Blue Plaque: Father Basil Jellicoe

Father Basil Jellicoe was an Anglican priest who transformed the landscape of Somers Town in the early twentieth century by waging a personal war against the area's squalid slums. He famously declared his mission to build a new Jerusalem in this neighborhood, driven by the belief that poor living conditions were a spiritual disgrace. To make his progress visible, he would hold theatrical events, including the ceremonial burning of paper representations of vermin to mark the clearance of infested buildings. His approach to reform was remarkably hands-on, leading him to even serve as the landlord of a local pub, where he aimed to provide a dignified space for working families.