Alice in Wonderland illustrator’s plaque restored and re-located

A green plaque saved from the former north-west London residence of Alice in Wonderland illustrator Sir John Tenniel, which was demolished in 1959, has found a new home after being restored.

The sign was due to be scrapped when the Maida Vale home was knocked down as it was so damaged, but in a fortunate twist of events, it was put into storage.

Now the almost 100-year-old plaque has been repaired by English Heritage experts, and reinstalled in West Kensington where Sir John spent the final years of his life.

Sir John died in 1914 aged 93. He was known for illustrating Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland, Through The Looking-Glass, and his political cartoons.

English Heritage said when the plaque dedicated to Sir John Tenniel was rediscovered it was “structurally sound”, but said it showed “clear signs of damage, including scratches, splashes, fissures, and several losses to the glaze and ceramic body”.

It said: “Conservation specialists painstakingly cleaned the surface, removing decades old mortar before using dry pigments and stone powders to recreate the original green glaze.”

The charity noted this was the first time a plaque had been retrieved, conserved and returned to the city’s streets after such a long absence.

Senior historian at English Heritage, Howard Spencer, said: “At nearly a hundred years old, this plaque has an extraordinary story.

“English Heritage has never conserved and reinstalled such a historic plaque before, so it was something of a leap of faith – but we’re delighted with the result.”

Although green, the plaque is part of the London-wide blue plaques scheme, which has been running for 150 years.

The blue plaques scheme was initially administered by the London County Council (1901–65) and then by the Greater London Council (1965–86), before being taken on by English Heritage in 1986.