Documenting the historical links between people and places as recorded by commemorative plaques
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Plaque Of The Day
Jez says, "A record of a foul deed! The Earl of Rochester must have had it in for Dryden. I wonder what he had done?!"
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
This tablet was erected in loving memory of William Compton fifth Marquess of Northampton K.G. by his London tenants and friends.
Northhampton Square, Islington, London, United Kingdom
Subjects
Hier wohnte Max Goldschmidt Jg. 1876 deportiert 15.12.1941 ermordet in Riga
English translation: Max Goldschmidt Jg. 1876 deported 15.12.1941 murdered in Riga [AWS Translate]
Franz-Nause-Straße 4, Hannover, Germany
Sur cet emplacement s'élevait l'Hôtel de Navarre, qui fut ensuite le séjour d'Orléans. Louis XII, avant son avenement au Trône, l'habita jusqu'en 1484.
English translation: On this site stood the Hotel de Navarre, which was then the stay of Orleans. Louis XII, before his change to the Throne, lived him until 1484. [AWS Translate]
49 rue Saint-André-des-Arts, Paris, France
Vincent Van Gogh the famous painter lived here in 1876
Twickenham Road, Isleworth, London, United Kingdom
Subjects
The Housden Firefighters 2016 In recognition of over 100 years collective on-call firefighters service given by the Housden family to the community of Cambridgeshire. Tony Housden Michael Housden Mervyn Housden
St Neots Fire Station, Huntingdon Street, St. Neots, United Kingdom
Texas Historical Marker #07953
The Town of Gause. William J. Gause (1829-1914), born in Alabama, moved to Texas in 1849, to the Brazos region in 1856, and to this locality in 1872. Buying lumber in Montgomery, he gave his friend Dan Fowler half in return for hauling it here. The two built the first homes in this settlement. In 1873, Gause gave right of way and 100 acres of land to the International & Great Northern Railroad, and the town was platted. Gause Post Office opened in 1874, with James S. Reynolds as postmaster. The I. G. N. freighted out great quantities of cotton, and the town thrived. Cotton gins, stores, blacksmith shops, a lumber yard, a bank, hotels, livery stables, a newspaper and other businesses were established. Besides W. J. Gause, civic leaders included Dr. J. E. Brown, Richard Cox, Dr. James dollar, Lafayette Ely, Bill Faubian, Dan Fowler, J. C. Lister, C. C. Moore, Dr. John Porter, Frank Thomas, and T. L. Watts. Churches were organized and a Masonic Lodge chartered. The county's first independent school was established in Gause. Good highways, mechanized farming, and decline of railroading halted commerce in the town of Guase. It survives, however, as a residential site chosen by descendants of the pioneers and by commuters of industrial plants and businesses in this vicinity. #7953
US 79, Gause, TX, United States
The East Block. This building, completed in 1865, was the centre of Canada’s government for 110 years. It housed the offices of the Privy Council, the Prime Minister, and until 1942, those of the Governor General. In 1981 Public Works Canada completed the restoration of the historic chambers and the renovation of offices for parliamentarians. / L’Édifice de l’Est. Achevé en 1865, cet édifice fut pendant 110 ans le siège du gouvernement canadien. Il a logé les bureaux du conseil privé et du premier ministre et, jusqu’en 1942, ceux du gouverneur général. En 1981, Travaux publics Canada a terminé la restauration des pièces historiques et la rénovation des bureaux destinés aux parlementaires.
111 Wellington Street, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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Horst Wolfgang Seidel [full inscription unknown]
English translation: Horst Wolfgang Seidel
Isländische Str. 17, Pankow, Berlin, Germany
Subjects
Itt gyógyított Dr. Takács Pál (1900–1977) a budafokiak által nagyra becsült és szeretett kiváló belgyógyász-főorvos. Az 1956-os dicsőséges forradalom alatt vállalt szerepéért életfogytiglani börtönbüntetésre ítélték, melyből hat év után amnesztiával szabadult.
English translation: This is where Dr. Pál Takács (1900—1977) is an excellent internal medicine chief physician highly appreciated and loved by the people of Buda. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for his role during the Glorious Revolution of 1956, from which he was released with amnesty after six years. [AWS Translate]
Városház tér 1., Budapest, Hungary
Originally St Mary’s National School erected in 1819 on part of the Workhouse Acre. It was designed to accommodate a master and mistress plus 200 pupils
National Spiritualist Church, Vestry Road E17, London, United Kingdom
Joseph Losey film director lived here between 1966 and 1984
29 Royal Avenue, SW3, London, United Kingdom
Subjects
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Reformation Martyrs Near this place on 16th October 1555 William Wolsey Constable of Welney, Upwell and Outwell Rober Pygot painter from Wisbech were burnt at the stake for their Christian faith
Minster Place, Ely, United Kingdom