Tony's Blog: August 2010

General Bernardo O'Higgins was a Chilean independence leader who, together with José de San Martín, freed Chile from Spanish rule in the Chilean War of Independence. Although he was the second Supreme Director of Chile (1817–23) (O'Higgins was the first holder of this title to head a fully independent Chilean state), he is considered one of Chile's founding fathers. O'Higgins was of Irish and Basque descent. There is a bust of O'Higgins in O'Higgins Square in Richmond, south-west London. Each year the borough's Mayor is joined by members of the Chilean Embassy for a ceremony and a wreath is placed there. A blue plaque was erected in his honor at Clarence House in Richmond, where he lived while studying in London.