The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →London’s blue-plaque tradition connects scientific history to ordinary streets. A 20 March 2025 Chemistry World article identifies eleven chemists and closely related scientists honoured at London addresses, from Michael Faraday’s former apprenticeship workplace to Rosalind Franklin’s Chelsea home. The list is an article-specific selection, not a verified official total for every chemist commemorated under the wider scheme.
Below, each person is paired with the London building named in that account and with the work that made the person historically important.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
How London’s blue-plaque scheme works
London’s scheme was founded in 1866 and is now run by English Heritage, according to Chemistry World. Under the criteria described there, anyone may nominate a person. The proposed honouree must have died at least 20 years earlier, and a surviving building closely associated with that person must still exist.
Those rules explain why a plaque usually marks a specific home, workplace or institution rather than a general neighbourhood. They also mean that a plaque records a historical association with a building; it does not necessarily indicate that the person was born there or carried out all of their important work there.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
“Blue plaque” is also a broader term than the official English Heritage scheme. Outside London, plaques may be administered by local councils, civic societies or other organisations, each with its own procedures. The addresses below are the London locations identified in the 2025 article.
The eleven chemists and their London locations
| Person | London plaque location | Field or role |
|---|---|---|
| John Desmond Bernal | 44 Albert Street, Camden | Crystallographer |
| Henry Cavendish | 11 Bedford Square, Bloomsbury | Natural philosopher |
| Ernst Chain | 9 North View, Wimbledon | Biochemist |
| William Crookes | 7 Kensington Park Gardens, Notting Hill | Scientist, chemist and physicist |
| Michael Faraday | 48 Blandford Street, Marylebone | Natural philosopher, chemist and physicist |
| Edward Frankland | 14 Lancaster Gate, Bayswater | Chemical scientist |
| Rosalind Franklin | Donovan Court, 107 Drayton Gardens, Chelsea | Crystallographer |
| August Wilhelm von Hofmann | 9 Fitzroy Square, Fitzrovia | Chemist |
| Kathleen Lonsdale | 19 Colenso Road, Seven Kings | Crystallographer and peace campaigner |
| Joseph Priestley | 7–8 Ram Place, Hackney | Scientist, philosopher and theologian |
| William Ramsay | 12 Arundel Gardens, Notting Hill | Chemist |
John Desmond Bernal — 44 Albert Street, Camden
John Desmond Bernal (1901–1971) was a crystallographer whose X-ray work helped make the structures of large biological molecules experimentally approachable. The account of his plaque notes research on tobacco mosaic virus and a broader programme using X-ray analysis to investigate complex biological molecules. Such work helped establish crystallography as a bridge between chemistry, physics and molecular biology.
Bernal was also unusually prominent outside the laboratory. He argued for public support of basic research and took strong social and political positions. The plaque at 44 Albert Street marks the Camden house where he lived and died, linking those scientific and civic dimensions to one London address.
Henry Cavendish — 11 Bedford Square, Bloomsbury
Henry Cavendish (1731–1810) is described as a natural philosopher, a period label that covered what are now separate scientific disciplines. At 11 Bedford Square, where he was born, lived and died, he conducted work that clarified the nature of gases and matter.
Cavendish investigated hydrogen, which he called “inflammable air”, and carbon dioxide, which he called “fixed air”. His experiments demonstrated that water is a compound rather than an element, a conclusion that overturned an older assumption about one of the most familiar substances. He also made measurements concerning Earth’s density, an ambitious effort that connected laboratory precision with geophysical questions.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Ernst Chain — 9 North View, Wimbledon
Ernst Chain (1906–1979) was a biochemist whose work turned penicillin from a promising observation into a systematically studied medicine. Working with Howard Florey, Chain helped reinvestigate penicillin, establish its chemotherapeutic action and develop methods for isolating it and elucidating its structure. Their work also extended to other naturally occurring antibiotics.
Chain shared the 1945 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine with Alexander Fleming and Florey. His plaque is at 9 North View in Wimbledon, where he lived. The location represents the scientist behind the purification, analysis and medical development of an antibiotic often remembered primarily through its initial discovery.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →William Crookes — 7 Kensington Park Gardens, Notting Hill
William Crookes (1832–1919) worked across chemistry and physics. His discovery of thallium added a new element to the periodic inventory and demonstrated the power of spectroscopic analysis for identifying substances. He also investigated cathode rays, research that contributed to the nineteenth-century study of electrical discharges in low-pressure gases.
Crookes designed the Crookes radiometer, a device with vanes that rotate when exposed to light. Although its operation was later understood differently from some early explanations, the instrument became a memorable demonstration of radiation and gas effects. He lived and died at 7 Kensington Park Gardens, the Notting Hill address associated with the plaque.
Michael Faraday — 48 Blandford Street, Marylebone
Michael Faraday (1791–1867) is commemorated at 48 Blandford Street, Marylebone, where he was an apprentice. That early working address predates the discoveries that made him one of the central figures in modern physical science.
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Faraday’s chemical achievements include the isolation and investigation of benzene and foundational experiments in electrolysis. In physics, he demonstrated electromagnetic rotation and electromagnetic induction, establishing principles behind electric motors and generators. His work also revealed the Faraday effect, the interaction between light and magnetism in matter. The plaque therefore marks a formative stage in a career that connected practical laboratory craft with enduring theories of electricity and magnetism.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
Edward Frankland — 14 Lancaster Gate, Bayswater
Edward Frankland (1825–1899) lived at 14 Lancaster Gate from 1870 to 1880 while he was a professor at the Royal College of Chemistry. His research helped establish organometallic chemistry, the study of compounds containing direct bonds between carbon and metals.
Frankland also developed the concept of valency. He used the language of “bonds” to describe how atoms connect, an idea that became fundamental to structural chemistry. His interests were not confined to abstract theory: he investigated water quality, bringing chemical analysis to questions of public health and the reliability of drinking-water supplies. The Bayswater plaque reflects both his academic position and this wider practical influence.
Rosalind Franklin — Donovan Court, 107 Drayton Gardens, Chelsea
Rosalind Franklin (1920–1958) lived at Donovan Court, 107 Drayton Gardens, from 1951 to 1958. Her X-ray diffraction studies of DNA were central to identifying how the molecule is organised. She distinguished between DNA’s A and B forms and inferred that the B form was likely helical.
Images of the B form were later passed to James Watson and Francis Crick and were instrumental in their work on DNA’s structure. That sequence is important because it recognises Franklin’s experimental evidence while avoiding the misleading idea that a single image, detached from her analysis, constituted the whole discovery. Her Chelsea plaque commemorates a crystallographer whose measurements shaped one of biology’s defining structural breakthroughs.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteRank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
August Wilhelm von Hofmann — 9 Fitzroy Square, Fitzrovia
August Wilhelm von Hofmann (1818–1892) lived at 9 Fitzroy Square. He made major contributions to organic chemistry and to the way chemistry was taught and organised. His investigations of coal-tar products and related compounds laid foundations for the aniline-dye industry, which transformed the production of synthetic colourants.
Hofmann’s career also illustrates chemistry’s growing institutional character in the nineteenth century. He helped build communities for research and education and played a role in founding the German Chemical Society in 1867. The Fitzrovia address therefore connects industrially significant organic chemistry with the development of professional scientific culture.
Kathleen Lonsdale — 19 Colenso Road, Seven Kings
Kathleen Lonsdale (1903–1971) is represented by her childhood home at 19 Colenso Road, Seven Kings. A crystallographer, she used X-ray diffraction to determine the structures of hexamethylbenzene and hexachlorobenzene. Those results demonstrated how diffraction could reveal the arrangement of atoms in complex organic molecules.
Lonsdale was elected to the Royal Society, one of the highest recognitions in British science. She also worked to support women’s scientific careers and campaigned for international peace. Her plaque thus records both technical achievement and public commitments that influenced how science was practised and who could participate in it.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
Joseph Priestley — 7–8 Ram Place, Hackney
Joseph Priestley (1733–1804) was a scientist, philosopher and theologian whose experiments with gases changed the study of air. He called oxygen “dephlogisticated air”, using the terminology of the phlogiston theory then current, but his observations supplied crucial evidence for later chemical explanations.
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
The Hackney plaque marks 7–8 Ram Place, where Priestley served as minister to the Gravel Pit meeting in 1793–1794. His interests extended to electricity as well as gases, and his religious and political advocacy was an inseparable part of his public life. The address captures a period when scientific investigation, philosophy and dissenting ministry overlapped.
William Ramsay — 12 Arundel Gardens, Notting Hill
William Ramsay (1852–1916) lived with his family for 15 years at 12 Arundel Gardens. His most famous achievement was the discovery of several previously unknown noble gases: helium, neon, argon, krypton and xenon. Identifying these chemically unreactive elements helped establish a new group in the periodic system and required careful separation and measurement of gases present in the atmosphere and minerals.
Ramsay received the 1904 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. He later worked on radon, extending his investigations into the radioactive gases then transforming ideas about atoms and elements. The Notting Hill plaque is therefore associated with a body of work that changed the periodic table and the emerging science of radioactivity.
Planning a visit to the addresses
The plaques identify buildings, not guaranteed visitor attractions. A building may be privately occupied, access may be restricted, and plaque status or surrounding conditions can change. Treat the addresses as points for respectful exterior viewing unless a venue explicitly states that entry is permitted.
- Check the current plaque and building status before travelling, especially for residential addresses.
- Group locations geographically: the Camden, Bloomsbury, Fitzrovia and Marylebone sites are relatively central, while Wimbledon, Chelsea, Hackney, Seven Kings and Notting Hill require different journeys.
- Allow time to read the plaque and consult a current map; the listed building may sit on a street whose numbering or access arrangements are not obvious.
- Do not assume that every blue plaque in another city follows English Heritage’s nomination rules. Confirm which organisation administers a plaque outside London.
What this list shows about chemistry in London
The eleven entries span more than two centuries and a wide definition of chemistry. Cavendish and Priestley investigated gases when the boundaries between chemistry and natural philosophy were still fluid. Faraday and Crookes moved between chemical substances and physical forces. Frankland and Hofmann helped build the concepts, industries and institutions of modern chemical practice. Bernal, Franklin and Lonsdale used crystallography to connect diffraction patterns with molecular structure, while Chain translated biochemical analysis into effective treatment and Ramsay expanded the periodic table.
The plaques also preserve dimensions that a list of discoveries can miss: Bernal’s advocacy for public research, Lonsdale’s work for women and peace, Priestley’s religious and political commitments, and the professional communities shaped by Hofmann. Taken together, the addresses show why commemorative plaques matter: they place major scientific changes in the homes, workplaces and neighbourhoods where scientists actually lived.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
Recommended Free Tools
