Sir Rowland Hill KCB, originator of the Penny Post, lived here in 1849-1879. Born 1795. Died 1879.

The plaque was first erected by the (Royal) Society of Arts in 1892 at Bartram House, Hampstead. When Hill's residence was demolished in 1905 to make way for the expansion of Hampstead General Hospital. The plaque was affixed to this new building by the Hospital Authorities and remained there until 1975 when Hampstead General Hospital was itself demolished to make way for parking space for the then-newly opened Royal Free Hospital. The plaque was affixed to car park's retaining wall in May 1978 with a brass supplemental plaque explaining its history. Hill's memorial was removed again when construction of the Royal Free Hospital's Pears Building on the former car park site began in 2018. It was rehung for a third time in a public garden space accessible via Rowland Hill Street at a rededication ceremony on 24th February 2022.