please empty your brain below
Your blog reminded me I wanted to check what the blue plaque was I saw the other evening when cycling a slightly different route home in Waltham Forest. Apparently Solomon T. Plaatje, a South African writer and campaigner for African rights, had briefly lived there around 1915.

The other 3 plaques in Waltham Forest commemorate Harry Beck's birthplace, the site of A. V. Roe's first all British powered flight and a former home of novelist James Hilton, 2 of which have already been covered by your good self.

Tim | 11.06.21 - 7:39 a.m. | #

English Heritage doesn't seem to have anything against Jimi Hendrix as they have given him a blue plaque in Brook Street in Mayfair. He lived there for only a few months but at least he did live there.

Tony Woolf | 11.06.21 - 7:51 a.m. | #

I imagine the number of plaques in suburbia will increase when the more working class generation of stars from the 60s onwards start to meet the criteria (20 years after their death).

Looking at the list of names, it does seem that certain fields (sport and popular entertainment) do seem poorly represented. I was wondering about Dagenham's Alf Ramsey for example, but he only died in 1999, so is only just eligible

Mikey C | 11.06.21 - 8:32 a.m. | #

Rather disappointed by Stanley Holloway's plaque: actor and humorist undoubtedly but also the possessor of a great singing voice. As good as any at the old music hall songs let alone 'My fair lady' etc.

J. | 11.06.21 - 8:55 a.m. | #

English Heritage has some very strange rules about blue plaques.
For instance, the site of Pope's Villa in Twickenham doesn't have any mention of Pope, his poetry, or his inspiration for Naturalism in gardening.
No, but there is a plaque for the antisemitic, homophobic, anti-feminist and all-round hypocrite, Henry Du Pré Labouchère, MP for Northampton, theatre-owner and mainly memorable for promoting the bill that criminalised male homosexual activity.

MartinO'Holcombe | 11.06.21 - 8:59 a.m. | #

The Jimi Hendrix plaque really made my day, the Upper Cut Club is a place of legends.
I will defiantly make a trip to see this Blue Plaque.
Thanks DG for the heads up.

Michael | 11.06.21 - 9:07 a.m. | #

I’m surprised Islington is below the Boroughs you mentioned with 20+ plaques.

David | 11.06.21 - 9:15 a.m. | #

Interesting. I do wish the typefaces were consistent though.

Also, there are several more 'blue plaques' in Waltham Forest here.

Anon | 11.06.21 - 9:24 a.m. | #

We only have five in Kingston: (why no Eadweard Muybridge?) - two are creators of children's books (Rupert Bear and, among others, Noddy), one plaque is shared between two world record holders (Campbell pere et fils) one is an opera singer and inspiration for an ice cream confection, and the last is not for a person at all but a car company, albeit one named after its founder.
At the same time as the car company was winning Formula 1 championships, Eric Clapton was a pupil at the school next door, and the creator of the Teletubbies was one of his teachers, but as they are both still alive there is no blue plaque yet. (And the school itself has since relocated)

timbo | 11.06.21 - 9:56 a.m. | #

Oh thank you for The Lion and Albert!
Listening to that took me right back to my childhood listening to the radio at lunchtimes.

Joho | Homepage | 11.06.21 - 11:28 a.m. | #

Stanley Holloway even got a US TV series, "Our Man Higgins", off the back of My Fair Lady. Gosh, I wonder where they chose that name from.

Klepsie | 11.06.21 - 12:43 p.m. | #

Quite frankly the criteria English Heritage use in deciding on Blue Palques is pathetic. Check the number of famous women they have honoured if you don't believe me!

Tones | 11.06.21 - 3:33 p.m. | #

Yesterday was my Dad's funeral. One of the three songs we played was Stanley Holloway's Brahn Boots, which was always a favourite of my Dad's, and yes I did wear Brown Boots (shoes)

Dave from Charlton | 11.06.21 - 3:53 p.m. | #

Dont forget Croydon's got loads to choose from too.

Andrew Jarman | 11.06.21 - 9:09 p.m. | #

I don't live in Sutton any longer but they did (do?) have a red plaque scheme, similar to the blue plaque one. One of them I recall (as it was round the corner from our flat) was for Graham Sutherland, who did the famous painting of Churchill which Clementine Churchill threw on the fire.

Re the comment on Kingston. Kingston's school of art is also famous for Jimmy Page attending there. Maybe there's a "blues" streak.

Marmaduke Jinks | 11.06.21 - 11:24 p.m. | #

During one of my lockdown walks I came across a primary school in Southwark (which I now cant identify) that had a fasinating set of blue plaques on its walls illustrating people who had lived in the borough over a few hundred years. It was incredibly diverse in terms of gender and ethnicity and achievements. Far more inclusive and interesting than most of the English Heritage plaques you see - many of which seem to be celebrate fairly obscure people.

smetana | 12.06.21 - 9:20 a.m. | #

I was interested to read the post by Tim about the blue plaque he spotted in Leyton when he diverted down what must have been Carnarvon Road?

Sol Plaatje was in the UK, first from 1914-1917 and then again in the 1920s.
An ex-colleague, Brian Willan, did his PhD on Sol Plaatje. Later published by Heinemann. I have now found an ancient yellow cutting, from the local Guardian, no idea what year though:
it is headed 'Fighting plaque'

"Angry protesters have hit out at a bid to honour a black campaigner for African Rights. Tory GLC members have already slammed the siting of plaques which they claim are governed by 'purely political considerations'. I suspect it could have been during the time of Sir Horace Cutler? (a name from the past!)

I then found another cutting with a photo = it was eventually a GLC plaque. Again, no idea what year.

thanks as always for all the interesting things. And to all your respondents as well.

g.chingford | 14.06.21 - 1:55 p.m. | #











TridentScan v2.10.0 | Privacy Policy