Documenting the historical links between people and places as recorded by commemorative plaques
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Plaque Of The Day
myf says, "He influenced British comedy for decades after his death"
Place Of The Day
Norwich, United Kingdom
Norwich has a long history. It has been a city since 1094. From the Middle Ages until the Industrial Revolution, Norwich was the largest city in England after London and one of the most important. This is refelected in its plaques.
Most-viewed plaques
In the last 11 years, between 20 May 2009 to 6 Jan 2021, Open Plaques had 4,530,517 page views from 1,234,480 users. Some were triggered by internet memes such as Steve Ullathorne's 2012 image of a George Orwell plaque with a CCTV camera next to it. Others, such as those for Alan Turing, were probably triggered by an anniversary and campaign for recognition.
- George Orwell 1903-1950 novelist & political essayist lived here (19526 page views)
- Jacob von Hogflume 1864-1909 Inventor of time travel. lived here in 2189 (15077 page views)
- George Orwell 1903-1950 novelist and political essayist lived here (6390 page views)
- Jimi Hendrix 1942-1970 guitarist and songwriter lived here 1968-1969 (5714 page views)
- Alan Turing 1912-1954 founder of computer science and cryptographer, whose work was key to breaking the wartime Enigma codes, lived and died here. (4085 page views)
- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle 1859-1930 creator of Sherlock Holmes lived here 1891-1894 (3846 page views)
- Alan Turing 1912-1954 code breaker lived here from 1945-1947 (3679 page views)
- This building housed the offices of Charles Dickens' magazine 'All The Year Round' and his private apartments 1859-1870 (3339 page views)
- Dame Agatha Christie 1890-1976 detective novelist and playwright lived here 1934-1941 (3027 page views)
- The Peterloo Massacre. On 16th August 1819, a peaceful rally of 60,000 pro-democracy reformers, men, women and children was attacked by armed cavalry resulting in 15 deaths and over 600 injuries. (3006 page views)
recently photographed plaques
One of the four main entrances through the town walls Myton Gate built in the 14th century stood close to here until demolition in the late 18th century
Ask restaurant, corner of Prince's Dockside and Castle Street, Hull, United Kingdom
Subjects
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Ici vécut Monseigneur Félix-Antoine Savard (1896-1982). Poète et romancier, auteur de Menaud, maître-draveur, il a marqué la littérature nationale et affirmé son attachement au pays par l’ensemble de son œuvre.
English translation: Here lived Bishop Felix-Antoine Savard (1896-1982). Poet and novelist, author of Menaud, master draveur, he marked national literature and affirmed his attachment to the country through all his work. [AWS Translate]
2, rue des Remparts (La Cité-Limoilou), Quebec, QC, Canada
The Old Chapel The date on this former Chapel records the first occasion on which John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, preached here on June 28th 1779. Author Leo Walmsley attended the school at the rear of the building and wrote vivid accounts of his schooldays in his novels.
The Old Chapel, Chapel Street, Robin Hood's Bay, United Kingdom
Subjects
Great Shamokin Path. By the Indian path along Bald Eagle Creek, in 1772, Bishop Ettwein, Moravian, brought some 200 Christian Mohicans and Delawares from Friedenshuetten, near Wyalusing, to Friedensstadt on the Beaver.
Eagle Valley Rd. (PA 150/old US 220) near Beech Creek Ave., Mill Hall Boro, PA, United States
Jethro Tull 1674-1741 agriculturist and inventor of the seed drill lived here 1700-1710
19A The Street, Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxford, United Kingdom
Subjects
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Ici le 25 Juillet 1914, Jean Jaurès, fondateur du journal L'Humanité prononça son dernier discours pour la paix.
English translation: Here on 25 July 1914, Jean Jaurès, founder of the newspaper L'Humanité gave his last speech for peace
51 rue de Bourgogne, Lyon, France
Subjects
Kunst im Dritten Reich 1937 stellte die Stadt die 4,5 m große Statue "Fackelträger" von Hermann Scheuernstuhl (1894-1982) auf den bereits zur Einweihung des Maschsees 1936 errichteten 18 m hohen Pfeiler. NS-Kunst heroisierte "Gesundheit" und "Kraft". Die auf einer Kugel postierte nackte Figur nimmt Bezug auf den Hitlergruß und das olympische Feuer, das 1936 erstmals von Olympia zu den Spielen getragen wurde. Die "Siegessäule" vereinnahmte den Bau des Sees und verherrlichte den NS-Staat mit der Inschrift am Sockel. 1945 wurde das Hakenkreuz herausgeschlagen.
English translation: Art in the Third Reich in 1937, the city placed the 4.5 m tall statue “Torchräger” by Hermann Scheuernstuhl (1894-1982) on the 18 m high pillars already erected for the inauguration of Lake Maschsee in 1936. Nazi art heroised “health” and “power”. Posited on a ball, the naked figure refers to Hitler's greeting and the Olympic fire, which was first carried by Olympics to the Games in 1936. The “Victory Column” captured the construction of the lake and glorified the Nazi state with the inscription on the pedestal. In 1945, the swastika was knocked out. [AWS Translate]
Maschsee, Hannover, Germany
Texas Historical Marker #07727
First Christian Church of Tyler. (Disciples of Christ) The first known record of a Christian (Disciples of Christ) church in Tyler appears in an 1859 deed that secured title to property on which a red brick sanctuary was built. With the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861, the fellowship was disbanded. For two decades Tyler had no active Disciples of Christ congregation, although a few of the members continued to conduct a Bible school. In 1889, J. J. Lockhart, who was state evangelist for the Texas Christian Missionary Society, held a meeting in the Albertson Opera House, and a new church was organized. The congregation met in a tabernacle on West Erwin Street but was without a full-time minister until 1906, when the Rev. J. J. Lockhart returned to Tyler and became the pastor. From 1889, the membership grew, and two additional sanctuaries were built, a Sunday School was organized, a women's missionary auxiliary was formed, and youth activities were added. A large number of ministers and missionaries have come from this church. Throughout its history, the First Christian Church of Tyler has played an important role in the community and in the Disciples of Christ brotherhood. #7727
4202 S. Broadway, Tyler, TX, United States
Kentucky Historical Marker #0011
Todd House. Home of Mary Todd Lincoln from 1832 to 1839. To this house in after years she brought Abraham Lincoln and their children.
578 W. Main St., Lexington, KY, United States
Subjects
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At the turn of the 19th Century this 'Goldstone' was thought to be a sacred stone of the Druids. This led to large numbers of people visiting the site and causing damage to the surrounding farm crops. In the early 1830's Mr. William Marsh Rigden, the landowner, buried the stone and smaller surrounding stones to stop this happening. The stones lay buried until 29th September 1900 when William Hollamby, one of the Hove Commissioners, discovered their position and had them unearthed. In 1906 the stones were put on display here in the newly opened Hove Park.
Hove Park, Hove, United Kingdom