English Heritage placed a blue plaque on Franklin’s former London home in 1992.
The plaque is at Donovan Court, 107 Drayton Gardens, in Chelsea, where Franklin lived from 1951 until her death in 1958. Its inscription identifies her as a pioneer in the study of molecular structures, including DNA, and records that she lived there during those years.
Franklin carried out her crucial DNA X-ray diffraction research at King’s College London after returning from work in Paris. Her analysis helped distinguish the A and B forms of DNA, while her diffraction images—including the famous Photo 51—provided important evidence for the molecule’s helical structure.
The plaque was installed 30 years after Franklin’s death, reflecting a growing public recognition of her contribution to DNA research. It is sometimes confused with later commemorations, including the 1993 naming of Rosalind Franklin Hall at King’s College. The English Heritage plaque specifically dates to 1992 and marks her former residence, not her laboratory.