Person    | Female  Born 25/9/1906  Died 28/8/1996

Phyllis Pearsall

Categories: Craft / Design

Map-maker. Born Phyllis Isobel Gross at Budapest, Court Lane Gardens, Dulwich. She said in her memoirs, that her inspiration for producing the London A - Z was because she was unable to find the location for a friend's party. The fact that she could have picked up a copy of her father's street atlas which had been printed some years before, seems to belie that. Her claim to have spent eighteen hours a day, pounding the streets of London, may also be down to her own self-publicity, debunked pretty thoroughly by her half-brother and others here.  

She did however produce what has become the standard guide for getting around the capital (until someone invented the smartphone and put maps on it). A musical based on her life, 'The A - Z of Mrs P', was produced in London in 2014. Died at 5 Atlantic Court, Shoreham by Sea, Sussex.

Credit for this entry to: Alan Patient of www.plaquesoflondon.co.uk

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:
Phyllis Pearsall

Commemorated ati

Other Subjects

Southbank Mosaics / London School of Mosaic

Southbank Mosaics / London School of Mosaic

Southbank Mosaics actively promotes equal opportunities and cross-cultural, inter-generational mosaic art work. The studio aims to draw on the historic roots of local neighbourhoods traversed by Sh...

Group, Art, Community / Clubs, Craft / Design

26 memorials
Spitalfields weaving industry

Spitalfields weaving industry

Many of the Huguenots that arrived here in the 16th and 17th centuries were skilled silk weavers and set up looms in their homes in Spitalfields. The Spitalfields textile trade thrived until the mi...

Concept, Commerce, Craft / Design

2 memorials
St Dunstan

St Dunstan

Born near Glastonbury. Active around 930 - 960. Patron saint of armourers, goldsmiths, locksmiths, and jewellers. His feast day is May 19th.

Person, Craft / Design, Religion

1 memorial
Christopher St. J.  H. Daniel

Christopher St. J. H. Daniel

Sundial designer. Has published a Shire book "Sundials" .

Person, Craft / Design

1 memorial
Bayford

Bayford

Shoemaker and antiquarian.

Person, Craft / Design

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Deptford Station

Deptford Station

The oldest working railway station in London. It is on the North Kent line and is built on a high brick viaduct. A new modern station is planned to open close to the current site in 2012.

Place, Transport

1 memorial
Saifullah Zaman

Saifullah Zaman

Disc jockey and music producer. Known as 'Sam' or by his stage and group's name 'State of Bengal'. Born in Karachi, he moved to Britain in the 1970s. In 1987, he set up his group after a visit to B...

Person, Music / songs, Pakistan

1 memorial
Mary Woollstonecraft - lost plaque

Mary Woollstonecraft - lost plaque

N16, Matthias Road, 39

All our information about this plaque, including the photograph, comes from (2016) Roberta Wedge. Another photo there shows the plaque at...

1 subject commemorated, 1 creator
Sherlock Holmes

Sherlock Holmes

Originally named Sheridan Hope, then Sherringford Holmes and finally Sherlock Holmes. Created by Arthur Conan Doyle, the first story was begun in 1886. The Festival of Britain had an exhibition es...

Fiction, Fictional, Seriously Famous

7 memorials
Frank Theobalds

Frank Theobalds

Clerk of Works during the building of the Stanley Halls, and subsequently resident Secretary and Manager.

Person, Architecture, Theatre

1 memorial