Documenting the historical links between people and places as recorded by commemorative plaques
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Plaque Of The Day
Paul says, "It is the most blue plaque that we've found"
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 Market Cross was given to the city by Bishop Story 1501.
Market Cross, Chichester, United Kingdom
Subjects
Sir Edward Richard George Heath K.G. M.B.E. 1916-2005 Prime Minister 1970-1974 Member of the Broadstairs Sailing Club 1952-2005
Broadstairs Sailing Club, Seaview House, Harbour Street, Broadstairs, United Kingdom
Subjects
Texas Historical Marker #04194
Randolph Vesey. Respected Negro citizen and homeowner. Champion pioneer fiddler, popular at Forts Belknap, Griffin and Richardson and over county. Once when he was an Indian captive, held in Kansas, Texans sent ponies to ransom him. He is buried in Oak Lawn, Decatur. Born in Georgia. He served during the Civil War as body servant and voluntary battle aide to General W. L. Cabel of the Confederate army. Vesey's courage and loyalty were typical. Hundreds of slaves went to war with masters. Many operated farms and ranches of soldiers away at war, producing cotton and food for the Confederacy. Others did work for hire, with wages supporting the master's family. On patrol duty they protected homes from Indians, bandits, outlaws. During War years, 1861-1865, some 30,000 to 50,000 Negros - free and slaves - aided Confederate armies. They served with the Nitre and Mining Bureau and departments of medicine, engineers, quartermaster general, ordnance and commissary general. They built fortifications on coasts from Brownsville, Texas, to Norfolk, Virginia, and at inland points. Many were army teamsters, wheelwrights, blacksmiths, butchers, shoemakers, cooks, and nurses. Texas and other states later provided land grants and pensions for army. (1965) #4194
State Street, at Courthouse, Decatur, TX, United States
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Sua ecc rma Monsignor Arcives Fr. Giulio Arrigoni concede 40 giorni d'indulgenza a chiunque recitera divotamente tre Ave Maria avanti questa s. imagine. 1853
English translation: His ecclesiastical Monsignor Archbishop Father Giulio Arrigoni grants 40 days of indulgence to anyone who divinely recites three Hail Marys before this sacred image. 1853
, Lucca, Italy
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Thomas Hood 1799-1845 poet lived and died here
28 Finchley Road, Westminster, NW8, London, United Kingdom
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This plaque commemorates the birth here of Brian Samuel Epstein Brian was the elder son of Harry and Queenie. As the Beatles' manager he had the flair and business acumen to tackle and overcome the initial skepticism of the London-based music business to the Beatles' music. Brian oversaw the Beatles' meteoric rise to global fame before his sad and untimely death. Born 19 September 1934 Died London 27 August 1967
4 Rodney Street, Liverpool, United Kingdom
Subjects
Carver Dixon King Born on May 18, 1843 in Tennessee, C.D. "Uncle Dutch" King was an early leader in Arlington. He moved to Texas in 1873 and became Arlington's first mayor shortly after the town was established in 1876; he again served as mayor from 1899-1900. King also worked as a notary, owned a grocery store and icehouse, and served 13 terms as Justice of the Peace. He was devoted to the community, serving on city boards and organizations when not in office. King had two children with his first wife, Reola Eunice (Buford). After her death, he married Ione Fort. C.D. King died in 1930 and was interred in Parkdale Cemetery. Today, he is remembered as one of Arlington’s earliest and most dedicated leaders. (2010) Marker is Property of the State of Texas
301 E North St., Arlington, TX, United States
Bethesda Fountain and Terrace Designed by Calvert Vaux and Jacob Wrey Mould, these stairways, terrace and fountain were focal features of the original plan for Central Park by Vaux and Frederick Law Olmsted. The fountain sculpture by Emma Stebbins, inspired by the biblical account of the miraculous pool of Bethesda, was installed in 1873.
Central Park, New York, NY, United States
This garden was opened in 1951 was paid for by Mr Harold W Mooring Aldridge M. A. out of a legacy from Miss Charlotte Druitt sister of Herbert Druitt
Red House Museum & Gardens, Christchurch, United Kingdom
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Elizabeth Hamond Bequest Gustav Holst Composer 1874-1934 Given to the people of Cheltenham 2008
Imperial Gardens, Cheltenham, United Kingdom
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Ici s'élevait la maison donnée au poète Clément Marot (1496-1544) par Francois Premier, roi de France.
English translation: Here stood the house given to the poet Clément Marot (1496-1544) by Francois Premier, King of France. [AWS Translate]
27 rue de Tournon, Paris, France