Elia. To the immortal memory of Charles Lamb. Perhaps the most loved name in English literature who was a Bluecoat Boy here for 7 years. B: 1775 D: 1834

The supplementary plaque reads "This memorial was moved here in 1962 from Christchurch Greyfriars in Newgate Street which stands beside the former site of Charles Lamb's school Christ's Hospital". This is concurrent with the demolition in 1962 of the surviving parts of the south wall and the entire east wall of Christ Church Greyfriars to make way for the widening of King Edward Street. The Wren church had been badly damaged by WWII bombing - apart from the steeple which, having survived the war unscathed, was dismantled then reconstructed using modern construction methods in 1960.