In the tercentenary year of Dr. Johnson's birth, you are invited to visit his
home at 17 Gough Square, where he wrote his famous dictionary.
Samuel Johnson was born in Litchfield in 1709, the son of a bookseller. Childhood illnesses left him partially blind and deaf and suffering involuntary convulsions, but his intelligence was remarkable. He came to London where he made a living and gained some reputation as a journalist.
His big break came in his mid thirties when he was offered 1500 guineas to write a dictionary in three years, It took longer. He rented 17 Gough Sq and, with several assistants and hundreds of books. compiled the dictionary. Many famous friends were entertained there, including Joshua Reynolds, Oliver Goldsmith and Adam Smith. It was not the first such book, but its quality made it the standard work for more than a century.
Johnson was never wealthy and the house is not opulent, but an example of an "ordinary" eighteenth
century house. It was purchased in 1911 by Liberal Member of Parliament, Cecil
Harmsworth. The property was in a derelict state but was restored and opened to the public a year later and is now operated by a Trust.