H. G. Wells
(1866-1946)

writer, apprentice draper (1880), and teacher (1883-1884)

Died aged 79

Herbert George Wells (21 September 1866 – 13 August 1946) was an English writer. Prolific in many genres, he wrote more than fifty novels and dozens of short stories. His non-fiction output included works of social commentary, politics, history, popular science, satire, biography and autobiography. Wells is now best remembered for his science fiction novels and has been called the "father of science fiction." In addition to his fame as a writer, he was prominent in his lifetime as a forward-looking, even prophetic social critic who devoted his literary talents to the development of a progressive vision on a global scale. A futurist, he wrote a number of utopian works and foresaw the advent of aircraft, tanks, space travel, nuclear weapons, satellite television and something resembling the World Wide Web. His science fiction imagined time travel, alien invasion, invisibility, and biological engineering. Brian Aldiss referred to Wells as the "Shakespeare of science fiction", while Charles Fort called him a "wild talent". Wells rendered his works convincing by instilling commonplace detail alongside a single extraordinary assumption per work – dubbed "Wells's law" – leading Joseph Conrad to hail him in 1898 with "O Realist of the Fantastic!". His most notable science fiction works include The Time Machine (1895), which was his first novel, The Island of Doctor Moreau (1896), The Invisible Man (1897), The War of the Worlds (1898), the military science fiction The War in the Air (1907), and the dystopian When the Sleeper Wakes (1910). Novels of social realism such as Kipps (1905) and The History of Mr Polly (1910), which describe lower-middle-class English life, led to the suggestion that he was a worthy successor to Charles Dickens, but Wells described a range of social strata and even attempted, in Tono-Bungay (1909), a diagnosis of English society as a whole. Wells was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature four times. Wells's earliest specialised training was in biology, and his thinking on ethical matters took place in a Darwinian context. He was also an outspoken socialist from a young age, often (but not always, as at the beginning of the First World War) sympathising with pacifist views. In his later years, he wrote less fiction and more works expounding his political and social views, sometimes giving his profession as that of journalist. Wells was a diabetic and co-founded the charity The Diabetic Association (known today as Diabetes UK) in 1934.

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Commemorated on 19 plaques

H. G. Wells 1866-1946 writer lived and died here

13 Hanover Terrace, London, United Kingdom where they lived and died (1946)

The writer H. G. Wells 1866-1946 lodged here when a teacher at Midhurst Grammar School 1883-4

North Street, Midhurst, United Kingdom where they lodged

H. G. Wells author 1866-1946 lived and worked here 1930-1936

Chiltern Court, Baker Street, London, United Kingdom where they lived and worked

H. G. Wells writer stayed in this house during the year 1888.

18 Victoria Street, Basford, Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom where they stayed

The site of the birthplace of H. G. Wells, born 21 September 1866

Alders (now Primark), 162 Bromley High Street, BR1 1HE, Bromley, United Kingdom where they was born (1866)

H. G. Wells Author 1866-1946 Lived here 1901-1909

Wells House (was Spade House), Radnor Cliff Crescent, Sandgate, United Kingdom where they lived

H. G. Wells 1866-1946 writer worked here in 1880 as a drapers' apprentice for Rodgers & Denyer 25-26 High St.

25-26 High Street, Windsor, United Kingdom where they worked

H. G. Wells visionary author Lived and worked here 1895 - 1896

143 Maybury Road, Woking, United Kingdom where they was

Herbert George Wells (1866-1946) H. G. Wells, the writer, lived in this district for several years. Between 1893 and 1894 he lived here and later, on his return from London, moved to 'The Avenue' in Worcester Park. In his novel 'Ann Veronica' (1909), Worcester Park appears as 'Morningside Park'.

25 Langley Park Road, Sutton, London, United Kingdom where they was

The writer H. G. Wells 1866 – 1946 worked in this chemist shop in 1881 which he immortalised in 'Tono-Bungay'

Church Hill Dental Surgery, Church Hill, Midhurst, United Kingdom where they worked (1881)

The writer H. G. Wells 1866 – 1946 attended Midhurst Grammar School as a pupil & teacher 1881, 1883-4

Capron House, Midhurst Grammar School, North Street, Midhurst, United Kingdom where they taught (1883-1884) and attended school (1881)

This 17th century building was first identified as an inn in 1714, when Chapel Street was an important highway. In the early 20th century it was popular with cyclists. H. G. Wells regularly dined and wrote here.

The Drum Public House, 16 Chapel Street, Petersfield, United Kingdom where they dined and wrote

H. G. Wells lived in this house in 1894 whilst writing The Time Machine

23 Eardley Road, Sevenoaks, United Kingdom where they lived (1894)

H. G. Wells author 1866-1946 lived here 1898

Granville Cottage, Granville Road East, Sandgate, United Kingdom where they lived (1898)

H. G. Wells author 1866-1946 lived here 1898-1901

20 Castle Road, Sandgate, United Kingdom where they lived (1898-1901)

Centenary Of Cinema 1996 #106

H. G. Wells author 1866-1946 lived here 1899-1909

Spade House, Radnor Cliff Crescest, Folkestone, United Kingdom where they lived (1899-1909)

H. G. Wells & Rebecca West's son born here 1913

Brig-y-don, Victoria Avenue, Hunstanton, United Kingdom where they lived

Mrs Knott's Dame School. H. G. Wells was a pupil here 1871-1874

7 South Street, Bromley, United Kingdom where they attended school (1871-1874)

H. G. Wells 1866-1946 The well known writer and benefactor officially opened the children's house on 24th October 1923

92 Bruce Road, London, United Kingdom where they was (1923)