DISCOVER LONDON ENGLISH HERITAGE/MIKE SEAFORTH/DEREK KENDALL HERITAGE/MIKE ENGLISH f London’s past is written in its On 7 May 1866, the precursor to today’s buildings, the blue plaques that adorn panel met for the first time and the result was them, commemorating their illustrious two plaques, both erected in 1867. The first residents, are that tale’s punctuation. commemorated Romantic poet Lord Byron These colourful spots of history, on (1788-1824) at his birthplace of 24 Holles Isites handsome and humble, link the people Street, Cavendish Square, however that of the past, and their achievements, with the house was demolished in 1889. The second, Within buildings of the present. Since the scheme’s and earliest surviving plaque, honours inception 150 years ago, more than 900 Napoleon III (1808-73), the last emperor of plaques have been erected to honour notable the French, in King Street, St James’s. these – and notorious – men and women. Prince Louis Napoleon Bonaparte fled to Now run by English Heritage, the original England (for a second time) after escaping vision has sparked countless imitations imprisonment in 1846. In 1847, he took the and gone through many transformations to lease on the King Street house and quickly walls become the iconic project it is today. The first became a leading figure in London society – Sally Hales explores the history of its kind in the world, it sprang to life in his is the only plaque to have been installed ➤ of London’s ground-breaking 1866 when the (Royal) Society of Arts sought “to increase the public estimation for places Main image: Keats House in Hampstead blue plaques project as it which have been the abodes of men who Bottom, from left to right: The plaques for celebrates its 150th birthday have made England what it is”. Lord Byron, Samuel Beckett and Napoleon III 63 discoverbritainmag.com DISCOVER LONDON during a recipient’s lifetime – before heading door of the Regency villa once known as “On 7 May 1866, the back to France in 1848 to become president Wentworth Place, Hampstead, which the precursor to today’s and, in 1852, emperor. He seems to have left poet called home from 1818 for 17 months King Street in haste, as his landlord found before travelling to Italy where he died. It’s expert panel met for the “the prince’s bed unmade and his marble well worth seeking out: the building has been first time and the result bath still full of water”. transformed into Keats House, a museum While Napoleon III’s plaque is blue, the and literary centre where you can explore was two plaques, both colour scheme has varied over the years as the poet’s life and work through exhibits of erected in 1867. The first has the preferred design: plaques have been his original manuscripts and artefacts. made in bronze, stone, lead and ceramics in In 1876 the only plaque in the City of commemorated square, round and rectangular forms, and London – the historic square mile at the flamboyant Romantic finished in shades of brown, sage, terracotta heart of the city – was erected on Dr Samuel as well as, of course, blue. Johnson’s Gough Square home, just north poet Lord Byron” In the 35 years the Society of Arts ran of Fleet Street. the scheme, 35 plaques went up. Fewer than Three years later, the Corporation of half survive, although those that do honour the City of London and the Society of the some of our greatest historical figures, such Arts agreed that the former would take For more on the best of as poet John Keats (1795-1821) and the responsibility for commemorating historic London’s blue plaques, see www.discoverbritainmag.com great literary figure Dr Johnson (1709-1784). sites in the square mile. This demarcation has Keats’ plaque, erected in 1896, is above the stayed in place ever since. LTD/VISITBRITAIN/ NEWS LONDON PICTURE LIBRARY/ILLUSTRATED EVANS MARY BRITAIN ON VIEW/ZUMA PRESS, INC/ALAMY/ENGLISH HERITAGE 64 discoverbritainmag.com Dr Johnson’s House, built at the end of the novelist’s only remaining London home. the area covered to the outer city boroughs. 17th century, is the home in which the writer Doughty Street was an important place in Thanks to the GLC there are plaques across and wit lived and worked in the mid-18th the writer’s life: it was where his eldest two Greater London for everyone from the century, compiling his Dictionary of the daughters were born and some of his modest Syndenham home of TV pioneer English Language in the garret. Four storeys best-loved novels written, including Oliver John Logie Baird (1888-1946), a few miles high and nestled among a maze of courts Twist. Today, it is one of the world’s finest south of central London, to the more grandly and alleys, it is now a museum providing literary museums with more than 100,000 located home of Sir Winston Churchill an insight into the man, the era and his items, including manuscripts, rare editions (1874-1965) at Hyde Park Gate. incredible lexicographical project, with and paintings, that allow you to step back in English Heritage took over the scheme restored interiors and original features. time and walk in the writer’s footsteps. in 1986 and has run it along similar lines At the turn of the 20th century, London London County Council tried different ever since: a Blue Plaques Panel decides on County Council (LCC) took over the scheme. colours and designs of plaque but, by 1921, suggestions from the public which meet the One of its earliest honours was the Doughty the blue ceramic style had become standard. criteria. In the scheme’s anniversary year, Street home of Charles Dickens (1812-1870). The blue plaque we know today was, in fact, the organisation is striving to broaden the ➤ The plaque pre-dated the house’s opening as designed in 1938 by an unnamed student the Dickens Museum in 1925 and probably from the Central School of Arts and Crafts, helped to preserve the property when it was who was paid just four guineas. Clockwise from left: Actress Sarah Siddons was the first woman to have a plaque; novelist Charles threatened with demolition in 1923. When the Greater London Council (GLC) Dickens; TV pioneer John Logie Baird (right); Sir Erected in 1903, the plaque sits near the succeeded the LCC in 1965, it broadened the Winston Churchill’s plaque; the statesman with MARY EVANS PICTURE LIBRARY/ILLUSTRATED LONDON NEWS LTD/VISITBRITAIN/ NEWS LONDON PICTURE LIBRARY/ILLUSTRATED EVANS MARY BRITAIN ON VIEW/ZUMA PRESS, INC/ALAMY/ENGLISH HERITAGE door of the Georgian terraced house, the range of people commemorated and widened his wife, Clementine; Baird’s and Burney’s plaques discoverbritainmag.com 65 DISCOVER LONDON ➤ remit further by encouraging nominations a woman to survive, was put up in 1885 This year’s celebrations include the from under-represented fields and correcting to honour novelist and playwright Fanny launch of a new app that will help people historical imbalances. For example, women Burney (1752-1840) – described by Virginia to discover which plaque is closest to them make up just 13 per cent of recipients. Woolf as the mother of English fiction – at and to plot their own personal tour across While the scheme began in 1866, it her home in Bolton Street, Mayfair. the capital. In September, English Heritage took a decade before the first woman To date, English Heritage has erected will publish the first official guidebook to was recognised: one of the greatest tragic more than 360 plaques and, in recent years, London’s blue plaques, offering a through- actresses Sarah Siddons (1755-1831). Sadly, has done much to recognise those lesser the-keyhole look at those commemorated however, this plaque no longer exists. known heroes and heroines who have had an and the houses in which they lived. The women who were commemorated enormous impact on the city and the world English Heritage will also unveil at least in the early years were largely writers at large, from aviators to doctors. eight new plaques across the city honouring and stage performers, reflecting the fact One of the best examples – and one a diverse range of people – from Hollywood these were essentially the only celebrated of the loveliest – is the 2002 plaque to film star Ava Gardner and playwright occupations open to them. Nonetheless, meteorologist Luke Howard (1772-1864) Samuel Beckett to singer Freddie Mercury the achievements of these women were on his home in Bruce Grove, Tottenham. and ballerina Margot Fonteyn, ensuring the immense. The second plaque, the oldest to In 1802, the scientist gave a paper that amazing achievements of London’s residents proposed some names for clouds, including are remembered for generations to come. n Clockwise from left: Dr Johnson’s House on cirrus, cumulus and stratus, which we still Gough Square; Samuel Johnson; the blue plaque for use today. His plaque rather charmingly For more on London’s blue plaques, scientist Luke Howard, “namer of clouds” reads “namer of clouds”. see www.english-heritage.co.uk TRUST HOUSE JOHNSON’S HERITAGE/DR VIEW/ENGLISH ON VISITBRITAIN/BRITAIN 66 discoverbritainmag.com.