Blue plaques everywhere
As part of the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill, one of the last acts of the outgoing government was to authorise Historic England to extend the blue plaques scheme to the whole of England. English Heritage will continue to deliver the scheme in London, where it was launched in 1866 and managed first by the Royal Society of Arts, then successively by the London County Council (1901-1965), the Greater London Council (1965-1986), and English Heritage (since 1986). The City of London Corporation has been responsible since 1879 for erecting plaques within its own boundaries.
Once upon a time you had to be eminent and well-known to be considered worthy of a blue plaque, and among the first to be unveiled outside London were those marking the birthplace of George Harrison (1943-2001) in Wavertree, Liverpool, and the flat in Shelton, Stoke-on-Trent, where ceramic artist Clarice Cliff (1899-1972) lived at the height of her success.
However, in announcing the scheme’s expansion, Arts Minister Lord Parkinson said: ‘I encourage people to get thinking about who has helped to define their community and makes them proud of where they live.’ Even more explicitly, Historic England has said it wants nominations of ‘inspirational people from all walks of life, including those whose history has been hidden or largely fogotten’.
