Documenting the historical links between people and places as recorded by commemorative plaques
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Plaque Of The Day
Nigel Thomas Irwin Wiskar blue plaque
says, "Another humourous plaque, that gives us a role of "drunken buffoon"."
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
Thomas Cook, travel agent, born here 1808. This plaque marks the site of the birthplace of Thomas Cook (1808-1892), demolished in 1967. It was newly built when Cook was born, but had little else to recommend it. It was a small and simple semi-detached cottage about thirteen feet by thirteen feet, reached from the narrow street by a path. Quick Close was originally a field used for growing hawthorn plants (known as "quick") for hedging purposes, but in 1796 it was developed for building. The street was only twelve feet wide and the houses were irregular, so the area was demolished under "slum clearance" measures in the 1960's. The existing housing development was formally opened in 1972. Cook's family was poor, but he was lucky enough to be sent to school. Aged 10, he was sent to work for a gardener named Robey, and at fourteen he was apprenticed to John Pegg, wood turner, his uncle's father. Cook left Melbourne permanently when he was twenty, and by 1833 he was working as a wood turner in Market Harborough. Cook described his early years in Melbourne as hard toil. He noted that Pegg spent much of his leisure time and money on drink, so that "notwithstanding a good business, he lived and died a poor man" and had not improved his lot in life. Learning by this example, Cook joined the "temperance" movement, which advocated abstinence "from all intoxicating liquors". Cook's first organised trip, in 1841, was to transport a temperance group from Leicester to Loughborough and back. He continued to link the travel business with other interests on his personal agenda, causing a rift with his more businesslike son John Mason Cook. Despite the conflict between father and son, business boomed. Tours expanded to the continent, and then to the wider world. Thomas left a permanent legacy to Melbourne by building the handsome mission hall and memorial cottages on High Street, completed in 1891. They were built within sight of his ageing and humble birthplace, illustrating the strong contrast between his modest beginnings and the fame of his later life.
Corner of Quick Close and George Street, Melbourne, United Kingdom
Subjects
Texas Historical Marker #16911
Fisk Medical Arts & Professional Building. In 1926, Charles A. Fisk, president of the Amarillo Bank and Trust, and other investors commissioned this skyscraper designed by Amarillo architect Guy A. Carlander and built by the Gilsonite Contracting Co. of Dallas. The building formally opened in Dec. 1928, when an Amarillo Daily News article reported its cost as “dangerously close” to one million dollars. Fisk’s bank occupied the ground floor, with a mix of professional and retail tenants above. The eleven-story steel-reinforced concrete frame building is clad in red brick with terra cotta trim and exhibits gothic revival style detailing.
724 S. Polk St., Amarillo, TX, United States
Director Pat Jackson Cinematographer Jack Cardiff Captain Kerr Captain Mackenzie Comisiwn Scrin Cymru Wales Screen Commission Western Approaches Yma, yn 1944, y ffilmiwyd Western Approaches gan uned ffilmy goron. Dyma ddrama-ddogfen arloesol mewn lliw am gyfnod yr ail ryfel byd gyda Masachlongwyr a phobl leolyn cymryd rhan. Western Approaches, a pioneering colour wartime drama-documentary by the Crown Film Unit, was filmed here in 1944 using serving merchant seamen and local people as extras. Dadorchuddiwyd y plac / Plaque unveiled by Margaret Jones Curadur, Amgueddfa Western Approaches, Lerpwi, Curator, Western Approaches Museum, Liverpool 1 Mehefin / 1 June 2007
English translation: Director Pat Jackson Cinematographer Jack Cardiff Captain Kerr Captain Mackenzie Wales Screen Commission Western Approaches Western Approaches, a pioneering colour wartime drama-documentary by the Crown Film Unit, was filmed here in 1944 using serving merchant seamen and local people as extras. Plaque unveiled by Margaret Jones Curator, Western Approaches Museum, Liverpool 1 June 2007
2nd World War Air Raid Shelter, Holyhead Maritime Museum (near Beach Road), Holyhead, United Kingdom
Subjects
Hier wohnte Ada Lessing geb. Abbenthern Jg. 1883 Flucht 1933 Tschechoslowakei 1938 England überlebt
English translation: Here lived Ada Lessing née Abbenthern Jg. 1883 Escape 1933 Czechoslovakia 1938 England survived [AWS Translate]
Am Tiergarten 44, Hannover, Germany
Ici est né le 22 aout 1862 Claude Debussy, compositeur de musique.
English translation: Claude Debussy, composer of music was born here 22 August 1862
38 Rue au Pain, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
Subjects
Leamington Spa railway station. This Art Deco station was opened in 1939 by the Great Western Railway to replace the original building of 1852. Restoration of the booking hall carried out by Chiltern Railways with the support of the Friends of Leamington Station, Royal Leamington Spa Town Council and the Railway Heritage Trust, was completed in 2008. This station is listed Grade II.
Old Warwick Road, Leamington Spa, United Kingdom
Subjects
Hier wohnte von 1743 bis 1766 der mathematiker Leonhard Euler 15.IV.1707 18.IX.1783 seinem andenken die stadt Berlin 1907
Behrenstr., Berlin, Germany
Subjects
On 13th. February 1840 Horsham's only Victorian bank robbery occurred here at Henty's Bank.
West Street, Horsham, United Kingdom
St. Andrew's Gardens These gardens were opened on 5th June 1953 by the Mayor of Worcester to commemorate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. They were formerly the site of St. Andrew's Church and churchyard which were conveyed as a gift to the Corporation by the Bishop of Worcester in 1947. The church, which it is believed was first built in the 12th century. Was demolished due to it's dilapidated condition and the tower and spire only now remain. The tower, was built in the 15th century and the spire, which was rebuilt in 1751. Together rise to a height of 2451 feet and form one of Worcester's most beautiful and well known landmarks. The spire is locally referred to as "The Glover's Needle", due no doubt to it's shape and to Worcester's association with the glovemaking industry.
Spire of the church of St Andrew - Copenhagen Street / Deansway, Worcester, United Kingdom
1889 Sheffield United F.C. formed. Bramall Lane stages the first lawn tennis tournament
Sheffield United Football Club, Bramall Lane. Cherry Street., Sheffield, United Kingdom
Subjects
Coventry Watch Museum Project: Watchmaking Heritage Trail 2000 - 123 Upper Spon Street, Site of Coventry Watch Movement Manufacturing Company Factory c1889
123 Upper Spon Street, Coventry, United Kingdom
