Portrait of Samuel Johnson commissioned for Henry Thrale's Streatham Park gallery

A portrait from the Welsh Portrait Collection at the National Library of Wales. Depicted person: Samuel Johnson – English writer and lexicographer (1709–1784)

A portrait from the Welsh Portrait Collection at the National Library of Wales. Depicted person: Samuel Johnson – English writer and lexicographer (1709–1784)

A portrait from the Welsh Portrait Collection at the National Library of Wales. Depicted person: Samuel Johnson – English writer and lexicographer (1709–1784)

A portrait from the Welsh Portrait Collection at the National Library of Wales. Depicted person: Samuel Johnson – English writer and lexicographer (1709–1784)

Samuel_Johnson

On this site stood Dame Oliver's Infant School where Dr. Samuel Johnson was taught English 1714. Born 1709. Died 1784

Samuel Johnson on the site of his father’s market stall. Illustration for Chatterbox (1896). The explanation in the text: “The scene of our illustration is Uttoxeter market, and the reason of Dr. Johnson’s singular conduct before a gathering of people, young and old, is thus explained by himself. He was talking, towards the end of his life, with a young clergyman, the Rev. Henry White. He said that he had been, on the whole, an obedient son. But he added: ‘Once, indeed, I was disobedient; I refused to attend my father to Uttoxeter market. Pride was the source of that refusal, and the remembrance of it was painful. A few years ago I desired to atone for this fault. I went to Uttoxeter in very bad weather, and stood for some time bareheaded in the rain, on the spot where my father’s stall used to stand. In contrition I stood, and I hope that the penance was expiatory.’ ”

Dr Samuel Johnson mosaic - off Bird Street (opposite New Minster House) Lichfield Staffordshire WS13 6PR