Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790) lived here

In 1869, the (Royal) Society of Arts commemorated Franklin at No.7 Craven Street, an address just off The Strand that he had occupied as a lodger between 1757 and 1762 and again between 1764 to 1772. However, in 1903 the LCC uncovered evidence that the wrong house had been selected - comparison of the sequence of residents listed in rate books and street directories revealed that the numbering of Craven Street had been changed twice and that the No.7 in which Franklin had resided was in fact the surviving No.36. The SOA was forced to admit the error when attempts were being made to save the then-current No.7 from demolition on account of its non-existent historical associations. The LCC proceeded with plans to commemorate the correct address with a bronze 'medallion style' tablet which went up in 1914. For a time, until the eventual redevelopment of No.7, the two plaques occupied opposite sides of the street. Remarkably, the encaustic SOA plaque, terracotta in colour, was salvaged, and after a period of time in the possession of the Museum of London can be seen today as an exhibit of the Benjamin Franklin House museum, which is located at No.36 Craven Street.