Documenting the historical links between people and places as recorded by commemorative plaques
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Plaque Of The Day
Castle Bowling Green grey plaque
Jez says, "I love the fact that Lewes used to have a tilting ground, ie a place where jousting took place."
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
Ici vécut, pendant les dernières années de sa vie, Edmond Lemoine (1877-1922), peintre réputé pour ses paysages et ses scènes de la vie quotidienne à Québec.
English translation: Here lived, during the last years of his life, Edmond Lemoine (1877-1922), a painter renowned for his landscapes and scenes of daily life in Quebec. [AWS Translate]
172, rue Aberdeen (La Cité-Limoilou), Quebec, QC, Canada
Ici vécut James McKenna (1812-1867) Membre actif de la communauté irlandaise de Québec. De 1860 à 1926, cette maison a abrité plusieurs générations de McKenna.
15, rue Sainte-Famille, Quebec, QC, Canada
Subjects
St. John's Chapel/Church. Built 1769 by local coal fitter John Thornhill to ease overcrowding at the Parish Church. It became a separate parish church in 1876 and a garrison church 1823-1919. Demolished 1972.
Propect Row, Sunderland, United Kingdom
Subjects
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The Tottenham Outrage. On this site until the 1930's stood oak cottages, where in 1909 Jacob Lepidus, a Latvian "anarchist" was killed after a two hour running gun battle. It was the climax to a chase which left four dead and fifteen wounded following a wages snatch in Tottenham.
94/96 Oak Hill Woodford Green, London, United Kingdom
Subjects
Dr Fraser M. Rose OBE 1897-1972 Co-founder and President of the Royal College of General Practitioners lived here 1927-57 and practised from the adjoining surgery 1927-1968
The Guild Public House, Fylde Road, Preston, United Kingdom
Subjects
DAZZLE The first construction hoarding to honour Norman Wilkinson b 24.XI.1878 d 31.V.1971
79, Fishergate, York, United Kingdom
Subjects
Dawlish Warren Sea Defences Opened by Councillor David Prouse Chairman of the Teignbridge District Council 17th March 1993
Beech Road, Dawlish Warren, United Kingdom
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Ernest Hemingway. American-born Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961), internationally renowned author, lived in this apartment building, 1597-1599 Bathurst Street, in 1923-24, while working as a journalist for the Toronto Star. While here he became friends with novelist Morley Callaghan and writer/broadcaster Gordon Sinclair. He returned to Paris, France, where he began his career as a novelist, producing such masterpieces as "The Sun Also Rises", "A Farewell To Arms" & "For Whom the Bell Tolls".
1599 Bathurst Street, Toronto, ON, Canada
Subjects
The Angel Inn. A gatehouse Inn dating from the 15th century. King Richard III received the Great Seal here 1483. Other monarchs stayed here. The inn was renamed The Angel and Royal in 1866.
4-5 High Street, Grantham, United Kingdom
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THE FOUNTAIN. The Fountain is a natural spring seen below the grating. It supplied Milnthorpe's water until 1906 when piped water was laid on. To draw the water a 'pump-stick' had to be thrust up the fountain head to dam a flow strong enough to fill a bucket. The protecting stones were placed here in 1880 after Miss Rawlinson fell in the fountain when returning from Evensong. In 1941 the fountain was concreted over after a circus elephant slipped and hurt herself. The Fountain was restored in 2000 as part of the Millennium Improvement scheme for The Square.
The Square, Milnthorpe, United Kingdom
Sir Richard Westmacott 1775-1856 sculptor lived and died here
14 South Audley Street, Westminster, W1, London, United Kingdom
Subjects
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Texas Historical Marker #10670
Glendale Cemetery. Burial place, Texas heroes and pioneers. Began as private plot of family of John R. Harris, founder of Harrisburg (now part of Houston). First burial, on July 23, 1839, was of Mrs. Harris' cousin, Judge John Birdsall, an ex-attorney general of texas. A cemetery developed without management or legal status. In 1897, local ladies formed Glen Dale Cemetery Company and kept grounds in order for years. After a period of neglect, a group began restoration in 1952. Glendale Cemetery Association, Inc., now manages the property and provides perpetual care. #10670
?, Houston, TX, United States