Documenting the historical links between people and places as recorded by commemorative plaques
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Plaque Of The Day
Thomas Clarkson multicoloured plaque
Gnomonic says, "this highly detailed plaque gives you the story behind the person commemorated"
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
The George Hotel England's smallest window The George Hotel is one of Hull's oldest surviving Public Houses and can be dated back to 1683. It is also home to England's smallest window which is rumoured to have been used in the days when The George was a coaching Inn. A porter was seated at the window to watch for the coaches so as to give immediate attention on arrival
Manor Street, Hull, United Kingdom
Subjects
The house at rear was once the dwelling of Rev. Dr. Jamieson where he compiled his Scottish dictionary
Ingleside, East High Street, Forfar, United Kingdom
Subjects
In diesem Haus wohnte der Augsburger Baumeister Elias Holl von 1618–1646
Kapuzinergasse, Augsburg, Germany
Subjects
"Улица названа именем отважного офицера и талантливого командира стрелковой дивизии полковника Сафронова Федора Андреевича (1900-1945), успешно руководившего дивизией при штурме города-крепости Кёнигсберг"
English translation: “The street is named after the brave officer and talented commander of the rifle division Colonel Safronov Fedor Andreevich (1900-1945), who successfully led the division during the storming of the fortress town of Konigsberg” [AWS Translate]
ул. Полк. Сафронова, 2а, Калининград - Kaliningrad, Russia
This slab marks the grave of Frau Van Riebeck wife of John Van Riebeck, founder of Cape Colony. The original grave stone was move to Cape Town in 1915.
St Paul's Church, Melaka, Malaysia
This bridge having been rebuilt was opened by the Mayor Councillor J. HINKS J.P. August 13th 1891 W. De Normanville Engineer
Adelaide Road Bridge, Royal Leamington Spa, United Kingdom
Way of Saint James Saint James, one of the Apostles, was martyred in AD44. Legend has it that he spent a number of years preaching in Spain and was subsequently buried there. His supposed burial site was discovered in the early 9th century and became a focus of pilgrimage. Hundreds of thousands subsequently visited Santiago de Compostela. Many pilgrims sailed from England through Plymouth which was one of the only two ports licences for this journey. The pilgrims often wore a sign indicating their destination Those going to Siantago de Compostela wore a scallop shell, this eventually became a general symbol of pilgrimage
The Barbican, Plymouth, United Kingdom
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Texas Historical Marker #01100
Cox Cemetery. William Driscol Cox (1839-97) and his wife Amanda (Shugart) moved with their family from Tennessee to Texas in 1872. Cox taught in Robertson County, then (1876) bought and moved to a 300-acre ranch at this site. He taught the first school in Sidney and served 1882-84 as Sheriff of Comanche County. This cemetery was opened at the death of infant Mary Jane Cox (1875-76), sixth child of the family. Amanda (Mrs. W. D.) Cox was buried here in 1882. In 1886, Cox donated the 1-acre family burial ground to the Methodist Mission in nearby Bibb, as a public cemetery. In 1895 he sold most of his land to a nephew, James Sampson Cox (1866-1941), who later was one of the area's largest landowners. Although Bibb Mission closed in 1908, this facility continued in public use. In 1934, J. S. Cox bought and added three-fourths of an acre to the original ground. Under leadership of O. S. Cox (1895-1966), a grand-nephew of W. D. Cox, the fence and arched gate were installed in 1959. Reunion associations of the Hurt and Steele Families, connected by marriages to the Coxes, have helped maintain the cemetery. The Cox Cemetery Association was organized in 1968 with L. D. Cox, grandson of J. S. Cox, as the first president. (1977) #1100
?, Sidney, TX, United States
The North Gate. 1800 years ago the Romans built a wall with four gateways around the market town Noviomanus Reginorum (Chichester). This is the site of the north gate, which stoos until 1773. In Roman times the road from here ran northwest for 40 miles to Calleva Atrebatum (Silchester)
3 Northgate, Chichester PO19 1BA, Chichester, United Kingdom
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Nevada Historical Marker #102
Goodsprings Mining District 1856 1957. Ore deposits readily recognized in the faulted and folded limestone deposits of this district remained unworked until 1856, when Mormons began work at Potosí, establishing perhaps the oldest underground mine in Nevada.Named for cattleman Joseph Good, the open springs area was developed into the mining-ranching community of Goodsprings by A.G. Campbell.With completion of the Los Angeles-Salt Lake Railroad in 1905 and the narrow-gauge Yellow Pine Railroad from Jean to Goodsprings in 1911, transportation costs of the local oxidized zinc minerals were reduced. The peak year of operations was reached in 1916 when Goodsprings had 800 residents.This district, with the greatest variety of minerals in Nevada, produced a total of $25 million, primarily in lead and zinc, with lesser amounts of gold, silver, copper, molybdenum, vanadium, nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium, and uranium.
West Spring St, Goodsprings, NV, United States
Judges' Lodging This building has its origins as an early C16 town house, becoming the 'Labour in Vain' inn around 1756. It became used as the Judges' Lodging for the Monmouth Assizes before 1835, and as the Militia Officers' Mess in teh 1870's.
English translation: Llety'r Barnwyr Gwreiddiwyd yr adeilad hwn fel ty trefol yn gynnar yn yr 16eg ganrif. Erbyn tua 1756 roedd yn dafarn 'Labour in Vain'. Cyn 1835 fe'i ddefnyddiwyd fel LLety'r Barnwyr ar gyfer Brawdlys Trefynwy ac fel Ystafell Fwyta Swyddogion y Milisia tua 1870.
27 Whitecross Street, Monmouth, United Kingdom
Subjects
Texas Historical Marker #04325
Rockport. The town of Rockport was founded by cattlemen J. M. and T. H. Mathis in 1867. Originally a part of Refugio County, it became county seat of newly formed Aransas County in 1871. Shipping and fishing provided the primary economic base of the town in its early years. The railroad arrived in 1888 and with it came a decline in the shipping industry, although shipyards were in operation during World War I and World War II. Rockport has been a popular recreation center over the years, and tourism continues to be important to the local economy. (1988) #4325
?, Rockport, TX, United States