Kensington in Kensington and Chelsea in Greater London, England, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)
Sir John Simon
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, September 11, 2026
1. Sir John Simon Marker
Sir
John
Simon
1816–1904
Pioneer of
Public Health
lived here
Erected 1959 by London County Council.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1904.
Location. 51° 30.053′ N, 0° 11.425′ W. Marker is in Kensington and Chelsea, England, in Greater London. It is in Kensington. It can be reached from Kensington Square west of Young Street, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 40 Kensington Square, Kensington and Chelsea, England W8 5HP, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in London and in the Greater South East. Globally, it is on the Atlantic Ocean, in the North Atlantic Region, in Europe, in Atlantic Europe, on one of the British Isles, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Roman Empire.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Sir Edward Burne-Jones (a few steps from this marker); Mrs Patrick Campbell (within shouting distance of this
this page online
Also see . . . Simon, Sir John (1816-1904).
Having made his name three years earlier with a paper on the thymus gland, Simon was the inaugural appointment as Medical Officer of Health to the City of London in 1848. The City was seeking to maintain its independence from the public health legislation which was then being promoted by Sir Edwin Chadwick, and hoped that Simon’s relative lack of expertise in sanitary matters would distance them from these centralising reforms. Simon, however, proceeded to publish scathing annual reports about the City’s health conditions, which were well publicised by The Times. Written with passion and supported by meticulous use of statistics, Simon’s wide-ranging reports did much to set the model for public health roles.(Submitted on October 3, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York.)
Additional keywords. blue
Photographed by Ian Lefkowitz, September 11, 2026
2. Sir John Simon Marker
The plaque dedicated to Sir John Simon is closer to the foreground in this photo.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 3, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. This page has been viewed 9 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on October 3, 2026, by Ian Lefkowitz of New York, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
