...
John Meard Junior
Apprenticed to his father in August 1700 – ‘John Meard Citizen and Turner... his father and Master admitted to this Freedom’ (Freedom Admissions Register of the Turners’ Company). On his father’s ...
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