Battersea founder Mary Tealby to be commemorated by a plaque
Howard Lake | 6 October 2015 | News
The work of Mary Tealby, the founder of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, will be recognised by a a People’s Plaque at the Islington site where in 1860, she first established The Temporary Home for Lost and Starving Dogs.
Her green heritage plaque will be on display at Freightliners City Farm, and will be unveiled by Battersea’s Chief Executive Claire Horton.
From the start Tealby’s mission was never to turn away an animal in need of help, an approach that Battersea still adheres to. The lasting tribute to Battersea’s founder was voted for by the public.
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Tealby was a successful fundraiser and campaigner, and secured support from Queen Victoria, the Home’s first Royal Patron, and from Charles Dickens. She died from cancer on 3 October 1865 aged 63, six years before the Home moved across the river to its current iconic site in south London.
Claire Horton said:
“Over three million homeless dogs and cats are indebted to the vision and commitment of Mary Tealby. Through her sheer determination and passion she managed to establish the UK’s first home for stray dogs, which we know today as Battersea, and helped pave the way for other leading animal charities. We’re thrilled that our incredible Founder who created such a remarkable legacy will now be forever remembered by a People’s Plaque in Islington.”
Mary Tealby’s plaque will be unveiled at 2pm on Friday 2 October. The event is open to the public. On Saturday 3 October Battersea will commemorate its Founder with a special Victorian Day event at its London centre that is open to all to attend.
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About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.