A salvaged green plaque from the former residence of Sir John Tenniel, the renowned illustrator of Alice in Wonderland, has found a new place after undergoing restoration. The north-west London home, where he lived, was demolished in 1959, and the plaque was initially destined for destruction due to its considerable damage. However, it was fortuitously stored instead.
Now nearly a century old, the plaque has been expertly restored by specialists from English Heritage and has been reinstalled in West Kensington, where Sir John spent his later years. He passed away in 1914 at the age of 93 and is celebrated for his illustrations of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking-Glass, as well as his satirical political cartoons.
According to English Heritage, when the plaque honoring Sir John Tenniel was rediscovered, it was found to be “structurally sound,” though it exhibited significant wear, including scratches, stains, cracks, and several areas where the glaze and ceramic were missing. The organization reported, “Conservation specialists meticulously cleaned the plaque’s surface, removing layers of old mortar and then applied dry pigments and stone powders to restore the original green glaze.”
This marks the first instance of a plaque being retrieved, conserved, and returned to the streets of London after being absent for such an extended period, as noted by the charity.
Howard Spencer, a senior historian at English Heritage, commented, “At nearly a century old, this plaque carries a remarkable history. This is the first time we have conserved and reinstated a plaque of such historical significance, so it required a leap of faith on our part — but we are thrilled with the outcome.”
Although it is green, the plaque belongs to the city-wide blue plaques scheme, which has been in operation for 150 years. This scheme was first managed by the London County Council from 1901 to 1965, followed by the Greater London Council from 1965 to 1986, and has been under the purview of English Heritage since 1986.
