Documenting the historical links between people and places as recorded by commemorative plaques
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Plaque Of The Day
myf says, "I like this one because it's so unexpected - such a great scientist, in a hut, in the middle of Norfolk!"
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
Nevada Historical Marker #148
The Two Battles Of Pyramid Lake. On May 12, 1860, Northern Paiute warriors, fighting to retain their way of life, decisively defeated a volunteer army from Virginia City and nearby settlements. The battle began with a skillful Numu (Paiute) Native American ambush north of Nixon and with the engagement continuing along the plateau on the opposite side of the Truckee River almost to the present site of Wadsworth.On June 2, 1860, a larger force of volunteers and regular U.S. Army troops engaged Numu warriors in battle along the tableland and mountainside. Several hundred warriors, attempting a delaying action to allow their women, children, and elders to escape, fought with such courage and strategy that the attacking forces were held back during the day until the Numu could withdraw.Numu war leader, Numaga (young Winnemucca) desired only peace, but he fought back to defend his people.
NV-447, Nixon, NV, United States
Dans cet immeuble siégea entre 1908 et 1909, l'Académie Lyrique Roumaine, fondée par l'une des voix d'or de la fin du XIXème siècle: le mezzosoprano roumain Elena Theodorini (1857-1926)
English translation: In this building sat between 1908 and 1909, the Romanian Lyric Academy, founded by one of the golden voices of the late 19th century: the Romanian mezzosoprano Elena Theodorini (1857-1926) [AWS Translate]
25 rue de Tocqueville, Paris, France
Meacham Field On July 3, 1925, the Fort Worth city council approved a lease on 100 acres of property on Decatur Road for the city’s new municipal airport. It was built to replace the city’s first municipal airport at Barron Field, a World War I-era flying training field near Everman. After passage of the Air Mail Act (Kelly Act) in 1925, airlines began flying the mail over Contract Air Mail (CAM) routes. As headquarters of the 11th district of the U.S. Post Office Railway Mail Service, Fort Worth offered an ideal location to tie together ground and air distribution. On May 12, 1926, National Air Transport Co. (later United Airlines) flew the field’s first air mail flight to Chicago. On July 16, 1927, the airport’s name changed to Meacham Field, in honor of former Mayor H. C. Meacham. Soon several airlines began to offer passenger service on the CAM routes. By 1931, the airport had expanded to 280 acres. On April 4, 1937, Meacham Field’s new Art Moderne Terminal (the first air-conditioned passenger terminal in the U.S.) and control tower were dedicated. During World War II, in April 1943, American Airlines was awarded a contract to train U. S. Navy pilots at the airport on the Douglas R4D (DC-3) transport. In May 1943, the navy commissioned the airport as a naval auxiliary air facility and established a ferry service unit to coordinate cross-country fighter and torpedo bomber deliveries to the pacific and seaplane ferrying services at nearby Lake Worth. When Fort Worth International Airport opened in April 1953, commercial airline operations moved there. Afterward, Meacham Field Developed into one of the world's leading airports for general and corporate aviation, flight training and aircraft repair. (2015) Marker is Property of the State of Texas
3300 Ross Avenue, Fort Worth, TX, United States
THE SCOTT MONUMENT Erected 1840-44 to the Memory of SIR WALTER SCOTT Bart. 1771-1832 Born in Edinburgh. Lawyer and ardent Patriot, he won enduring fame as a romantic poet and the author of the Waverley novels. The monument was designed by George Meikle Kemp and the statue of Scott is by Sir John Steell.
Princes Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
Subjects
Thomas Hooker 1586-1647 Puritan Clergyman Pupil of this School *Reputed Father of "American democracy"*
Dixie Grammar School, Station Road, Market Bosworth, United Kingdom
Ici habita de 1922 à 1935 Félix Eboue Cayenne 1884 - Le Caire 1944 Compagnon de la Libération Gouverneur du Tchad 1938-1940 Gouverneur Général de l'A.E.F. 1940-1944 Inhumé au Panthéon le 20 Mai 1949
English translation: Here lived from 1922 to 1935 Félix Eboue Cayenne 1884 - Cairo 1944 Companion of Liberation Governor of Chad 1938-1940 Governor General of A.E.F. 1940-1944 Buried in Pantheon on May 20, 1949 [AWS Translate]
4 rue Chauveau-Lagarde, Paris, France
Subjects
This building was presented to the borough by Mrs Alice Wood to perpetuate the memory of those of the borough who laid down their lives in the war of 1939-45
The Pebbles, 53-55 High Street, Tenterden, United Kingdom
In the roadway opposite this table Robert Emmet died in the cause of Irish Freedom. 20th September 1803.
Thomas Street, Dublin, Ireland
Subjects
Tällä paikalla olleessa talossa syntyi Suomen merimieslähetystyön aloittaja kirkkohistorian tutkija Gustaf Elis Bergroth joulukuun 11 päivänä 1854
English translation: Gustaf Elis Bergroth, the initiator of the Finnish seamen's mission ary work, Gustaf Elis Bergroth, was born in the house on 11 December 1854 [AWS Translate]
Ylinenkatu 29a, Uusikaupunki, Finland
This cottage was visited by their majesties King George V and Queen Mary. March 25th 1914.
20 Bedford Road/Royal Lodge, Port Sunlight, United Kingdom
Subjects
The oldest inn in Otley reputedly drunk dry by Cromwell's troops who camped outside the town on the eve of the Battle of Marston Moor.
Market Place, Otley, United Kingdom