George Orwell
(1903-1950)

Died aged c. 47

Eric Arthur Blair (25 June 1903 – 21 January 1950), better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English novelist, essayist, journalist, and critic. His work is characterised by lucid prose, social criticism, opposition to totalitarianism, and support of democratic socialism. Orwell produced literary criticism, poetry, fiction and polemical journalism. He is known for the allegorical novella Animal Farm (1945) and the dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949). His non-fiction works, including The Road to Wigan Pier (1937), documenting his experience of working-class life in the industrial north of England, and Homage to Catalonia (1938), an account of his experiences soldiering for the Republican faction of the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), are as critically respected as his essays on politics, literature, language and culture. Blair was born in India, and raised and educated in England. After school he became an Imperial policeman in Burma, before returning to Suffolk, England, where he began his writing career as George Orwell—a name inspired by a favourite location, the River Orwell. He lived from occasional pieces of journalism, and also worked as a teacher or bookseller whilst living in London. From the late 1920s to the early 1930s, his success as a writer grew and his first books were published. He was wounded fighting in the Spanish Civil War, leading to his first period of ill health on return to England. During the Second World War he worked as a journalist and for the BBC. The publication of Animal Farm led to fame during his life-time. During the final years of his life he worked on Nineteen Eighty-Four, and moved between Jura in Scotland and London. It was published in June 1949, less than a year before his death. Orwell's work remains influential in popular culture and in political culture, and the adjective "Orwellian"—describing totalitarian and authoritarian social practices—is part of the English language, like many of his neologisms, such as "Big Brother", "Thought Police", "Room 101", "Newspeak", "memory hole", "doublethink", and "thoughtcrime". In 2008, The Times ranked George Orwell second among "The 50 greatest British writers since 1945".

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Commemorated on 15 plaques

George Orwell 1903-1950 novelist and political essayist lived here

50 Lawford Road, Kentish Town, London, United Kingdom where they lived

Former pupils include Sir Cecil Beaton 1904-80 Photographer and Designer Cyril Connolly 1903-74 Writer and Journalist Henry C. Longhurst 1909-78 Journalist and M.P. Gavin Maxwell 1914-69 Naturalist George Orwell 1903-50 Eric Blair - Writer

65 Summerdown Road (2), Eastbourne, United Kingdom where they studied (1911-1921)

George Orwell 1903-1950 novelist & essayist lived at 27B 1945

27B Canonbury Square, London, United Kingdom where they lived

George Orwell 1903-1950 novelist & political essayist lived here

22 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London, United Kingdom where they lived

George Orwell 1903-1950 Writer lived here

77 Parliament Hill, London, United Kingdom where they lived

George Orwell 1903-1950 Author lived here 1936-1940

'The Stores', Kit's Lane, Wallington, United Kingdom where they lived

George Orwell 1903-1950 writer lived and worked in a bookshop on this site 1934-1935

Pond Street, London, United Kingdom where they lived and worked

George Orwell (Eric Arthur Blair) 1903-1950 lived and worked here as Senior Master of the former Hawthorns High School for Boys April 1932-July 1933

Fountain House Hotel, 116–118 Church Road, Hayes, London, United Kingdom where they worked (1932-1933)

George Orwell (Eric Blair) 1903-1950 author and broadcaster lived in 10a Mortimer Crescent which stood on this site

Kington House, Mortimer Crescent, London, United Kingdom where they lived

George Orwell 1903-1950 The writer George Orwell, born Eric Arthur Blair in 1903, received national acclaim for the books he wrote between 1920 and 1950 describing living conditions in Britain and abroad. He is known to have stayed nearby in Darlington Street and Warrington Lane in February, 1936, and afterwards published his well known book "The Road To Wigan Pier"

Wilton Street, Wigan, United Kingdom where they stayed

George Orwell Author 1903 - 1950 Drank here !

25 Rathbone Place, Fitzrovia, London, United Kingdom where they was

George Orwell 1903 - 1950 Author Stayed in West Malling Workhouse 1931 Set many works in this area

West Malling railway station, West Malling, United Kingdom where they was

George Orwell 1903-1950 Sir Stephen Spender 1909-1995 wrote for Cyril Connolly's Horizon Magazine based here 1940-1948

Lansdowne Terrace, London, United Kingdom where they worked (1940-1948)

George Orwell 1903-1950 Novelist & Essayist lived here at 27b 1944-1947

27b Canonbury Square, London, United Kingdom where they lived (1943-1947)

George Orwell 1903-1950 Novelist and political essayist, visited this reference library whilst researching his book "The Road to Wigan Pier"

Upstairs room, Museum of Wigan Life, Wigan, United Kingdom where they wrote