Andrew Lang Blue Plaque

About This Blue Plaque

Andrew Lang was a prolific Scottish poet, novelist, literary critic, and collector of folk and fairy tales who lived from 1844 to 1912. He was a key figure in the British literary scene during the Victorian era, known for his wit, erudition, and diverse body of work that spanned multiple genres.

Lang was born in Selkirk, Scotland and educated at the prestigious universities of St Andrews and Balliol College, Oxford. He began his career as a journalist and quickly established himself as a leading literary critic, writing for publications such as the Daily News, Morning Post, and Longman’s Magazine. His incisive and often humorous reviews helped shape public opinion on the literature of his time.

As a writer, Lang produced an astonishing array of works, including poetry, novels, biographies, histories, and translations of classical texts. However, he is perhaps best remembered today for his collections of fairy tales and folklore, such as “The Blue Fairy Book” (1889) and its subsequent volumes, which helped to popularize many classic stories for a new generation of readers. Lang’s home at 1 Marloes Road in the fashionable London borough of Kensington and Chelsea, where he lived from 1876 until his death in 1912, was a hub of literary and social activity, frequented by many of the leading intellectuals and cultural figures of the day.

Throughout his life, Lang was a tireless advocate for the value of literature and the importance of preserving traditional stories and folklore. His wide-ranging interests, engaging writing style, and commitment to making literature accessible to a broad audience made him one of the most influential and beloved figures of his generation. The blue plaque at his former Kensington residence, erected in 1959, serves as a fitting tribute to his enduring legacy as a man of letters and a champion of the literary arts.